Union Payroll Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Company overview:

Lawson Mechanical Contractors is a leading Sacramento-based mechanical contractor with over 78 years of experience delivering projects across diverse sectors in California, with a growing operation based in Sparks, NV. We are signatory to the SMART Sheet Metal and UA Plumbers and Pipefitters unions, with our payroll team managing a multi-entity, multi-union, multi-state payroll environment covering both union and administrative construction employees.

Position overview:

As Union Payroll Specialist, you will support and assist the Payroll Manager in accurate and timely processing of weekly union and non-union construction payrolls across Lawson’s multiple business entities performing work in California and Nevada. You will conduct daily review and quality control over payroll processes using Lawson’s ERP application, Trimble Spectrum, and time-tracking platform, Traqspera. You will assist with weekly certified payroll processing and uploads to the DIR portal and LCPTracker.

Core responsibilities:

• Perform daily payroll review and quality control checks
• Maintain current records demonstrating ongoing compliance with company policies and union agreements
• Apply union collective bargaining agreement provisions, California and Nevada labor law, and applicable wage determination requirements during weekly processing, with discrepancy escalation to the Payroll Manager
• Administer child support and court-ordered wage garnishments
• Prepare weekly 401(k) deferral reconciliations for the Payroll Manager’s review and process approved payments
• Process weekly payroll tax payments
• Prepare and submit Work Sharing plan (partial unemployment claim) filings through the EDD web service
• Respond to routine payroll inquiries from employees and project teams
• Prepare and submit certified payroll reports, including electronic DIR submissions for California public works projects and Nevada public works certified payroll submissions, where applicable
• Prepare and submit union fringe benefit payment reports
• Support multi-entity, multi-union, multi-state (CA/NV) weekly payroll processing for the company's workforce

Qualifications and experience:

• Minimum two years of payroll experience
• Union, prevailing wage, or public works construction payroll experience strongly preferred
• Working knowledge of labor law, wage and hour requirements, and prevailing wage/certified payroll compliance for both California and Nevada
• Advanced proficiency in MS Excel
• Experience with Spectrum (Viewpoint) construction ERP strongly preferred
• Familiarity with general accounting principles and payroll tax regulations
• High level of discretion and sound judgment in handling confidential payroll data
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to build effective working relationships across project and field teams
• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Associate’s degree in accounting, business, or related field preferred
• Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) designation a plus

Job schedule:

Full-time, Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM. Overtime may be required during weekly payroll processing and certified payroll reporting deadlines.

Salary:

Based on skills and experience. The pay range is $29 - $38 per hour. This position is non-exempt.

Work location:

In person at our Sacramento, CA office.

Benefits package:

• Comprehensive health benefits (medical, dental, vision, and life insurance)
• 401(k) plan with employer matching and immediate 100% vesting
• Paid time off (holidays, vacation leave, and sick leave)
• Flexible spending accounts for health care and dependent care
• Employee recognition and rewards programs

Join our team:

If you are a payroll professional looking to build deep expertise in union construction payroll under the direct mentorship of a Payroll Manager with six years of hands-on experience in this exact environment, we encourage you to apply. Help us continue a track record of success that spans more than seven decades.

Visit our website at to learn more about our projects, team, and the values that drive our success.

A full service commercial and industrial mechanical contractor with nearly 80 years of experience in the built environment.

Company Description

A full service commercial and industrial mechanical contractor with nearly 80 years of experience in the built environment.