Massachusetts Employment Law Blog

Employers have an obligation under the federal regulations interpreting the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and separately under Massachusetts law to keep and retain certain time and wage records.

Keeping complete and accurate time and wage records is not just a legal requirement– it is also a good business practice. In a lawsuit for unpaid wages or overtime, the burden of proving when and for how long an employee worked is placed on the employer. An employer who has kept thorough and accurate time and wage records will be better equipped to defend against a wage and hour lawsuit.

For each non-exempt employee, federal regulations require that employers retain at least the following records:

1. Employee’s full name and social security number.
2. Address, including zip code.
3. Birth date, if younger than 19.
4. Sex and occupation.
5. Time and day of week when employee’s workweek begins.
6. Hours worked each day.
7. Total hours worked each workweek.
8. Basis on which employee’s wages are paid (e.g., “$9 per hour,” “$440 a week,” “piecework”).
9. Regular hourly pay rate.
10. Total daily or weekly straight-time earnings.
11. Total overtime earnings for the workweek.
12. All additions to or deductions from the employee’s wages.
13. Total wages paid each pay period.
14. Date of payment and the pay period covered by the payment.

For each exempt employee, federal regulations require that employers retain at least the records listed above, except those listed in numbers 6 through 10 and a description of the basis on which wages are paid, e.g. the dollar amount of earnings per month, per week, per month plus commissions, benefits, etc.

For more information on recordkeeping requirements or the prevention of wage and hour lawsuits, please contact a member of the Employment Law Group.