California law mandates that you keep accurate time and attendance records of your employees for three (3) years, along with other information. Although it may seem monotonous, keeping accurate wage and hour records is the key to defending potential costly lawsuits that may arise in the future.

Your records should exhibit that you pay your employees for all time worked. That means that your timekeeping policies and system must accurately track all time worked. According to the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, “Hours Worked” means the time during which an employee is entitled to the control of any employer. And it includes all of the time the employee is suffering or allowed to work, whether or not required to do so (IWC Wage Order 1-2000, § 2.(H).).

When dealing with timekeeping, our experienced employment attorneys advise employers to have written time and attendance policies that explicitly lay out guidelines and instructions. An electronic timekeeping software can further accommodate accurate wage and hour record keeping.

In addition, companies must consider the following when tracking the total “hours worked”:

• Time spent changing into uniforms or equipment (“donning and doffing”)
• Time spent traveling to work sites
• Time spent undergoing security checks