Employers must continue accurate records of not-exempt employees' piece of work hours. This seemingly straightforward process can become complex when employees punch-in early or leave late, travel for business, participate in company trainings, and use mobile devices to remain connected to piece of work after-hours. Hither are some do's and don'ts to help you manage your timekeeping responsibilities.
Do'south:
- Use an authentic timekeeping system. Employers may choose their preferred timekeeping method (such as time clocks, timesheets, or bluecoat readers), provided it is complete and authentic. While information technology is a best practice to track employees' time to the minute worked, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) permits employers to round employees' hours for uncertainty or inefficiency (to a maximum of 15 minutes). Your time rounding policy must be practical adequately and cannot consistently circular in the visitor'south favor or issue in the failure to count all the fourth dimension employees have really worked. For example, if an employer rounds to the nearest fifteen minutes, they may round down employee time from one to 7 minutes, simply they must round upward time from eight to fourteen minutes. Note: Some states place limits on time rounding. Check all applicable laws and consider your timekeeping system before implementing a time rounding policy.
- Require employees to tape all time worked. Fourth dimension spent using technology outside of the role to respond to work email, access the company network, check phone messages, or perform other piece of work tasks is more often than not considered compensable piece of work time. Brand sure non-exempt employees know that that they must study all time spent working, including time they spend checking work email outside of piece of work hours. If employees tin't use your regular timekeeping organization to record subsequently-hours work, instruct them on how to promptly and accurately written report these hours.
- Record training and travel time. Under the FLSA and many land laws, employers must pay employees non only for time actually spent working, but also for certain nonproductive time, such every bit time spent in training or traveling. For instance, when an employee travels overnight for work, the employee must be paid for all time that cuts across their regular work hours, regardless of whether the travel occurs on their regular work day. If an employee'due south regular piece of work hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, you must pay the employee for overnight business travel that takes identify from viii a.chiliad. to 5 p.m. even if it occurs on Saturday or Sun. Make sure y'all understand the rules on compensable training and travel time and instruct employees to record their fourth dimension accordingly.
- Consider balance breaks "work time." Nether the FLSA, if you provide a rest break (any menstruation lasting twenty minutes or less that the employee is allowed to spend away from piece of work), it must be paid. Therefore, make certain employees exercise not punch out for breaks lasting 20 minutes or less. The duration of the break is generally the sole factor used when determining whether pay is required, non the reason for the interruption.
- Require employees to verify hours worked. At the cease of each pay menstruum, require employees to review their time records and verify that they are accurate. This can help you make corrections before running payroll and certificate that the employee has confirmed the accuracy of their time records.
Don'ts:
- Withhold pay if employees fail to submit/sign timesheet. Under the FLSA and many state laws, an employer must pay employees for all hours worked on the adjacent regularly scheduled payday, regardless of whether the employee adhered to the company'south timekeeping procedures. If an employee fails to submit or sign a timesheet, ask the employee and their supervisor to immediately provide/ostend the hours worked and pay the employee accordingly.
- Permit employees to piece of work off-the-clock. Employers can't inquire or allow non-exempt employees to work "off-the-clock." Make sure you take a policy that expressly prohibits off-the-clock work and accept controls in place to prevent information technology.
- Withhold pay for 'unauthorized' piece of work time. Employers may have a policy that requires employees to go permission before working overtime (or before punching in early/punching out late). Notwithstanding, employers must pay non-exempt employees for all time worked, regardless of whether it was authorized in accelerate. If employees violate the policy, the employer may subject area them to disciplinary activeness for failing to go approval in advance, but in no example may the employer withhold pay.
- Make automatic deductions for meal periods. Information technology's a all-time practise to crave employees to clock out and back in for their meal periods. This can assistance ensure that employees are paid for missed lunch breaks and account for times when employees return from lunch late. Time records should accurately reflect that the employee took a meal period, how long the repast period lasted, and the actual hours worked. In add-on, some states have meal menses recordkeeping requirements, and automated deductions may violate these requirements. Bank check your state police for compliance.
- Forget to address interrupted repast periods. Under the FLSA, for a repast menses to be unpaid, it must generally be at least 30 minutes without suspension and the employee must exist fully relieved of all duties for the purpose of eating regular meals (some states have boosted requirements). If the employee's repast is interrupted (including requiring the employee to be bachelor to work if needed during their meal period), the employee should either be paid for the full meal period or be allowed to go along their meal period for a full 30 minutes following the interruption. Instruct employees to study interrupted dejeuner breaks so that they can exist paid for the time.
- Neglect recordkeeping responsibilities. The FLSA requires employers to go on time cards and other records on which wage calculations are based for at least two years. Employers must also go along payroll records, including hours worked each day and total hours worked each workweek, for at to the lowest degree 3 years. Records required for federal tax purposes must be kept for at least four years. Check your state law for whatever boosted recordkeeping requirements.
Conclusion:
Develop policies and procedures to ensure that you keep accurate time records for all non-exempt employees and that they're paid for all fourth dimension spent working.
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