Confirmation of attendance at work – how should it be done?
Confirmation of attendance at work is a possibility that makes it easier to control working hours and ensures transparency in settlements. Is there an obligation to keep an attendance list? What are the consequences for an employee for not entering an entry on the attendance list? How does the attendance list at work differ from the register? Confirmation of employee attendance at work – why is it worth it?
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CONTENTS
- Confirming Attendance at Work – What Do You Need to Know?
- Work Time Records – What Is It?
- What Are the Ways to Confirm Attendance at Work?
- Modern Methods of Confirming Employee Attendance
- What Must a Traditional Attendance List Include?
- Consequences of Not Maintaining an Attendance List – Are There Penalties?
Confirming Attendance at Work — What You Need to Know
The employer is required to keep a record of working hours, but it should not be confused with an attendance list. The key difference is that an attendance list is not required by law, while a work time record is mandatory.
According to the Labor Code, the method of confirming attendance at work is optional and depends on the employer’s preferences. The rules for confirming attendance at work should be included in the work regulations and be available to all employees. If the employer is not required to draw up regulations, they must notify the employee in writing about how to mark their attendance. This information should appear no later than 7 days after the employee is allowed to work.
Work time records – what is it?
Work time records are one of the basic obligations of the employer. It is a document that contains detailed information on the employee’s working time, the number of days off that they have used. It can be kept in writing or electronically. It is needed to correctly settle working time, calculate remuneration, or establish other benefits related to work. What should an employee’s time record contain?
- start and end time of work,
- number of hours worked,
- days off from work,
- overtime,
- sick leave,
- night hours worked,
- justified absences from work,
- duty shifts,
- unjustified absences from work,
- working time of a juvenile employee.
Read also: Reprimand at work – what can you get for it?
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What are the ways to confirm presence at work?
Employee presence can be confirmed in various ways:
- orally,
- in writing,
- visually,
- electronically.
There are no strict rules for confirming presence at work, the employer has a lot of freedom in choosing. They can choose traditional or modern methods of confirming employee presence. Attendance can also be recorded by combining these two forms.
Modern methods of confirming employee attendance
Modern methods of recording employee attendance include, for example, an electronic attendance list. It can be kept in an Excel spreadsheet or using a special electronic system that already exists or can be created for the needs of the company. Login can be done via a website or software.
Another modern method of recording employee attendance is for the employer to introduce magnetic cards or chips that show the exact time the employee arrives and leaves the workplace. Then you don’t have to waste time on manual entry into the attendance list.
What must a traditional attendance list contain?
A traditional attendance list should contain the following elements:
- employee’s name and surname,
- date,
- time of arrival at work,
- time of leaving work,
- employee’s signature confirming presence at work.
Read also: Overwork – what are the fears and effects?
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Consequences of not keeping an attendance list – are there any penalties?
Although the law does not require employees to sign an attendance list, many companies have established a custom that an employee should confirm their presence at work. In such cases, if the employer uses attendance lists, they must be regularly supplemented and signed.
According to art. 108 § 1 points 1 and 2 of the Labor Code, employees who do not comply with the established rules for confirming their presence may be punished with a warning or reprimand. If an employee systematically neglects to sign an attendance list or report working hours, thus disrupting the proper recording of working time, this may constitute a breach of their duties, which gives the employer grounds to terminate the employment contract without notice.
Although keeping an attendance list is not required by law, employers often use it to control employees’ working hours. The attendance list is primarily used to verify whether employees report to work on time, as well as to monitor hours worked. The attendance list can be in any form – both traditional paper and electronic.
Maintaining an attendance list in a company plays a key role in recording working time and monitoring employee attendance. Regularly updating the list allows for accurate monitoring of working hours. Regardless of the form – traditional or electronic – the attendance list should be a systematically updated to ensure reliable control over working hours and compliance with internal company regulations.