In many places, employers must keep a record of the hours each person works, any overtime, leave taken and what they were paid, and keep it for a set number of years, often between two and seven. Labour inspectors can usually ask to see these records, and in many places you have the right to see your own. Records can be corrected, but every change should leave a trace: who changed what, when and why. When records are missing, disputes get harder for everyone, which is why keeping your own simple notes is one of the best habits a worker can have. This guide explains what's usually required and gives a checklist for employers and for staff.
Record-keeping rules are set by each country's labour, tax, social security and data protection laws, and can differ for each. This guide explains what's commonly required and why it matters. It isn't legal advice. For the exact rules where you work, check your contract and your labour department.
1. Why time records matter
Every hour on a payslip should be backed by a record of when it was worked. Good records:
- Prove what was paid and why, for both sides.
- Settle questions quickly, often in minutes instead of weeks.
- Let labour inspectors check that minimum wage, overtime, rest and leave rules are being followed.
The International Labour Organization's Labour Inspection Convention gives inspectors the power to require employers to produce the books, registers and documents the law says must be kept. Its Hours of Work Convention expects employers to keep a record of overtime hours. In other words, the duty to keep records usually sits with the employer, not the worker.
2. What records usually must exist
The exact list varies, but in many places employers are expected to keep:
| Record | What it usually includes |
|---|---|
| Hours worked | Date, start time, finish time, total hours per day and week |
| Overtime | Overtime hours and the rate they were paid at |
| Breaks | Meal and rest breaks, and whether they were paid or unpaid |
| Leave | Annual leave, sick leave, public holidays and other absences, with dates |
| Pay | Rate of pay, gross pay, each deduction and net pay for each pay period |
| Personal details | Name, job, start date and employee number |
Some sectors need more, for example driving hours, night work or the hours of young workers. The ILO's Protection of Wages Convention also expects workers to be told, each pay period, how their wages were made up. In practice that means a payslip.
3. How long records must be kept
There's no single answer. In many places:
- Labour law asks for time and pay records to be kept for a set period, commonly two to six years.
- Tax and social security law may ask for payroll records to be kept longer, sometimes seven years or more.
- The clock usually starts at the end of the pay period, tax year or employment, depending on the rule.
When the rules differ, a sensible employer keeps records for the longest period that applies. For example, if time records from the March 2026 pay period must be kept for six years, they shouldn't be deleted before March 2032.
4. Who can see the records
Time and pay records are personal information. Access should be limited to people who need it:
- Payroll and HR, to pay people correctly.
- Supervisors, usually for their own team's hours and leave.
- Labour inspectors and other authorities, when the law allows them to ask.
- Accountants or auditors, under confidentiality.
They shouldn't be shared with co-workers, posted on noticeboards, or sent to people outside the business without a lawful reason. Many places have data protection rules on how long personal data is kept, how it's protected, and who it can be shared with.
5. Your right to see your own records
In many places you can ask your employer for a copy of your own time and pay records, either under labour law, under data protection law, or both.
How to ask:
- Put it in writing, by email or letter, and keep a copy.
- Be specific. For example: "Please send me my clock-in and clock-out times, breaks and overtime hours for 1 July to 30 September."
- Ask for any changes too, including the original times and who changed them.
- Note the date you asked. Where there's a legal deadline for a reply, it usually runs from the date of your request.
You shouldn't be treated badly for asking. Asking to see your own records is a normal, reasonable request.
6. Edits and audit trails
Records do need correcting sometimes. Someone forgets to clock out, a device goes offline, a shift is entered on the wrong day. Correcting mistakes is fine. What matters is how it's done.
A trustworthy record keeps an audit trail:
- The original entry, which is never overwritten or deleted.
- The new value.
- Who made the change, and when.
- Why, in a few words, such as "Forgot to clock out, confirmed by supervisor."
Ideally the employee can see the change, and agrees to it or can question it.
Worked example: why small edits add up
Jorge Castillo's clock-ins show him starting at 7:52 and finishing at 17:08, 9 hours 16 minutes a day. Each day, the times are edited to 8:00 and 17:00, which is 9 hours. That's 16 minutes a day removed.
