brianmaas
06-25-2008, 02:07 PM
I'm implementing a new time clock system that will be replacing timesheets for non-exempt employees in our business. We are a publishing company with office employees. We will be using the rounding feature to the nearest 15 minutes. I have read from my searching of these forums, this is allowed in California.
There is another feature of the time clock I would like to use, but need some advice. We can put in a work schedule for each employee. If that employee clocks in a certain period before their shift is supposed to start, it will adjust the time to their start time. They call this feature "snapping". I was thinking 30 minutes or less before their scheduled start time. The original clock-in time is still saved in the system and is notated as being changed automatically. This is the same way the rounding is notated for other punches.
If we have the employees agree to this ahead of time, is it legal?
The employees would not be doing work between the time they clock-in and their start time. There is only one clock in the building. This would give them time to go to their workstation, put their things away, perhaps put their lunch away in the break room, get coffee, etc. It looks like the DOL site (http://www.dol.gov/dol/allcfr/ESA/Title_29/Part_785/29CFR785.48.htm) allows for this because it is not work time.
If we can't implement something like this, employees arriving early would need to do all of those things first, then they would go back to the clock to clock-in sometime between their scheduled time and 7 minutes before.
Any insights would be appreciated.
Brian
There is another feature of the time clock I would like to use, but need some advice. We can put in a work schedule for each employee. If that employee clocks in a certain period before their shift is supposed to start, it will adjust the time to their start time. They call this feature "snapping". I was thinking 30 minutes or less before their scheduled start time. The original clock-in time is still saved in the system and is notated as being changed automatically. This is the same way the rounding is notated for other punches.
If we have the employees agree to this ahead of time, is it legal?
The employees would not be doing work between the time they clock-in and their start time. There is only one clock in the building. This would give them time to go to their workstation, put their things away, perhaps put their lunch away in the break room, get coffee, etc. It looks like the DOL site (http://www.dol.gov/dol/allcfr/ESA/Title_29/Part_785/29CFR785.48.htm) allows for this because it is not work time.
If we can't implement something like this, employees arriving early would need to do all of those things first, then they would go back to the clock to clock-in sometime between their scheduled time and 7 minutes before.
Any insights would be appreciated.
Brian
