SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) is marking five years since it began collecting certified payrolls online from contractors working on public works projects. These projects are funded by local or state tax dollars and require contractors to submit detailed wage records for the workers involved.

Under the Prevailing Wage Act, contractors must report wages, job classifications, and work hours for employees on these public projects. This ensures transparency and that workers are paid fairly according to the law.

“Prevailing wage certified payroll filings help ensure that workers on government-funded projects are paid the correct wages and benefits for their work,” said Illinois Department of Labor Director Jane Flanagan. “Illinois’ public certified transcript of payroll portal provides transparency in the industry, helps maintain accountability among contractors that have won bids for their work, and allows the Department to report aggregate data on public works construction projects.”

Changes to Payroll Collection

In 2018, the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation to streamline certified payroll filings. When Governor Pritzker took office in 2019, the Certified Transcript of Payroll portal became law, allowing contractors to submit payroll information online instead of through public bodies overseeing each project.

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The move has greatly improved the efficiency of tracking payrolls and promoting compliance with Prevailing Wage requirements. Since the portal's launch, more than 1.5 million submissions have been processed.

Ongoing Reminders for Contractors

To promote compliance, IDOL reminds contractors that payrolls are due on the 15th of every month for the previous month’s work.

For further information, including training materials and detailed instructions for using the Certified Transcript of Payroll portal, contractors are encouraged to visit IDOL’s official website.