Before releasing multi-state timecards, verify clock settings, location accuracy, time boundaries, overtime inputs, payment timing, and record access.
Key takeaways for what should managers check before releasing multi state timecards?
- Geofence departure settings: Verify if leaving a site triggers an automatic clock-out or is set to do nothing, according to Connecteam.
- Workday and workweek boundaries: For employees covered by the cited manufacturing wage order in Title 8, section 11010, confirm the workday means any consecutive 24-hour period beginning at the same time each calendar day according to California Department of Industrial Relations. Pay record access: Restrict access to pay and personal information specified in Section 34a of Article II, Ohio Constitution, by restricting an employee's access, and access by a person acting for that employee, to that employee's own information according to Ohio Laws.
- Location accuracy limits: Flag accuracy readings above 300 meters as ignored readings.
- Overtime calculation inputs: Check double-time triggers and the one-fortieth weekly-salary calculation before releasing hours.
Multi state timecard audit: six checks before release
Managers should check these six areas before handing approved hours to payroll. First, review geofence departure settings to see if leaving a site triggers automatic clock-out. Second, note location accuracy limits, as readings above 300 meters may be ignored. Third, confirm workday and workweek boundaries applicable to your team. Fourth, verify overtime calculation inputs, including double-time triggers. Fifth, separate semimonthly wage deadlines from overtime payment deadlines. Sixth, restrict pay record access to the employee's own information. Use these checks to identify which settings belong in your specific handoff. Take one pending timecard batch and fill in the applicable tool settings, time boundaries, payment dates, and unresolved exceptions before handing it to payroll. This process helps you match each check to its tool or jurisdiction.
Before review: check departure settings and location accuracy
Connecteam's geofence feature allows you to restrict employee clock in and out to a designated work place, ensuring they can only clock in and out at a certain location, according to Connecteam.
Open the geofence configuration to see what happens when a clocked-in user leaves the defined area. At the bottom of the modal, you'll be asked to select what happens when a clocked-in user leaves the Geofence - you can choose to do nothing or to automatically clock them out, according to Connecteam. If you select to automatically clock them out, they will be auto-clocked out when they leave the site, provided their location services are enabled, according to Connecteam. Verify that your team's devices have location services turned on before relying on this automatic behavior.
The Auto Clock-Out feature uses location tracking and dynamic buffer zones to ensure accuracy and prevent unnecessary clock-outs, according to Connecteam. Review the accuracy readings in your time tracking data to identify potential errors. Over 300 meters accuracy → Reading is ignored, according to Connecteam. Flag any readings that exceed this threshold as ignored data points in your review notes.
Check the specific departure setting for each site in your multi-state roster. The departure choice is to do nothing or to automatically clock the user out. Confirm the enabled-location-services condition for every employee who relies on automatic clock-outs. If a device lacks this permission, the automatic feature will not trigger, even if the user leaves the geofence. See Set up 6 geofencing checks for accurate time tracking.
Identify any timecards where the location accuracy was above the 300-meter limit during the shift. These readings are ignored by the system. Note these instances in your exception log before releasing the hours to payroll.
Take one pending timecard batch and verify the departure settings and location accuracy for each entry. Record any ignored readings or missing location services permissions in your review notes.
During review: check day boundaries and overtime inputs
Confirm the specific workday and workweek definitions before releasing hours for teams covered by the supplied wage-order provisions. The workday is defined as any consecutive 24-hour period beginning at the same time each calendar day, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. The workweek is a fixed and regularly recurring period of 168 hours, consisting of seven consecutive 24-hour periods starting with the same calendar day each week, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. Verify that your timecard entries align with these fixed boundaries before calculating additional compensation.
Check the inputs for double-time triggers against the recorded hours. The rule requires doubling the employee's regular rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of 12 hours in any workday, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. It also requires doubling the regular rate for all hours worked in excess of eight hours on the seventh consecutive day of work in a workweek, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. Ensure your approval process captures these specific thresholds so the correct multiplier applies to the final payroll file. See Overtime exceptions: 6 checks before timecard approval.
Review the calculation method for nonexempt full-time salaried employees. The overtime rate of compensation is computed by using the employee's regular hourly salary as one fortieth of the employee's weekly salary, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. Confirm that the payroll system applies this specific fraction to the weekly salary figure before generating the overtime amount.
At handoff: check payment timing and pay record access
Before releasing hours to payroll, verify that your payment schedule matches the specific deadlines for regular wages and overtime. These timelines often differ, and mixing them up can delay required payments.
