Union payroll processing is the case where general-purpose payroll most often breaks, because the rules come from collective agreements rather than from statute alone. A provider that has not done it before will not tell you it cannot; it will run the pay and produce the wrong numbers.
What the agreement adds
Rates that vary by classification and by job rather than by employee. Fringe benefit contributions to funds, calculated on hours and remitted to third parties on their own schedules. Dues deducted and forwarded. Shift and overtime rules that follow the agreement rather than the statutory default. Each of those is a separate mechanism and each has its own reporting.
The reports that matter more than the pay run
Certified payroll reporting on public work, and monthly fund remittance reports, are frequently the reason an employer outsources at all. They have their own formats and deadlines and are unforgiving of small errors. Ask a provider to show you a sample of each rather than confirming it supports them, because supports covers a wide range of realities.
What to ask before you buy
Which agreements the provider currently processes under, how rates are maintained when an agreement is renegotiated, who is responsible for remitting to funds and on what timetable, and what happens when a remittance is late. A provider that answers those crisply has done this; one that offers to look into it has not.
Questions people ask about union payroll processing
What is different about union payroll?
Rates vary by classification and job, fringe contributions are calculated on hours and remitted to third-party funds on their own schedules, dues are deducted and forwarded, and shift and overtime rules follow the agreement rather than the statutory default.
What should I ask a provider?
Which agreements it currently processes under, how rates are maintained after a renegotiation, who remits to the funds and on what timetable, and what happens when a remittance is late.
Does it cost more?
Generally yes, because the setup and ongoing maintenance are real work. Ask for a sample certified payroll report and a sample fund remittance report before you compare any fee.