It's that time of year again where daylight saving time is coming to a close — which means it's almost time for everyone in a US state other than Arizona or Hawaii to turn back their clocks. Starting at 2:00 a.m. CST on the first Sunday every November, Daylight Saving Time will end. This year that date is Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024.
Of course, this means an extra hour of sleep (thank you!). But if you're an employer, there's more to it. To ensure you're ready for a smooth transition during this annual time change, we recommend taking the below steps.
1. Review employee schedules
If you have third-shift employees, review their schedules. If those employees are normally scheduled eight hours (e.g., 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.), they will be working nine hours since clocks will be moving back one hour. To avoid incurring overtime for those employees, adjust schedules accordingly. Do this as soon as possible to ensure employees aren't caught off guard.
2. Check legal requirements
Let's say you didn't review and adjust an employee's schedule. According to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), you are required to pay all-non-exempt employees for hours actually worked. Therefore, if an employee is scheduled to work eight hours, but they work nine because of daylight saving time ending, you are required by federal law to pay them for the nine hours. Overtime pay could also come into effect here.
In addition to upholding federal obligations, make sure to also check employee contracts and state laws that could impact you during this time.
3. Establish a policy or standard
Determine how to handle employees with hours impacted by the end of daylight saving time. If the time change will push those employees into overtime range, many companies will schedule them for one hour less during the work week. Whatever you decide, be consistent so there are no surprises. If you have any questions regarding overtime calculations, it's best to consult your state laws.
4. Communicate changes that impact employees
Remind employees about the time change and any related schedule changes. Alert them in advance if the end of daylight saving will affect their hours worked. Communicate these changes with a notification in any tools employees use (such as UKG Ready), a sign in the break room or a note on check stubs. Not only will this reduce the number of questions you get regarding schedules, it will save you (and your employees) time and frustration.
If you use UKG Ready, click here for creative ideas on how to communicate with your employees about the ending of daylight saving time.
5. Check punches after the time change
Most time clocks receive the newly updated time after daylight saving time officially ends. Regardless, supervisors and managers should always review punches to ensure each employee's time is properly recorded. Doing this at the end of the pay period when approving time cards is typically a convenient time.
Note: If you are using a time clock from B2E Solutions, it will automatically receive the newly updated time after daylight saving time officially ends.
Are you using Time & Labor?
If you're not already taking advantage of a tool that makes it easier for you to capture employee time and streamline approvals, scheduling and workflow processes, you could be missing out. To find out how our Time & Labor solution can make seasonal transitions easier and save you time and trouble down the line, schedule a quick demo today.
Already use our Time & Labor solution, but have questions? Contact your Client Service Representative (CSR) or reach out via our website. We are here to help!
Editor's note: This blog was originally published in 2019, but is updated annually to reflect the most recent information. Last update was Aug 23, 2024.