Under WAC 296-126-023, employers must pay regular wages no later than the 25th day of the current month for the first pay period, and no later than the 10th day of the following month for the second pay period, unless a different payment interval applies by law, according to Washington State Legislature. Overtime wages follow a separate schedule under the same regulation. Unless a different payment interval applies by law, overtime earned during the first pay period must be paid no later than the 10th day of the following month, and overtime earned during the second pay period must be paid no later than the 25th day of the following month, according to Washington State Legislature. Check your payroll calendar to ensure these two distinct cutoffs are tracked separately.
If your organization uses a monthly pay period, review the rules for deferring wages. An employer paying wages on a monthly basis may establish a regular payroll system where wages for work performed during the last seven days of the monthly pay period are withheld and included with the wages paid on the pay day for the next pay period, according to Washington State Legislature. Confirm whether your current system follows this structure.
Note that employers and employees not subject to this specific regulation may still be subject to the payment interval requirements of WAC 296-128-035 or 296-131-010, according to Washington State Legislature. Verify which interval rules apply to your specific workforce before finalizing the handoff date.
Finally, restrict access to sensitive data during the review process. Ohio law requires protecting the privacy of employees' pay and personal information specified in Section 34a of Article II, Ohio Constitution, by restricting an employee's access, and access by a person acting on behalf of that employee, to the employee's own pay and personal information, according to Ohio Laws.
Publisher reference table for the six handoff checks
| Publisher | Check | Source Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Connecteam | Geofence departure settings | Connecteam lets you choose to do nothing or to automatically clock them out. |
| California Department of Industrial Relations | Workday and workweek boundaries | California Department of Industrial Relations defines a workday as any consecutive 24-hour period beginning at the same time each calendar day. |
| Washington State Legislature | Payment timing checks | Washington State Legislature notes employers not subject to this regulation may still be subject to payment interval requirements. |
| Ohio Laws | Pay record access | Ohio Laws restricts employee access to their own pay and personal information. |
| Connecteam | Location accuracy limits | Connecteam ignores a reading when accuracy is over 300 meters. |
| California Department of Industrial Relations | Overtime calculation inputs | California Department of Industrial Relations doubles the regular rate after 12 hours in a workday and after eight hours on the seventh consecutive day, and sets a nonexempt full-time salaried employee's regular hourly salary at one fortieth of weekly salary. |
Handoff settings on four checks
These four rows cover departure choice, workweek boundary, semimonthly wage deadlines, and pay record access.
| Check Item | Applicable Tool/Jurisdiction | Verified Setting/Value |
|---|---|---|
| Geofence departure | Connecteam | Do nothing or auto clock out |
| Workweek boundary | California Department of Industrial Relations | Seven consecutive days, 168 hours |
| Semimonthly wage deadlines | Washington State Legislature | 25th of current month, 10th of following month |
| Pay record access | Ohio Laws | Restricted to employee's own information |
Illustrative example of a six-check pass
Picture one pending batch with two sites. On the first site the departure choice is to automatically clock the user out. On the second site the choice is to do nothing. One reading shows accuracy over 300 meters, so the reading is ignored. Hours past 12 in the workday are paid at double the regular rate, and hours past 8 on the seventh consecutive day are doubled too. For a nonexempt full-time salaried employee, the regular hourly salary is one fortieth of weekly salary. Regular wages for the first pay period are due by the 25th, and overtime from that period is due by the 10th of the following month. Access stays with that employee and a person acting for that employee.
Next step before payroll
Take one pending timecard batch today and confirm the applicable payment dates and access restrictions before handing it to payroll.
FAQ: clock events, monthly cutoffs and access
How do I audit multi state timecards before release?
Review clock settings, location accuracy, time boundaries, overtime inputs, payment timing, and record access. Verify that geofence departure settings and location service dependencies are configured correctly for each site. Confirm that jurisdiction-specific overtime calculations and payment deadlines match the applicable regulations for your teams.
Does Connecteam automatic clock-out depend on location services?
Yes, automatic clock-out occurs when users leave the site provided their location services are enabled.
What happens to Connecteam location readings above 300 meters?
Readings with accuracy over 300 meters are ignored by the system. The source states that over 300 meters accuracy results in the reading being ignored, according to Connecteam.
Can the specified Washington monthly payroll system defer the final seven days of hours?
Employers paying wages on a monthly basis may withhold wages for work performed during the last seven days of the pay period. These withheld wages may be included with the wages paid on the pay day for the next pay period, according to Washington State Legislature.
How is the hourly salary calculated under the cited California provision?
The overtime rate for nonexempt full-time salaried employees is computed using the employee's regular hourly salary as one fortieth of weekly salary. This regular hourly salary is defined as one fortieth (1/40) of the employee's weekly salary, according to California Department of Industrial Relations.