Home
Payroll Overview
Paperless Payroll
Certified Payroll
Expense Reporting
Time&Attendance
Retirement Plans
Tax Incentives
Services Outside US
Glossary of Terms
Privacy/Disclaimer
Payroll Sales Reps
FAQ
Best Payroll Co.
Our Specialties
Free Payroll Quote
Contact Us

Which Pay Period For Hours Worked?

by anonymous

Can hours be submitted prior to working those hours for the current pay period?

We are required to submit our payroll hours on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning of a pay period that ends on that Friday .

How can one anticipate hours worked? If they are then not worked, they are adjusted the next pay period.

This seems awkward and odd. Is it legal?




Comments for
Which Pay Period For Hours Worked?

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Legal, Common, But Not Efficient
by: Best Business Payroll

Your complaint is not an uncommon one--many companies request that employees estimate hours which will be worked in the time period between the processing date and the pay date.

Only a few situations, however, require this estimation:

1. With Certified Payroll Reporting, the government requires companies to pay at the end of the work week for hours worked up until that day. Obviously the payroll needs to be processed and the checks need to be cut before that so means that last day must be estimated.

2. Certain Union situations exist where people are paid currently, and in those situations the time between processing and pay date must be estimated.

However, in a majority of cases, paying people currently is not required, and in almost all situations when it is not required it simply isn't done because it is inefficient.

Instead, employees are paid in arrears (paying people this week for hours worked last week). If your company simply makes your period-end date prior to the date you process payroll, or even prior to when you gather the data, this will prevent any need for ever estimating hours, or adjusting the following pay period.

Maybe your company started this tradition when the majority of employees were salaried or when there were a small number of hourly employees. But once you have a good number of hourly employees you can see what a problem it can be.

If your company has no Certified or Union reason for its current pay period policy,you might suggest your company review its policy on pay periods and consider paying in arrears instead--it would solve many headaches for both employer and employee alike.

__________________________

The information, facts, and opinions provided on best-business-payroll.com
are no substitute for professional legal or financial advice. Please see our
full disclaimer page.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Payroll FAQ





Copyright 2011, G & K Office Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved