Timekeeping at USC Supervisor and Employee Responsibilities

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1 Timekeeping at USC Supervisor and Employee Responsibilities Both supervisors and employees share responsibility for compliance with university policies established to meet the requirements of federal and state wage and hour laws. Non-exempt employees are protected by a complex set of regulations concerning hours worked, rest periods, meal periods and overtime compensation. University policy also provides for generous vacation and sick leave as well as other types of leaves that must be accurately calculated and fairly administered for all our employees. The automated timekeeping system (OTiS), used by non-exempt staff employees and student workers to keep track of hours worked, makes compliance with state and federal laws easier. The OTiS system has wage and hour rules and leave policies built in so it simplifies the work supervisors are required to do to calculate pay, maintain compliance, coordinate leaves and assists them in administering leave policies in accordance with university policy. The electronic system also frees employees and student workers from the generation of handwritten, paper timesheets; calculating hours worked, gathering signatures on paper timesheets; and hand delivering timesheets to their Home Department Coordinator. Supervisors should routinely discuss with their employees their expectations about setting a regular schedule, changes to that schedule, the timing of meal and rest breaks, changes to those breaks, the process for requesting and approving vacation and sick leave, etc. It is vitally important that supervisors and employees clearly communicate and establish specific expectations regarding timekeeping, scheduling, attendance and leave. Please also use the many resources listed at the back of this brochure to get answers to any of your questions about wage and hour policy or about OTiS. Also, remember to visit policies.usc.edu frequently. Policies are subject to change at any time and USC employees and students are expected to be familiar with current university policies and to follow them.

2 Summary of University Wage and Hour Policies This information summarizes university policies established in compliance with both state and federal wage and hour laws. Please also read the complete policies online at policies.usc.edu. Questions about these policies should be directed to Personnel Services on the University Park campus at (213) or on the Health Sciences campus at (323) Non-Exempt and Exempt Employment Status The applicability of certain compensation and pay regulations depends, in part, upon the classification of the position held by the employee, namely, whether that position is classified as either non-exempt or exempt. All staff positions are classified as non-exempt unless the duties performed meet criteria established under federal and state regulations which would allow the positions to be classified as exempt. Only the Compensation Office in Personnel Services has the authority to determine if a staff position qualifies to be classified as exempt and if the employee in that position is performing the duties that are required to maintain an exempt status. Non-exempt staff employees are paid on a wage basis for all hours worked and compensated at overtime rates of pay for all qualified overtime hours based on state definitions and requirements. Timekeeping procedures for nonexempt staff employees are an essential part of compliance with overtime pay regulations, as well as requirements for meal and rest periods. Exempt staff employees are paid an established monthly salary and are expected to fulfill the duties of their positions regardless of hours worked. Exempt staff employees are not eligible to receive overtime pay or compensatory time off in lieu of overtime pay. Student Workers Student workers are enrolled at USC and claim student status. College Work Study and nonresident alien students are limited to part-time employment of 20 hours or less per week when school is in session. Student workers are not eligible for employee benefits, including most types of leave. However, they are subject to federal and state wage and hour laws such as the requirements for meal and rest periods, and payment of overtime. Rest Periods The State of California requires rest periods for all non-exempt employees. University policy provides a 15-minute paid rest period for every 3.5-hour period worked. If the total daily work time is less than 3.5 hours, no rest period need be given. Rest periods may not be accumulated or combined with meal periods. Meal Periods The State of California requires that all nonexempt employees receive an unpaid meal period of at least thirty (30) minutes for every five (5) hours worked. Many USC departments provide unpaid meal periods of sixty (60) minutes but some have established thirty (30) minute periods. If the work period does not exceed six (6) hours, the meal period may be waived by mutual written consent of the department head and the non-exempt employee. Overtime A non-exempt employee who works in excess of eight (8) hours in a workday or 40 hours in a work week must receive overtime compensation. Payment of overtime is calculated at the rate of 1.5 times the employee's regular hourly rate for the time worked in excess of eight (8) hours in a workday or forty (40) hours in a work week and at a double time rate of two (2) times the employee's regular hourly rate for time worked in excess of twelve (12) hours in a workday. An employee on a 7.5 hour work day who works additional hours is paid for the first additional half hour at the regular pay rate and then any additional time over 8 hours as noted above. Overtime pay is required for hours worked on the seventh consecutive day worked in a work week, and pay at the double time rate is required for all hours worked over eight (8) hours on the seventh day. Hours paid but not worked during a day do not count for purposes of determining overtime or double time payments (e.g. sick leave, vacations, holidays). Workday and Work Week The basic workday used for timekeeping purposes for work schedules beginning between 12:00 midnight and 12:00 noon is 12:00 midnight through 12:00 midnight. The basic workday used for timekeeping purposes for work schedules beginning between 12:00 noon and 12:00 midnight is 12:00 noon through 12:00 noon. The basic work week used for timekeeping purposes is 12:01 a.m. on Thursday through 12:00 midnight on the following Wednesday, or noon on Thursday through noon on the following Thursday.

