A recent Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) case highlights the need for employers to provide their employees with time​tracking systems that meet the demands of their daily duties. Texas-based Diversified Interiors of Amarillo recently paid 63 employees a total of $76,417 in back wages for unpaid overtime employee attendance.

An investigation found the employer was not paying its employees the correct wages for the extra time they spent driving to and from worksites at remote locations. This time and attendance sometimes exceed the standard 40-hour workweek, but the company did not pay employees the time-and-a-half rates they should have earned. Instead, they received straight time - the standard hourly wage.

"Employers are legally obligated to properly compensate employees for all hours worked," said Cynthia Watson, WHD regional administrator in the Southwest. "This includes travel between the employer's facility and the job sites, and any other hours worked, whether scheduled or not."

If staff members are expected to fulfill certain job duties at remote locations, businesses may need to attain the tools to pay them accordingly for their hours worked. A mobile timeclock or timekeeping application can help workers keep accurate records of this time so employers can include them in payroll totals. 

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