I need help understanding something

[Nessa 23]

The problem appears to be a mechanical one of their system. It will not allow you to 'clock back in' before the hour is up between clocking out and in for 'lunch'. If you had clocked in at 4.15 and out at 6.15 you would have got your extra 15 mins. It does seem odd though that there is no override for this eventuality.

I don't wanna complain becauseI think it's a mechanical problem too, I just want to understand it.

Who does the payroll? Do you have access to this person?

yes. she was the first person I spoke to and she explained to me that the system automatically takes off 15 min. I didn't get it. they can explain to me the same thing over and over but my mind doesn't get it.

My boss offered me to come to work today at 945 to make up for that time, oh I forgot to mention, another day I was here til 1835, meaning I worked 8:35 cuz one of the kids was picked up late. They were supposed to pay me half an hour OT and they didn't. So my paycheck would actually have to be 80.5 hours instead of 79.7. That half an hour I wouldn't mind them paying the usual hourly rate instead of 1.5 hourly rate, cuz in that case even though I worked over time, I know they're too cheap to pay me as overtime.

So yeah, I'm pretty p!ssed off about the entire paycheck situation, for the reason being they screwed me over, not because my paycheck was a couple of dollars less.

[Nessa 23]

Probably a good idea not to take less than your hour break if this is going to happen!

I didn't take less than one hour on purpose. I was out of the office (on business) and I was only able to clock out when I came back which was 1515. But I definitely learned my lesson. I clocked back in at 1600 cuz I am supposed to take the other girl's place at 1600 and I didn't want them to think nobody was at the front desk during those 15 minutes.

Dumb me. Next time I will clock for my lunch break for exactly 60 minutes, no matter if I'm at my lunch break or whatever.

[Sassy1natl 0]

The problem appears to be a mechanical one of their system. It will not allow you to 'clock back in' before the hour is up between clocking out and in for 'lunch'. If you had clocked in at 4.15 and out at 6.15 you would have got your extra 15 mins. It does seem odd though that there is no override for this eventuality.

I don't wanna complain becauseI think it's a mechanical problem too, I just want to understand it.

Who does the payroll? Do you have access to this person?

yes. she was the first person I spoke to and she explained to me that the system automatically takes off 15 min. I didn't get it. they can explain to me the same thing over and over but my mind doesn't get it.

My boss offered me to come to work today at 945 to make up for that time, oh I forgot to mention, another day I was here til 1835, meaning I worked 8:35 cuz one of the kids was picked up late. They were supposed to pay me half an hour OT and they didn't. So my paycheck would actually have to be 80.5 hours instead of 79.7. That half an hour I wouldn't mind them paying the usual hourly rate instead of 1.5 hourly rate, cuz in that case even though I worked over time, I know they're too cheap to pay me as overtime.

So yeah, I'm pretty p!ssed off about the entire paycheck situation, for the reason being they screwed me over, not because my paycheck was a couple of dollars less.

The only thing that I seem to understand is that your employer is cheating you. They could have been doing it for a while and to others as well. What payroll system (legally) is going to take time that wasn't actually used? None. That is one way that companies try to control expenses.

I would keep track of the hours that you working. For sure.

Edited July 22, 2008 by sassy1natl

[one...two...tree 2,762]

It sounds like your employer is either using a legal loophole (not likely) or they are violating labor laws. You might want to find out what the labor laws for your state. It sounds like it's the law to give you an hour lunch break when you work 8 hours and your employer is using that as an excuse not to pay you while you are on the clock. The 'system' cannot override the time clock's accuracy, IMO, unless an employer mistakenly clocks in or out when they aren't suppose to. They may be saying to you that you were told about the law regarding an hour lunch and therefore the error was on your part (clocking in before your lunch hour was done). It still doesn't make sense why the extra 15 minutes was taken off, since your time clock record shows differently. I'd make copies of it and ask them to pay you for that 15 minutes. If they refuse, I'd insist and tell them I'll take this to the state if necessary.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

It sounds like your employer is either using a legal loophole (not likely) or they are violating labor laws.

More likely, their system is just coded improperly.

[Nessa 23]

well my boss just told the finance that i'm getting an extra 0.75 hours. So we'll see next paycheck. In the mean time I'll have to accept that I'll spend the rest of my life not knowing what kind of math they had to turn 8.25 into 7.75 .

Edited July 22, 2008 by Nessa

[morocco4ever 63]

I am in payroll, and I can tell you that if we did that we would have a lawsuit against us. Each state has their own rules, and although I am not in California, the main office is, and so we go by Cali laws. I would really question this, because I can't imagine any state that would allow an employee to be on company time, but not be paid. I see one other issue. You worked from 9 to 3:15 without a break? If I remember correctly if you work 4 hours they are required to give you a 15 minute break (paid), and then after that you must take a lunch break (unpaid). I believe the max they will allow is 5 hours work time before they are in violation.

One thing to note, as I stated, each state is different. Also the area of the payroll I am in now isn't responsible for the enforcement of the rules, so rules could change.

[DairyFarmer 1]

well my boss just told the finance that i'm getting an extra 0.75 hours. So we'll see next paycheck. In the mean time I'll have to accept that I'll spend the rest of my life not knowing what kind of math they had to turn 8.25 into 7.75 .