3 Responsibilities: Supervisors of Non-Exempt Employees and Student Workers Rest Periods and Meal Periods Supervisors are responsible for making certain non-exempt staff employees and student workers are allowed the prescribed meal periods and rest periods and that the breaks are scheduled to best meet the needs of the department, co-workers, and the employees themselves. The meal period can be waived only if the work period is less than six hours and the employee requests such a waiver in writing and the waiver is signed by the department head. Overtime When business requirements are such that non-exempt employees are required to work additional hours, supervisors are responsible for assuring that their employees are paid promptly for the additional time worked, in the appropriate pay period, at the appropriate pay rates. Overtime worked must be paid, whether or not the supervisor was aware of or approved it in advance. Supervisors may require employees to work overtime but should be sensitive to any personal conflicts or restrictions an employee may have. Time Records Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that an accurate time record is kept of hours worked each workday by each non-exempt employee and student worker. This includes reviewing time records for missing information, appropriate meal periods, and correct allocation of hours to funding accounts. The time record must be approved by both the employee and the supervisor and submitted on time for each biweekly pay period. Time records created outside of OTiS must be retained by the department for four years after the last entry. Time records older than four years should be destroyed. Disputing a Time Record Supervisors may reject or modify an inaccurate time record and must discuss the reasons for the change with the employee. If the dispute is not resolved, either the employee or supervisor should contact the department s human resource office or Home Department Coordinator or Personnel Services for information about how to settle such disputes. The Employee Relations Office also is available to help resolve disputes about time records and pay. Attendance Records Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that accurate attendance records are kept by non-exempt staff employees and reviewing monthly accruals of both vacation and sick leave. Monthly accruals of vacation and sick leave cease when the maximum accruals are reached and resume when accruals fall below the maximum. These records must be retained for four years from the last date of entry. Attendance records older than four years should be destroyed. Work Schedules Supervisors are responsible for establishing and assigning a work schedule for each non-exempt employee and student worker that best meets the department s business requirements. If an employee requests an adjustment to his or her schedule, a supervisor should seriously consider accommodating a change, but, in most cases, must make the business needs of the department the priority and consider the affect that changes have on work performed by co-workers. In certain circumstances, accommodating a change in schedule may be required; supervisors should consult university policies regarding required accommodations (i.e., lactation accommodation, ADA covered disabilities). Timekeeping at USC

4 Leave Requests Supervisors are responsible for approving or denying leave requests, and assigning leave requests to the appropriate leave category per university policy. An employee must submit a request for vacation leave at least one week in advance for a vacation leave of less than 5 days; and one month in advance for vacation leave of 5 days or more. For sick leave taken for doctor or dentist appointments, an employee should notify his or her supervisor at least one week prior to the scheduled appointment. The university s leave policies are very generous, and supervisors should encourage employees to regularly take time off. A supervisor should, when possible, accommodate an employee s request for time off, but must make the business needs of the department the priority and consider the affect the absence has on the work performed by co-workers. Causes for Discipline Supervisors are responsible for discipline of employees who violate university policy, and are themselves subject to discipline, regarding attendance, timekeeping and leave. Violations that may result in discipline include, but are not limited to, failure to approve time resulting in late pay; falsification of timekeeping records; failure to pay overtime; unauthorized or unapproved absences; unauthorized approval of overtime; failure to abide by departmental procedures regarding notification of requests for leave; and patterns indicating allowing abuse of leave policy. Supervisors also have comprehensive reports available online that ease the management of employee schedules and vacations. Retention of timekeeping records by departments will no longer be required when entered on OTiS. Timekeeping records are electronic, centralized under Payroll Services, and comply with all legal requirements for record retention. Supervisors go online to the OTiS Web page to review time records for each biweekly pay period; approve or modify time records; approve or deny leave requests; designate leave to the appropriate paid (or unpaid) category; and designate an alternate approver when they are on vacation or away from the office. Supervisors receive notification when it s time to approve time records (24-hour turnaround time) and there are leave requests submitted for approval. Supervisors can access and print reports online that provide detailed information about time worked and leave scheduled or accrued by employees. This includes year-to-date information for employee absences and all paid/unpaid requests for leave; missing information on time sheets, missing time records; and number of hours worked by employees in the current pay period. How OTiS Helps OTiS has wage and hour laws built in so it simplifies compliance. The system calculates hours worked and work eligible for overtime and double time. Vacation and sick leave accruals (recorded in hours) are calculated by the system based on university policy. These accruals are available online and will be printed on each biweekly paycheck. Supervisor responsibilities for reviewing time records, approving, modifying or rejecting time recorded, approving or denying leave requests, and designating leave to the appropriate category can all be accomplished with a few clicks of the mouse. Timekeeping at USC

