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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Keep a separate, dated record of the hours you actually work, compare it with your time-clock entries and pay statement, and report any mismatch promptly through your employer’s correction process. Under U.S. federal rules, covered employers must maintain accurate time and wage records, but federal law does not require a particular clock, app, or employee log format.
What to record for each shift
Make your entry as close to the shift as practical. Record what happened, not just what the schedule or clock was supposed to show.
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- Date and location or assignment: Add these when they help identify the shift.
- Actual start and end: Note when you began and stopped work. If you performed work before clocking in or after clocking out, record those times and what the clock showed.
- Breaks: Note unpaid meal periods or other time not worked. Paid breaks can be noted when they help explain the total.
- Daily and weekly totals: Track hours by day and add them up for the workweek.
- Exceptions: Record missed punches, clock outages, edits, and any request to correct an entry, including when and how you made the request.
- Pay details: Note the pay period, rate, and the matching pay-statement information.
- Supporting records: Keep copies of your correction requests or schedules when useful and lawful. Avoid retaining confidential employer or coworker information unnecessarily.
Use a notebook, spreadsheet, or private digital note that you can access and update reliably. Preserve original notes; if you need to amend an entry, date the change rather than silently overwriting it. These are practical recordkeeping suggestions, not a federally required format. Worker.gov offers a free app and printable calendar that can track pay rate, start and stop times, and arrival and departure times.
How to handle a missed punch or inaccurate entry
- Write down the actual times. Include the date, what the clock recorded or failed to record, and the relevant circumstances.
- Submit a correction promptly. Follow your workplace’s process and contact the appropriate supervisor or payroll representative. Federal guidance requires accurate employer records but does not prescribe one correction procedure for every workplace.
- Keep a dated copy. Save your request and any reply so you can compare the correction with the eventual pay-period record.
- Check the pay statement. Compare the recorded hours and pay-period totals with your log, and raise any remaining mismatch through the employer’s process.
If hours remain unpaid or you cannot resolve missing or inaccurate records, Worker.gov explains how to contact the Wage and Hour Division or file a complaint. The appropriate next step can depend on your location and circumstances.
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What counts as work time can depend on the task
A scheduled shift is not always a complete record of the work actually performed. The Department of Labor says an employer may use a fixed schedule as a starting point in some systems, but actual variations must be recorded on an exception basis. Its guidance generally treats time an employee must be on duty or at a required work location as hours worked, from the start of the first principal activity through the end of the last principal activity. Whether a particular pre-shift or post-shift task counts can depend on the circumstances; consult the Department of Labor’s hours-worked guidance rather than assuming every minute around a shift has the same treatment.
The Department of Labor’s Hours Worked Advisor cautions that employers may not arbitrarily exclude work time that can practically be ascertained. Some settings use rounding practices, but the guidance says major discrepancies raise doubt about record accuracy. Do not treat rounding as a reason to omit time you know you worked.
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What federal law requires employers to keep
For covered nonexempt employees, federal recordkeeping rules require employers to maintain wage and identifying information along with hours worked each day and each workweek. The Department of Labor does not mandate a specific format: time clocks, timekeepers, and worker-entered records can be used if the records are complete and accurate. Its Fact Sheet #21 states, “Any timekeeping plan is acceptable as long as it is complete and accurate.” See the recordkeeping fact sheet and the federal regulation at 29 CFR § 516.2.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThese statements concern U.S. federal rules and covered employment. Worker classification and specific facts matter, and state or local requirements may provide additional protections. For location-specific questions, consult your state labor agency or the Department of Labor.
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How long to keep your own notes
The federal retention periods cited by the Department of Labor apply to employer records, not to a worker’s personal log. Fact Sheet #21 says employers generally preserve payroll records for at least three years and records supporting wage calculations, such as time cards, for two years. The fact sheet is dated 2008; check its current version for any updates. The cited federal guidance does not establish a fixed retention period for an employee’s personal notes.
As a practical matter, keep your log and pay statements while you may need to verify a pay period or pursue a correction. For a specific dispute, check the applicable filing deadlines in your location or seek advice.
Choose a record format you will actually use
The best format is one that makes it easy to enter actual times promptly, preserve dated corrections, and keep your information private and accessible. A paper logbook, spreadsheet, private digital note, or Worker.gov’s free app or printable calendar can all serve as a personal record. A purchased time clock or branded logbook is not required.
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