Fix a missing or wrong clock-in or clock-out so the employee is paid for the time actually worked.
Missed punches happen: a forgotten clock-out, a dead phone, a kiosk queue. Hours worked must still be paid, so you need a quick, documented way to correct them.
A pattern of missed punches is worth a conversation, but it is not a reason to leave time unpaid.
11 items. Keep it on a tablet, or print a copy for the clipboard.
A stock associate forgets to clock out at 9:30 pm. The next morning she submits the form; the closing manager confirms she left after the 9:30 lock-up, and the time is corrected before the weekly cutoff.
The FLSA requires employers to keep accurate records of hours worked and to pay for all of them, so a missed punch has to be fixed, not ignored. A signed form shows who confirmed the time, which protects both the employee and the business in a wage claim.
| Employee | Marcus, ID 2041, Greenleaf Grocery, Columbus OH |
|---|---|
| Shift date | Fri, Feb 13 |
| Missed punch | Meal end |
| Actual time | 1:32 pm |
| Reason | Terminal by break room offline |
| Verified by | Shift lead Carla, saw him back on register at 1:35 |
| Payroll | Entered Feb 14 by Nina, before cutoff |
This is a meal-end punch, not a clock-out, which matters because a missing meal-end can make it look like a two-hour break. The terminal outage is noted so IT can check whether other employees were affected.
Hours worked must be paid. Correct the record.
Authorized managers, with a record of changes.
Talk to the employee and check the clock-in process.
Yes, many systems allow correction requests.
Yes, an employer can apply its attendance or timekeeping policy to repeated missed punches, such as a coaching talk and then written warnings. What it cannot do is withhold pay for time that was actually worked. Keep the discipline separate from the pay correction.
Ideally the same day or the next shift, while the employee and manager still remember the time, and always before the payroll cutoff. Late corrections can mean the employee is paid short and needs a separate check. Set a clear deadline in your policy.
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Missed punches in EZTime go through a request and manager approval, and every change is logged, so the timesheet you pay from has a history. Book a demo to see it with your team.