Can an electronic signature be used?

Yes. Electronic signatures meet federal ESIGN (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA standards when intent, consent, attribution, and retention are demonstrable.

How do I correct a submitted time entry?

Record the correction with date, reason, and manager approval. Do not alter original entries without an audit trail; retain both versions for compliance.

What if totals don’t match payroll?

Pause payroll processing, reconcile clock records against timesheets and approvals, and document adjustments with manager sign-off to prevent disputes.

How long must records be kept?

Follow federal minimums such as 3 years for FLSA and IRS-related records (29 CFR §516.5; IRC §6501(a)); extend retention per state or industry rules.

Who must sign the record?

The employee or designated timekeeper should enter hours, and a supervisor must approve. Signed approvals establish intent and attribution for the entry.

Are remote or mobile entries acceptable?

Yes if the platform provides reliable audit trails, authentication, and tamper-evident storage; ensure access controls meet your compliance needs.

Electronic Signature
Templates
HR
Employee Work Time Record

Employee Work Time Record

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

EMPLOYEE WORK TIME RECORD

Personal Information

Full Legal Name Employee ID Address

Phone

Email

Position & Pay Period

Job Title Department

Reporting Manager

Start Date

Pay Rate

Employment Status (check all that apply) Full-time Part-time Contractor

Pay Period Start Pay Period End

Time Entries (Record time for each day in the pay period)

Use twenty-four hour or AM/PM consistently. Enter actual time worked. Round to nearest quarter hour where permitted by company policy.

Date

Sched

In

Out

Lunch

Regular

OT

Total

Job

Notes

Total Regular Hours

Total Overtime Hours

Total Payable Hours

Timekeeping Certifications & Policies

I certify that the hours recorded on this form are true, accurate and represent all hours worked during the stated pay period. Falsification of time records is a serious offense and may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. Time must be recorded contemporaneously and any corrections must be initialed by the employee and approved by the supervisor.

Overtime is payable in accordance with company policy and applicable law. Unless otherwise authorized in writing, overtime must be approved by the reporting manager prior to the performance of overtime work. Breaks and meal periods are to be recorded as required by policy.

The employer may audit this record and retain copies for payroll, tax and compliance purposes. Employee acknowledges that submitting this record authorizes the employer to verify hours and related payroll data.

Employment History (two most recent employers)

Employer 1 - Company Name Title / Position

Primary Responsibilities Reason for Leaving Employer 2 - Company Name Title / Position

Primary Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Education

Degree Institution Graduation Date

References (Professional)

Reference 1 Reference 2 Reference 3

Legal Disclosures & Authorizations

At-Will Employment: Nothing in this time record alters the employment relationship. Employment remains at-will unless otherwise agreed in a written signed agreement. Equal Opportunity: The employer is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics in hiring, compensation, or other employment practices.

Authorization: By signing below, employee authorizes the employer to verify employment history and to perform background or payroll verifications where permitted by law. Employee further authorizes correction of obvious clerical errors to hours reported if verified by both employee and supervisor.

I certify that all information provided on this record is true and complete.

I authorize the employer to contact previous employers and references for verification.

Applicant Certification

I certify that I have accurately recorded my time. I understand that any intentional falsification of hours may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination and may subject me to recovery of any overpaid wages.

Employee Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Supervisor Printed Name:

By:

Date:

What an Employee Work Time Record Is and why it matters

An Employee Work Time Record is a formal record that documents hours worked, start and end times, break periods, overtime, and any adjustments tied to a single pay period for a specific employee. Employers use these records to calculate wages, verify compliance with federal and state labor laws such as the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), support payroll audits, and respond to employee inquiries or claims. Accurate time records also form the basis for benefits eligibility, leave calculations, and statutory reporting obligations.

Why a clear time record benefits employers and employees

A complete Employee Work Time Record reduces payroll errors, supports FLSA compliance, and provides an auditable trail for disputes. It helps payroll processers and HR validate pay calculations and protects employers from wage-and-hour claims when retained correctly.

Who typically completes and relies on these records

HR, payroll staff, managers, and individual employees interact with time records at different stages of the payroll cycle.

Payroll teams reconcile time records with pay rates and deductions before processing each pay cycle.
Supervisors review and approve daily or weekly time entries to confirm accuracy and authorize overtime.
Employees submit or verify their own clock-in/clock-out data and sign off on final totals for a pay period.

Clear role separation — employee entry, manager approval, payroll reconciliation — reduces errors and enforces accountability.

Core elements every professional time record should include

A standardized layout and consistent fields make records comparable across pay periods and defensible in audits.