[one...two...tree 2,762]

well my boss just told the finance that i'm getting an extra 0.75 hours. So we'll see next paycheck. In the mean time I'll have to accept that I'll spend the rest of my life not knowing what kind of math they had to turn 8.25 into 7.75 .

I used to work grocery retail and the company I worked for absolutely forbid anyone working overtime without management approval. The time clock would record every quarter hour, so if you were scheduled to leave by 7pm, you could actually punch out at 7:06pm and still get the 7pm punch.

[Nessa 23]

I see one other issue. You worked from 9 to 3:15 without a break?

It was an special circumstance. I usually work 9-13 then take a break. That day my computer access card decided not to work anymore. After I did all my financial reports and other things I have to do in the morning and take to FMS, I went to the place to have another CAC done, cuz without it I can't do most of my work that requires computer access. I could've taken my break first, it was my decision to go have that done first, cuz they close at 1500 and I didn't want to take my chances and have to wait another day to have it done. It took me 2 hours there waiting in line for the dayum thing.

[morocco4ever 63]

I see one other issue. You worked from 9 to 3:15 without a break?

It was an special circumstance. I usually work 9-13 then take a break. That day my computer access card decided not to work anymore. After I did all my financial reports and other things I have to do in the morning and take to FMS, I went to the place to have another CAC done, cuz without it I can't do most of my work that requires computer access. I could've taken my break first, it was my decision to go have that done first, cuz they close at 1500 and I didn't want to take my chances and have to wait another day to have it done. It took me 2 hours there waiting in line for the dayum thing.

Even if it is your decision you place of employment could have their hands slapped if they found out. But to be honest if you are happy with the company, and they are fair with you, I would certainly never take any actions against them.

Who was it that said that if you worked a few minutes over the clock will take it off? That is a HUGE violation. They can warn you, and they can even fire you if you keep working overtime when you have been instructed not to, but if you worked it they are required to pay it. Is this an online system or is this one of the older versions that you punch in and out? I think I would purposely take pictures showing you standing by the clock with the time showing before you punch out, card in hand, so they can see that it hasn't been punched. Then I would take a picture punching out, then one last one that shows the time on the clock and the time it punched out. Someone needs to turn them in for fixing the clock.

[rmncm 0]

Hmm, I will never understand why people these days complain about 15 minutes here or 15 minutes there. You should be thankfull for a job in these tough ecconimic times. Whats 15 free minutes to a employer that gives you a job, stable income, insurance? ira? 410k? not sure of your benifits there. My point is back in the old days before the 70's a employee would give extra to a employer not because he had to but because it showed a certain dedication to that employer. Now a days, how much time is wasted by the typical employee? I had a girlfriend some time ago that was here on a H2b visa from another country. If she go done with her work early, she would go sit in the dressing room of the hotel till her shift ended before clocking out. On the flip side if she didnt get her work done when her shift was up she was gone like the wind regardless.

Before my injury, I installed heating and air conditioning in both residential and commercial buildings. I was the foremare on many projects. You know how many times I had to write guys up for screwing arouond on the clock? It was anything from standing around talking, talking on the phone, texting his woman to spending a hour looking for a extension cord so he could listen to a radio. Now I challenge you to look at how you work...do you take personal calls even once in awhile? Send a text? Talk to your friends for even a minute or two? Think of over all labor if every one is doing that...over the course of a year, the numbers are stagering. The losses can equal raises based on pormance.

From my experience most people think that the buissness is lucky to have them as a employee, that the company could not function as well without them there...the truth is you are easly replacable, they can find 5 workers willing to work harder for less pay then you. Think about it. I have fired many guys over my 16 years of runing multi million dollar projects because they were screwing around sometimes. Time is money and what is 15 minutes as a way to show gratitude to a employer?

My 2 cents

[Nessa 23]

They can warn you, and they can even fire you if you keep working overtime when you have been instructed not to, but if you worked it they are required to pay it.

I don't get this part. I never work OT without their knowledge. I do it when requested or when there are kids in the building after 1800 and I'm the one who locks the building and I have to stay with the kids until their parents come pick them up.

If you're talking about that day I only had time to take 45 min, it wasn't something that I had planned. I was busy during the morning, then I had to go have my CAC done, I expected to be back in time to take 1 hour break, but that didn't happen. Maybe if I knew that I wouldn't be able to take my 1 hour break I would've waited to have that done the next day, even though I wouldn't be able to do my job in the mean time.

Is this an online system or is this one of the older versions that you punch in and out? eds to turn them in for fixing the clock.

you put your 4 last, it's not a paper thing.

[tom&tata 2]

the company is easily replaceable too. it's 2 way street. if I work for 40 hrs, I want to be paid for 40 hrs. No more no less.

[Nessa 23]

Hmm, I will never understand why people these days complain about 15 minutes here or 15 minutes there. You should be thankfull for a job in these tough ecconimic times. Whats 15 free minutes to a employer that gives you a job, stable income, insurance? ira? 410k? not sure of your benifits there.... Time is money and what is 15 minutes as a way to show gratitude to a employer?

My 2 cents

I understand your point of view, but if you read my OP, you'd see that this is not a complaint thread about being paid less than I've worked for. I'm asking people if I'm the only one who don't get my employer's math on this case.

You have no idea how many time I've worked 15 or 30 more minutes without complaining about.