EmploymentQuestion 983 of 1605
A contractor's timekeeping system rounds employee clock-in and clock-out times to the nearest 15 minutes. Under evolving California law, what is the safest practice?
a.Always round down in the employer's favor
b.Round however the employer prefers; rounding is always allowed
c.Rounding is required by statute
d.Capture and pay for the actual minutes worked when the timekeeping system records exact time
Explanation
California courts have grown skeptical of time rounding. Where an employer's system captures exact clock times, recent authority (such as Camp v. Home Depot) indicates the employer should pay employees for all time actually worked rather than rounding. Rounding that systematically shortchanges employees is unlawful, and there is no statute requiring rounding. The safest course is to pay actual recorded time.
Law Reference: Rounding; See's Candy / Camp v. Home DepotPractice all 1605 questions free — no signup required.
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Reviewed by Abraham Chen — Licensed California General Contractor (CSLB License #1101856 — verify)