The Sunshine Protection Act may eventually put an end to the bi-annual clock changes that are observed in all but two U.S. states. But as of now, that is not the case and we must all prepare to "spring forward" and turn our clocks ahead one hour on Sunday, March 10, 2024. For many of us, this means an extra cup of coffee. However, there's more to it — employers must also take specific steps to ensure a smooth transition in the workplace. Here are a few critical steps to consider.
If you have third-shift employees, review their schedules. If these employees are normally scheduled eight hours (e.g., 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.), they will actually only work seven hours because of the time change. Make any adjustments to schedules as soon as possible, so employees aren't caught off guard and are getting the hours they expect.
Determine how to handle employees with hours impacted by Daylight Saving Time. Certain employees want as many hours as possible, so the loss of an hour's pay may not sit well.
Consider your options. Some companies let employees work an extra hour during the work week. Others pay their employees for this hour, even if they don't work it. Note, if you opt to pay employees for unworked hours, consult your state's overtime laws because you may not need to include those hours in overtime calculations.
Lastly, make sure that you document any new or updated policies in your employee handbook. If you need help creating an employee handbook, we suggest using the Smart Employee Handbook Builder that's available via the Mineral HR compliance tool. Mineral has a ton of helpful resources and capabilities — and it's available for as low as $16 per month.
To save you and your employees time and frustration, remind employees about the time change and let them know if their hours are impacted. This will help prevent tardiness and also give you an opportunity to address employee questions and concerns.
There are a ton of effective ways to communicate these updates. Hang a sign in the office (the break room is usually a good spot), add a note to check stubs or send an email. If you're a B2E Solutions client, you can also use UKG Ready to communicate with employees via a variety of methods, including in-system notifications, announcements, broadcast messages, text, your Company Hub, an attestation question during clock-in or clock-out and more.
Confirm how your time clocks will handle the time change. Ideally, your clock should automatically update to reflect the accurate time (note: all clocks offered by B2E Solutions auto-update). But just remember, regardless of how sophisticated your time clocks are, it doesn't hurt to have supervisors and managers review punches. This is the best way to ensure each employee's time is properly recorded.
Current clients with questions regarding their clocks should email clocksupport@b2esolutionsinc.com.
Daylight Saving Time can be challenging for many individuals. Getting themselves (and possibly their kids) out of bed can feel extra burdensome given the early start to the day. Can you use this as an opportunity to show your employees you care? Consider bringing breakfast into the office, provide employees with a gift card for coffee, post funny memes on your UKG Ready Company Hub or another internal communication channel, send out a friendly reminder via text about the early start and more. Whatever approach you choose, aim to infuse a little fun and engagement into Daylight Saving Time. Taking that extra step can make such a difference!
If you aren't already taking advantage of time and labor tools, you could be missing out. To find out more about how our Time & Labor solution can make seasonal transitions easier and save you time and trouble down the line, contact us today!
Editor's note: This post has been enhanced and updated to reflect the most up-to-date information for Daylight Saving Time 2024.