Lumber partners Branch to offer earned wage access

By Divya Shah

Lumber, an AI-powered construction workforce management platform, has partnered with embedded financial services provider Branch to introduce earned wage access capabilities for construction workers across the United States. 

Through the new integration, workers can use On-Demand Pay powered by Branch within the Lumber app to access wages they have already earned before their scheduled payday. 

The feature allows employees to opt in directly through the Lumber mobile application and complete a streamlined onboarding process. Once enrolled, workers can receive funds instantly to an existing debit card for a small fee or opt for a free transfer that arrives within two business days. 

The earned wage access service is available to both payroll and non-payroll customers and is being rolled out in phases, with availability expanding to additional users over time. 

Oleg Pravdin, Head of Product at Lumber, said, “Crews shouldn’t have to take out a loan against money they’ve already earned. This isn’t credit, and it isn’t a loan; it’s pay that’s already been worked for, made available a little earlier. We built this feature directly into the app crews are already using every day.” 

The initiative is designed to provide construction workers with greater flexibility in managing cash flow without relying on loans or other forms of credit. 

The partnership reflects a broader trend toward integrating financial wellness tools directly into workforce management platforms, particularly for industries with large frontline workforces. 

Atif Siddiqi, founder and CEO of Branch, said, “Construction workers keep this industry moving, often under real financial pressure between pay cheques. Partnering with Lumber puts earned wage access directly in the hands of crews who’ve historically had limited options for managing cash flow, right inside a platform they already use.” 

Lumber said the launch represents the latest step in its strategy to expand beyond payroll and compliance services into financial tools that support both construction companies and workers.