Depending on your company’s size and complexity, there are different ways to configure prevailing wage (PW) rates and benefits in TradeSeal. This guide walks through four common levels of setup, from simple to advanced, to help you understand what’s right for your team.
1. Basic Setup – Small Non-Union Projects
If you're a smaller contractor doing non-union prevailing wage work, you may just want to set up a simple hourly rate and a required fringe benefit.
Example:
Rate Import
| Job No | Union No | Position | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job 123 | Laborer | $20.00 |
Benefit Import
| Job No | Union No | Position | Name | Code | Amount | Type | Calculation Method | Fringe Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Job 123 | Laborer | PW Fringe | PWF | $10.00 | earning | pw fringe | no |
This setup is best when you just want to meet basic compliance requirements with the least configuration.
2. Intermediate Setup – Non-Union with Multiple Benefits
Some teams prefer a more detailed configuration with multiple benefit types, such as training funds or fringes that vary by hours worked.
Example:
Rate Import
| Job No | Union No | Position | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job 123 | Laborer | $20.00 |
Benefit Import
| Job No | Union No | Position | Name | Code | Amount | Type | Calculation Method | Fringe Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Job 123 | Laborer | PW Fringe | PWF | $10.00 | earning | pw fringe | no | |
| Job 123 | Laborer | Training Fund | TRF | $1.00 | info | hours worked | yes |
This type of setup is common when your team asks about:
- Training fund rules
- California-specific requirements
- Whether to track union-like benefits (without being union)
Does your organization need to add employer-paid benefits ("fringe credits") that vary by employee (not by job)? See our article about employer-paid fringe credits to learn more. Note: these types of employee-level benefits do NOT usually need to be added to your "benefits" table in TradeSeal, but rather to your employee records.
3. Union or Large Prevailing Wage Employers
If your company works with union positions or manages PW compliance at scale, you likely need separate setups for union and non-union work.
Union Example:
Rate Import
| Job No | Union No | Position | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union 456 | Journeyman (JM) | $25.00 |
Benefit Import
| Job No | Union No | Position | Name | Code | Amount | Type | Calculation Method | Fringe Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union 456 | JM | Health Fund | HF | $8.00 | benefit | hours worked | no |
Non-Union Example (Separate Setup):
Use the intermediate setup shown in section 2 for your non-union projects or companies.
4. Advanced Setup – Combined Union + Prevailing Wage Logic
In some cases, your team may intentionally align job position codes so that they work for both union and prevailing wage jobs. This is the most complex setup and requires clear, consistent mappings.
Example:
Rate Import
| Job No | Union No | Position | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job 123 | JM | $20.00 | |
| Union 456 | JM | $25.00 |
Benefit Import
| Job No | Union No | Position | Name | Code | Amount | Type | Calculation Method | Fringe Credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union 456 | JM | Health Fund | HF | $8.00 | info | hours worked | yes | |
| Job 123 | JM | PW Fringe | PWF | $10.00 | earning | pw fringe | no |
This setup is ideal when:
- You want to use the same position codes across union and non-union jobs
- Your team expects both union and PW compliance for the same employees
- You are comfortable managing dual logic in your setup
Final Notes
- The “pw fringe” benefit itself is not a fringe credit—it's what you're required to provide if no other fringes apply.
- If you’re unsure whether to use advanced employee imports, our team can help review your setup.
- You can always start simple and grow into more advanced configurations as your needs evolve.