Employee

Full legal name, employee ID, and department. Use the legal name on payroll and tax records to avoid mismatches.

Pay Period

Start and end dates for the pay cycle. This anchors hours and determines tax reporting and benefits accrual.

Daily Times

Clock-in and clock-out times for each work period and break. Record AM/PM or use 24-hour time consistently.

Total Hours

Daily and pay-period totals, including regular and overtime hours calculated using the applicable pay rules.

Overtime

Overtime hours and calculation method (e.g., time-and-a-half). Note applicable state overrides to federal rules.

Approvals

Manager signature or electronic approval and employee sign-off with dates to capture intent and attribution.

Step-by-step: filling and submitting a time record

Follow these sequential actions to complete and route a time record correctly for payroll processing.

01

Enter personal details: Fill employee name, ID, and pay period accurately.
02

Record daily times: Log clock-in/out and break times for each day.
03

Calculate totals: Confirm regular and overtime totals match payroll rules.
04

Approve and submit: Manager approves and forwards to payroll before cutoff.

Configuring an online time-record workflow

Set up validation, required fields, and signer roles to reduce manual corrections during payroll runs.

Field	Configuration
Auto-calc hours	Enable automatic duration formulas per day
Date format	Enforce MM/DD/YYYY input
Required fields	Make name, ID, and totals mandatory
Signature method	Allow electronic signature with audit trail

Technical considerations for digital records and e-submission

Ensure the chosen platform supports required file formats, secure storage, and signer authentication.

File formats: Accept PDF, DOCX, and CSV exports
Authentication: Support email, SMS, or stronger methods
Integrations: Connect to payroll and HRIS systems

Integrations with payroll and HR systems reduce duplicate entry, improve auditability, and speed reconciliation.

Where completed time records typically go

Time records usually move from the employee to a manager and then to payroll or HR for processing and storage.

Employee submission: Employee enters hours and saves a draft.
Manager review: Supervisor checks entries and signs.
Payroll intake: Payroll imports approved records for pay runs.
Records retention: Finalized records are archived for compliance.

Typical deadlines and timing expectations

Time records should align with payroll cutoffs and statutory retention rules; missing deadlines can delay employee pay or trigger penalties.

Pay period cutoff:

Submit before the payroll cutoff date to be paid on schedule.

Manager approval deadline:

Managers should approve within 24–72 hours of period end.

Payroll processing:

Payroll must receive approved records before batch processing begins.

I-9 retention:

Retain employment forms per federal rules; see 8 CFR §274a.2.

FLSA recordkeeping:

Maintain records at least 3 years per 29 CFR §516.5.

Common mistakes to avoid when preparing time records

Rounding daily times inconsistently, which shifts pay and complicates audits if not applied uniformly.
Failing to record unpaid breaks or meal periods that state law requires to be logged separately.
Using different name formats across systems, leading to mismatched payroll and tax filings.
Submitting unapproved adjustments after payroll cutoff, which can require manual corrections and retroactive payments.

Key penalties and risks from incorrect records

Wage-and-hour claims: Back pay and penalties

FLSA fines: Civil penalties and liability

Tax reporting errors: Withholding and filing issues

I-9 violations: Civil fines per DHS

Reputational risk: Employee trust and retention

Audit cost: Time and legal fees

eSignature vendor pricing and feature snapshot for time records

Compare basic pricing and essential features for common eSignature providers when deciding where to capture approvals and maintain audit trails.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	Yes, 7-day trial	Yes, trial available	Yes, trial available	Yes, limited free plan	Yes, limited plan
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Frequently asked questions about Employee Work Time Records

Answers to common practical and compliance questions about completing, signing, and storing time records.

Need help? Contact support

Can an electronic signature be used?
Yes. Electronic signatures meet federal ESIGN (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and state UETA standards when intent, consent, attribution, and retention are demonstrable.
How do I correct a submitted time entry?
Record the correction with date, reason, and manager approval. Do not alter original entries without an audit trail; retain both versions for compliance.
What if totals don’t match payroll?
Pause payroll processing, reconcile clock records against timesheets and approvals, and document adjustments with manager sign-off to prevent disputes.
How long must records be kept?
Follow federal minimums such as 3 years for FLSA and IRS-related records (29 CFR §516.5; IRC §6501(a)); extend retention per state or industry rules.
Who must sign the record?
The employee or designated timekeeper should enter hours, and a supervisor must approve. Signed approvals establish intent and attribution for the entry.
Are remote or mobile entries acceptable?
Yes if the platform provides reliable audit trails, authentication, and tamper-evident storage; ensure access controls meet your compliance needs.

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