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Home - The Management Association
Member Resources
Time to “Spring Forward”
by Monica Sorenson, PHR, HR Analyst
Published March 11, 2010
As a reminder, Daylight Savings Time (DST) begins this Sunday, March 14, 2010. When employers “spring forward” it can create some confusion in terms of compensating and tracking non-exempt employees’ time.
During this time change, employees may be working one hour less than usual. The employer has the option to pay the employee for the full eight hours instead of the seven that were actually worked. In that case that extra hour doesn’t have to be included in the regular rate of pay calculation or for overtime purposes. The extra hour also does not have to be considered in overtime pay because it is not compensation for time that was actually worked.
The employer may also choose to allow employees to work the extra hour in order to get paid for a full shift. Paying employees for a full shift could potentially raise questions under the FLSA when the employees actually worked one hour less than they were paid for.
However, when the clock is turned back in the fall, these same employees will likely be working an extra hour. At that time they must be paid for the extra hour, and the hour must be counted towards calculating regular rate of pay and for overtime purposes.
Members with questions about Daylight Savings Time change and compensating non-exempt employees may contact the HR Hotline by calling 800-448-4584.
