The Clock
a Mother Goose poem
There’s a neat little clock,–
In the schoolroom it stands,–
And it points to the time
With its two little hands.
And may we, like the clock,
Keep a face clean and bright,
With hands ever ready
To do what is right.
When I think about time, I often go back to a childhood rhyme by Mother Goose that fits me so well—even as an adult. I have a career in the dental industry, where we keep teeth clean and bright, and our hands at the ready to work our craft, by doing what is right. Thinking of this rhyme makes me smile, but what can turn a smile into a frown? The daunting task of record keeping—why I was thinking about time in the first place. To eliminate this feeling of being overwhelmed, try having systems in place that make your job efficient and easier, and brings on the smile!
Have you audited your employee time records processes and procedures lately?
In your employee handbook, you should have established, clearly written timekeeping policies so employees know what’s expected of them. It’s also good practice to review your employee handbook to see if there are any updates that should be made in this area. This handbook is a valuable tool to help you implement policy. It’s also a place to house disciplinary actions for falsifying time records. This goes for anyone who forges a time sheet signature, alters hours worked or clocks in and out for someone else. Did you know that time records are legal documents, and falsifying a time sheet is a violation of federal and state law?
Are you using a reliable source to track employee hours worked?
According to the U.S. Department of Labor: Employers may use any timekeeping method they choose. Any timekeeping plan is acceptable as long as it is complete and accurate. Options are pen and paper writing in a notebook, a time sheet, an Excel spreadsheet, time cards with a clock to punch in and out, an employee badge that tracks when employees swipe in and out, or an automated time clock system/computer software program. Make sure online security practices are in place to protect confidential employee payroll information. Employee time records should be kept for three years at the place of employment or company records office.
For more information see the link below from the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (Revised July 2008) Fact Sheet #21: Recordkeeping Requirements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
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