Step 1 :Let's denote the number of heavy equipment operators as \(x\) and the number of general laborers as \(y\).
Step 2 :We have two equations based on the information given in the problem:
Step 3 :1. \(x + y = 33\) (since 33 people were hired)
Step 4 :2. \(134x + 98y = 4026\) (since the total payroll was $4026)
Step 5 :We can solve these equations simultaneously to find the values of \(x\) and \(y\).
Step 6 :Solving the equations, we get \(x = 22\) and \(y = 11\).
Step 7 :Final Answer: The number of heavy equipment operators hired was \(\boxed{22}\) and the number of general laborers hired was \(\boxed{11}\).