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A payroll hours tracker should record each worker’s hours by day and workweek, with enough detail to support accurate wage calculations. For covered, nonexempt workers under federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guidance, employers may use a timesheet, time clock, app, or another complete and accurate method; federal guidance does not require a particular form or a clock.
What a payroll hours tracker should capture
For covered nonexempt workers, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) lists hours worked each day and total hours worked each workweek among the required records. A tracker is only one part of the employer’s broader payroll recordkeeping: wage and payment details also matter.
- Hours worked each day and total hours worked each workweek.
- The day and time the workweek begins.
- The employee’s pay basis, such as hourly or weekly, and the applicable rate or rates.
- Straight-time earnings and overtime earnings for the workweek.
- Wage additions or deductions, total wages for each pay period, and the date and period covered by each payment.
These are federal recordkeeping details for covered workers, not a universal checklist for every jurisdiction or worker classification. See the DOL’s FLSA recordkeeping guidance for the federal scope.
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Federal guidance allows different timekeeping methods. The practical test is whether the process produces complete and accurate information that payroll can use and the employer can retain. The DOL states, “Any timekeeping plan is acceptable as long as it is complete and accurate.”
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| Method | When it may fit | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Employee-entered timesheet or log | Useful when workers can record their own time without dedicated equipment. | Make sure entries capture the needed hours and can be reviewed or corrected. Accuracy depends on complete, accurate entries. |
| Time clock | May suit employers who want a dedicated clock-in and clock-out process. | Confirm the resulting records include the hours and wage details payroll needs. A clock is optional under the cited federal guidance. |
| Digital timesheet app | Can make entering and calculating hours more convenient. | Check break and overtime handling, access to records, and correction options. The user still needs to enter accurate information. |
| Fixed schedule with exception recording | Can work when an employee’s schedule seldom varies. | Keep the exact schedule and record actual deviations when they happen, as the DOL permits. |
When comparing methods, check that they can capture start and stop times, relevant breaks, daily and weekly totals, overtime hours, corrections, and records accessible to payroll. These are practical selection criteria, not a DOL rating of products.
Free DOL timesheet tools
WorkWise Timesheet App
The DOL’s WorkWise Timesheet App tracks regular hours, break time, and overtime; offers employer and employee options; and calculates pay automatically. The DOL describes it as free for iOS and Android and available in English and Spanish. The agency also says the app is continually under development, may not cover every work situation, and relies on accurate user-provided information, so confirm it suits the work and review its output.
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- 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗨.𝗦. 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 𝗭𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗘: This attendance machine supports 6 major U.S. time zones: Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska, and Hawaii. Employees across different regions can be tracked accurately without confusion. Perfect for offices with multi-location teams.
- 𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗖 𝗗𝗔𝗬𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗦𝗔𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗗𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧: The employee time clock automatically switches between Daylight Saving Time and Standard Time. It handles spring forward and fall back changes seamlessly. This ensures precise timekeeping year-round without manual adjustments.
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- 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛-𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗜𝗟𝗗 & 𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗧𝗬: Made of durable ABS material, this compact punch card time recorder withstands daily use. Equipped with a premium-grade print head rated for millions of strikes, it ensures long-lasting, reliable printing with a smooth, fade-resistant surface. Ideal for offices, shops, and small businesses.
Printable work-hours calendar
Workers can also use Worker.gov’s printable work-hours calendar, available in English and Spanish, to record pay rate, start and stop times, and arrival and departure times. Worker.gov also points workers to the free timesheet app.
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Under the federal periods described in DOL Fact Sheet #21, payroll records generally must be preserved for at least three years. Records used to support wage computations—including time cards, wage-rate tables, and work and time schedules—generally must be kept for two years. These periods apply to the record categories described in that federal fact sheet; they should not be treated as a retention rule for every record or jurisdiction.
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Workers can track their hours independently
A personal log can help a worker compare recorded hours with a paycheck and document a concern such as “I didn’t get paid for time I worked.” Worker.gov encourages workers to keep employer details and their hours and provides the printable calendar and app described above. Record shifts promptly and retain the entries and pay information so discrepancies are easier to identify.
Know the limits of this federal guidance
The requirements discussed here concern federal FLSA guidance for covered workers and employers. They do not settle state, local, collective-bargaining, industry-specific, or non-U.S. requirements, nor do they determine whether a particular worker is covered or correctly classified. Before relying on a payroll process, identify the applicable jurisdiction and worker classification. The DOL notes that Fact Sheet #21 is general information and is not an official statement of position contained in regulations.
An hours tracker supports time and wage records; it is not by itself a payroll system or a guarantee of legal compliance.
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