Staffing Glossary
Payroll Burden
Employer-side costs on top of wages — FICA, FUTA/SUTA, workers' compensation, and benefits — usually adding 12–25% to the base wage.
Payroll burden is the gap between what a worker is paid and what it actually costs the agency to employ them. It's the single most common reason a bill rate that looked profitable on paper turns out to barely break even.
Workers' comp rates especially vary a lot by job class — a light-industrial pick-and-pack role and a roofing crew carry very different burden even at the same pay rate.
Related terms
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