Certified payroll guide
The statement of compliance on a WH-347
The signed declarations at the foot of the certified payroll, and why a missing or unsigned statement is a frequent rejection.
The statement of compliance is the part of the certified payroll where the contractor certifies, on pain of the law, that the payroll is accurate. It is short, it is signed, and it is the first thing many agencies check.
What it certifies
The statement records that each worker was paid the full weekly wages earned without unauthorised deductions or rebates; that no worker was paid less than the applicable wage rate and, where required, the overtime rate; and that the classifications shown are accurate for the work performed. The exact wording is set out on the WH-347 and in the contract clauses.
Who signs it
A responsible officer of the contractor signs. On an electronic submission the signature must be a legally valid electronic signature; the regulation contemplates electronic systems and requires that the submission still carry a valid signature.
Why it gets rejected
A statement that is unsigned, dated wrongly or left off entirely is one of the most common clerical reasons a payroll comes back - not because the pay was wrong, but because the certification was missing. Our preflight requires you to confirm each declaration before it will run, so the statement is not an afterthought.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — WH-347 certified payroll form and instructions; 29 CFR 5.5 (contract provisions and related matters). This guide is general information, not legal advice, and not a determination by any agency. Owned and operated by GCExperts LLC.