When to use this time sheet
Use a weekly time sheet to record hours for hourly (non-exempt) employees, part-time staff or anyone paid by the hour. Accurate time records help you pay people correctly. Federal law also requires employers to keep records of hours worked by non-exempt employees.
How to fill it out
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Employee, ID and supervisor | Who the time sheet belongs to and who approves it. |
| Week of | The first and last dates of the pay week. |
| Date | The calendar date for each day worked. |
| Time in and time out | When the shift started and ended. |
| Lunch out and lunch in | When an unpaid meal break started and ended. |
| Total hours | Hours worked that day, minus the unpaid break. |
| Regular, overtime and PTO | Weekly totals for each type of hours. |
| Signatures | The employee confirms the hours, and the supervisor approves them. |
How to calculate a day’s hours: (time out − time in) − (lunch in − lunch out). Use decimals for payroll: 15 minutes = 0.25, 30 minutes = 0.5, 45 minutes = 0.75.
Filled-in example
| Day | Time in | Lunch out | Lunch in | Time out | Total hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 8:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 12:30 PM | 4:30 PM | 8.00 |
| Tuesday | 8:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 12:30 PM | 5:30 PM | 9.00 |
| Wednesday | 8:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 12:30 PM | 4:30 PM | 8.00 |
| Thursday | 8:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 12:30 PM | 6:00 PM | 9.50 |
| Friday | 8:00 AM | 12:00 PM | 12:30 PM | 4:30 PM | 8.00 |
| Total | 42.50 |
Regular hours: 40.00. Overtime hours: 2.50. Under federal law, overtime is generally paid at 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filling it in at the end of the week from memory. Record times daily, while they’re accurate.
- Forgetting unpaid breaks. Subtract meal breaks. Short rest breaks of 20 minutes or less are generally paid time under federal rules.
- Counting overtime by the day. Federal overtime is based on hours over 40 per workweek. A few states, including California, also have daily overtime rules.
- Missing signatures. An unsigned time sheet is harder to rely on if there’s a pay dispute.
Frequently asked questions
Do salaried employees need time sheets?
Exempt salaried employees usually aren’t required to track hours under federal law, though some businesses ask them to for project tracking or PTO.
How long should I keep time sheets?
Federal rules require employers to keep time cards for at least two years, and payroll records for at least three. Some states require longer.
Can I round employee time?
Rounding to the nearest 5, 6 or 15 minutes is generally allowed if it’s applied evenly and doesn’t consistently shortchange employees. Check your state’s rules.
What counts as a workweek?
Any fixed, regularly recurring period of seven consecutive days, such as Sunday through Saturday. Choose one and use it consistently.