Syracuse City selects UKG Pro and Mosaic to modernize payroll and HR systems

Syracuse City officials told members of an IT meeting that they have selected UKG Pro as the city’s human capital management (HCM) platform and contracted Mosaic Consulting Group to implement the system in a phased rollout that prioritizes payroll, position management and demographic data.

The project team said the goal for phase one is to have core HCM functions—demographic data, position management and payroll—launched in January, with later phases improving existing timekeeping products and adding additional modules. The city said Mosaic began work in April and is currently collecting departmental data and documenting processes to guide configuration and testing.

The presenters explained the choice was driven by efficiency, regulatory compliance and sustainability: the city is currently running payroll on an AS/400 system the presenters described as outdated, and officials said a cloud‑based platform would reduce manual payroll tasks, automate tax updates and streamline ancillary payments such as overtime and allowances.

City staff also emphasized integration with existing timekeeping systems (SWC and TeleStaff). They said those systems feed payroll and must be made interoperable with the new HCM to realize benefits; SWC timekeeping rollout is about 75% complete, and the migration workbook Mosaic will produce is intended to document current configurations and proposed changes so departments can sign off on the plan.

Contracting and timing: presenters said the city paused an earlier Oracle rollout in January, selected UKG Pro in April and issued an RFP for implementation services in May, after which Mosaic was chosen. Legislation authorizing funding was introduced the prior September and passed between September and February, enabling the April project kickoff. The Mosaic implementation contract runs 18 months from late March or early April, giving the city an implementation window that extends into Oct/Nov 2027, though staff said core functions should be completed much earlier and some benefits will appear incrementally.

On governance and payments, the city said it shifted to milestone‑based invoicing so payments are tied to deliverables rather than flat monthly fees. Mosaic’s scope includes design, configuration, testing and launch of each module; after Mosaic’s handoff, city staff will maintain the system with vendor support from UKG.

Council members asked practical questions about operations. Councilor Nav asked who conducts employee performance evaluations and whether reviews affect raises; staff said managers currently handle performance day‑to‑day, the city is building a performance management module but evaluations are not presently tied to compensation, and pay is determined by position with cost‑of‑living adjustments applied. Councilman War asked whether the new systems would reduce stress and paperwork for employees; presenters said finance, HR and hiring managers should see immediate relief through automated processes and employee self‑service, such as online address changes and access to pay stubs.

Council members requested copies of the presentation slides and periodic updates tied to phase milestones. Presenters agreed to return with further briefings as the city moves into the build and test phases. The meeting concluded with presenters thanking council members and agreeing to follow up as needed.

Ending note: No votes or formal council actions were recorded in the meeting transcript; the discussion centered on implementation planning, procurement history and operational impacts for city employees.