5 Responsibilities: Non-Exempt Employees Work Schedule All employees are responsible for working the hours they are scheduled to work and must notify their supervisor as far in advance as possible when they are prevented from reporting to work on time, need to leave early, or need an adjustment to their schedule. A supervisor should seriously consider accommodating a reasonable request for a change in schedule, but may deny the request in order to meet the business needs of the department and must consider the affect schedule changes have on work performed by co-workers. Time Records Non-exempt employees are responsible for honestly and accurately reporting time worked and submitting their time record on time for each biweekly pay period. It is important to remember that delays in submitting time may result in delays in the processing and receipt of pay. Rest Periods and Meal Periods It is important that all employees take regular breaks during the day. Non-exempt employees must take rest periods and meal periods in accordance with university policy. Overtime Non-exempt employees should regularly discuss with their supervisor their current workload and any deadlines which may require additional time worked. Overtime must be approved in advance. Leave Requests University policy requires employees to submit a request for vacation leave at least one week in advance for a vacation leave of less than 5 days; and one month in advance for vacation leave of 5 days or more. Employees should submit requests for sick leave for doctor or dentist appointments at least one week prior to the scheduled appointment. Employees are required to submit a request to their supervisors for other types of leave as soon as the need for such leave arises. Employees must notify their supervisor in a timely manner if they are prevented from being at work as scheduled. The university s leave policies are very generous, and employees should arrange to regularly take time off. While supervisors should, when possible, accommodate an employee s reasonable request for time off, sometimes the business needs of the department must be the priority and supervisors also must consider the affect the absence has on the work performed by co-workers. Disputing a Time Record If a supervisor believes a time record submitted is not accurate, he or she may reject or modify it and must discuss any disputed modification or resulting difference in pay with the employee. If the employee and supervisor cannot agree on the modification, they should contact the department s human resource office or Home Department Coordinator or Personnel Services for information about how to settle such disputes. The Employee Relations Office also is available to help resolve disputes about time records and pay. Causes for Discipline Employees are responsible for compliance with university policy regarding attendance, time records and leave. Violations that may result in discipline include, but are not limited to, falsification of timekeeping records; unauthorized or unapproved absences; unauthorized overtime; failure to abide by departmental procedures regarding notification of requests for leave; habitual tardiness and chronic absenteeism; patterns indicating abuse of leave policy; failure to submit time records by established deadlines and job abandonment. How OTiS Helps OTiS provides for several easy ways to record time worked and leave taken. Many departments use a Web page for employees to record time in and out and meal periods. Employees just login to their time record and their time in and out for work or meal periods will be recorded. Others use a biometric device (placing a hand on a recording device), time clocks or a telephone system to record time worked. Employees who forget to login or make an error on their time record may request that a correction be made by their supervisor. Departments also may choose to use a Web page that allows time to be entered by the non-exempt employee at any time during the day called an In and Out template. Once the record of time worked is collected, non-exempt employees submit the time record electronically for supervisor approval. In some departments, this submittal happens automatically. Employees do not need to collect their supervisor s signature or make copies; approvals and records are kept electronically. Employees can request leave online and their supervisor can approve or deny the leave request online. Vacation and sick leave accruals (recorded in hours) are available online and will be printed on each paycheck. Non-exempt employees receive notifications when it s time to submit a biweekly time record or if a time record is modified or rejected. Flexibility with OTiS Departments with employees who frequently work off-site or have no computer access may provide alternative methods for collecting time records. These methods include using a telephone off-campus to submit time. Departments that have employees without access will provide other notices reminding them about turning in time records or other timekeeping matters. Several departments run existing automated timekeeping systems parallel to OTiS. Timekeeping at USC

6 For More Information About Wage and Hour Policies Wage and Hour Policies Online policies.usc.edu University wage and hour policies are posted online at the Policies Web site. Personnel Services Questions about wage and hour policies should be directed to Personnel Services on the University Park campus at (213) or on the Health Sciences campus at (323) About OTiS Home Department Coordinators Each USC department has a Home Department Coordinator who is responsible for maintaining the payroll and personnel records in your department. Home Department Coordinators can answer your questions about payroll cycles, submitting time records, how to settle disputes about time records, and the deductions and reductions taken from your paycheck. If you don't know who your Home Department Coordinator is, check your individual listing in the USCWeb directory. Your Home Department Coordinator is listed at the bottom of the page. OTiS Help Desk (213) otisusc@usc.edu Call the OTiS Help Desk if you have questions or concerns about the payroll schedule, deductions, or pay calculations. The Help Desk staff will either answer your questions or refer you to the appropriate person for an answer. You also can send inquiries by to otisusc@usc.edu. OTiS Online The OTiS Web site includes general information about the timekeeping system, contact information for home department coordinators, frequently asked questions and answers, copies of communications sent about OTiS, and information about biweekly payroll schedules and payroll deductions. USC Administrative Operations Mail Code 8106 ADMOP402/2M/OCT2006