Over 22 working days: 22 × 16 = 352 minutes, or about 5.87 hours. At US$ 10.00 an hour, that's about US$ 58.67 a month, and more if those minutes would have been overtime.
Rounding or snapping to a scheduled start can be allowed in some places, but it should work both ways evenly, be written into a policy, and be visible. Changes that only ever reduce time, without explanation, are a warning sign. See our guide to unpaid overtime.
7. When records are missing
If an employer hasn't kept proper records, a dispute about hours becomes one person's word against another's. In many places, that tends to work against the employer, because keeping records was their duty. Labour departments and tribunals may accept a worker's reasonable evidence of hours when the employer can't produce anything better.
Worked example: a claim built from your own notes
Sofía Reyes earns US$ 11.00 an hour. Her employer has no time records. Her phone notes and messages show she worked 9 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 6 weeks: 45 hours a week. She was paid for 40. Overtime where she works is 1.5× over 40 hours a week.
- Overtime per week: 45 − 40 = 5 hours.
- Over 6 weeks: 5 × 6 = 30 hours.
- Overtime rate: 11.00 × 1.5 = 16.50.
- Amount owed: 30 × 16.50 = US$ 495.00.
Without her notes, she'd be relying on memory alone. With them, she can set out a clear, specific claim.
8. What employees should keep themselves
You don't need anything complicated. A notes app, a diary or a spreadsheet is enough. Keep:
- The date, start time, finish time and breaks for every shift, written on the day.
- Every payslip, in a safe place or as photos.
- Rotas and schedules, photographed when they're posted.
- Messages asking you to come in early, stay late or skip a break.
- Leave requests and approvals, and any medical certificates.
- Your contract and any letters changing your hours or pay. See changes to your hours.
9. Checklists for employers and for staff
For employers
- Hours, overtime, breaks, leave and pay are recorded for every worker, every day.
- Records are kept for the longest period required by labour, tax and social security law.
- Records of former staff are kept, not deleted when they leave.
- Every edit keeps the original, the new value, who changed it, when and why.
- Staff can see their own records and any changes.
- Access is limited to people who need it, and records are stored securely.
- Rounding, if used, is written down and even-handed.
- Records can be produced quickly if a labour inspector asks.
For staff
- You note your start, finish and break times every day.
- You keep every payslip and check it against your notes.
- You keep photos of rotas and messages about extra hours.
- You know how to ask for a copy of your records, in writing.
10. Frequently asked questions
How long must my employer keep my time records?
It varies. Labour law in many places asks for two to six years, and tax or social security rules can require longer. Employers often keep records for the longest period that applies.
Can I ask to see my own clock-in times?
In many places, yes, under labour law, data protection law or both. Ask in writing, be specific about the dates, and ask for any edits as well.
Is my employer allowed to change my clock-in times?
Correcting genuine mistakes is normal. But changes should be explained, recorded with the original time kept, and visible to you. Edits that only ever cut your time are worth questioning.
What if my employer has no record of my hours?
Keeping records is usually the employer's duty. Where they haven't, your own reasonable evidence, such as daily notes, messages and rotas, may be accepted. Contact your labour department for advice.
Should I keep my own record of hours even if there's a time clock?
Yes. A quick daily note of start, finish and breaks costs nothing and makes any question easy to settle.
Can my manager share my hours with other staff?
Generally not without a good reason. Time and pay records are personal information, and access should be limited to people who need it, such as payroll and your supervisor.
Do paper timesheets count as proper records?
They can, if they're complete, signed or checked, and kept safely for the required time. Digital records make audit trails easier. See moving from paper to digital timesheets.
11. Where to get help
- Ask payroll or HR in writing for a copy of your records, including any edits.
- Compare them with your own notes and payslips, and list any differences by date.
- Contact your labour department if records are refused, missing or don't match. There are often time limits for wage claims, so don't wait.
- Contact your data protection authority, where one exists, if a request for your personal data is ignored.
- Talk to your union or staff representative, if you have one.
For related guides, see overtime explained and stopping buddy punching.