Timekeeping

Supervisor’s Responsibility

Ensure that your staff report and submit their timecards on time and that each contains accurate information. At the end of each pay period, every staff member should submit their timecard.
Approve timecards in your queue for approval. If you see inaccurate information on a timecard, it is your responsibility to talk with your staff about it and to ask them to amend their time if needed.

Staff Member’s Responsibility

Non-exempt (hourly) staff should report all hours worked or taken as vacation, sick, or other approved exception time.
Exempt (salaried) staff do not report hours worked but do report hours they took off as vacation, sick time, or other approved exception time. Exempt staff should submit a timecard each pay period, even if they do not have any exception time to report, as a way to confirm that their hours are being correctly recorded.

Direct time entry questions to the payroll office. Visit the payroll web page for other timekeeping information, including a tutorial on how to enter and approve time in Employee Self Service (ESS).

Visit our time off web page for more information on use of sick time, vacation time, and other time off.

Meal and Rest Breaks

Non-exempt staff must take a rest break of at least 10 minutes for every 5 hours worked. In addition, a 30-minute meal break must be provided within the first 6 hours of work. At Reed, most positions receive an unpaid lunch break and, depending on the position, it may be up to 1 hour. If you have questions about your staff positions, please contact human resources for guidance.

Exempt staff are not required to report or to take meal and rest breaks. That said, taking breaks is important and typically exempt staff (with some exceptions) are expected to work 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a 1-hour unpaid lunch.

Work Outside of Scheduled Work Hours

Reed staff have scheduled hours in which they are expected to work. If you have non-exempt staff (hourly) who work in excess of 40 hours during a work week, their excess hours are eligible for overtime pay, which is paid at a rate of 1.5 times base hourly rate. Non-exempt staff should always seek the approval of their supervisor before working outside of their scheduled work hours or working overtime.

Sick Time Versus Vacation Time

Sick time is meant to be used for non-serious illnesses (cold, flu, etc), healthcare appointments, or to care for a sick family member. Sick pay is not to be used as additional vacation. Sick pay used excessively outside of approved leave of absence or qualifying event is considered a performance matter that should be addressed.

Paid Leave Oregon is meant to be used for serious illnesses and must first be approved by the human resources office. Your staff should not use Paid Leave Oregon on their timecards without prior approval from human resources. More information about Paid leave Oregon and how to apply for this benefit can be found on our time off website.

If an employee becomes ill or otherwise qualifies for sick leave for 3 or more days while on vacation, they may request to have the vacation hours converted to sick leave hours. In this case, they must provide written certification from their healthcare provider.

Managing Time FAQ

How do I manage multiple requests for time off from my team during the same time period?

Requests are typically granted based on who has asked first. Work with your team to determine if anybody is willing to be flexible to accommodate other requests.

What is the best practice for keeping track of time off requests?

Create an expectation for the entire team for how to request time off. Asking employees to email their requests (so that you have the date it was requested) and also put their requests on a shared team calendar is helpful in managing multiple requests.

Can staff request unpaid time off instead of using available vacation time?

Staff must use available vacation time (or sick time if appropriate) for time off and are not able to take unpaid time off in lieu of using available vacation/sick time.

Can time off requests be denied?

Every effort will be made to approve a staff member's vacation request, however this is not always possible based on department needs.

When can a staff member enter Paid Leave Oregon on their timecard?

Staff can enter Paid Leave Oregon on their timecard only if they are on an approved leave that is eligible for Paid Leave Oregon. Paid Leave Oregon can only be used in full-day increments.

What if there is an error on a timecard and I have already approved it?

Contact the payroll office for assistance.

How do I approve a timecard for a direct report who is on vacation and has not submitted their timecard yet?

If the employee has already started their timecard in Banner Employee Self-service (ESS), the supervisor can make edits and submit the timecard as needed. If the timecard has not been started yet, contact the payroll office for assistance.

What occurs when a staff member does not have enough sick or vacation time accrued for time entered?

If a staff member does not have enough sick time, vacation time will be used to supplement the request. If an employee does not have enough vacation time, the time off will be unpaid. Unpaid time off should only be granted after consultation with and approval from human resources.

What action should be taken when a staff member is consistently or excessively calling out sick (ex: on Mondays or Fridays, before or after requested vacation time, etc)?

Sick pay used frequently outside of an approved leave of absence or qualifying event is a performance matter. You should promptly have a conversation with your staff member. Contact human resources for guidance.

Payroll Resources