Timekeeping Supervisor Responsibilities - USDA

1 Timekeeping Dated 2/24/2010. Supervisor Responsibilities : It is the Supervisor 's responsibility to approve tours of duty in writing for his/her staff. The Supervisor must review and approve the time and attendance information reported for each employee under his/her supervision. Each Supervisor must rely on established systems of internal control to ensure accuracy and legal compliance of time and attendance documents he/she is approving. The Supervisor is accountable for work time and absences of his/her employees and must determine reasonableness of work output for the time spent. Each Supervisor has the authority to revoke, for cause, any alternative work schedule of his/her employees and return the employees to a regular 8-hour workday.

2 Approval of time and attendance documents must be based on knowledge from one or more of the following: personal observation, timekeeper's observation, checking data against other independent sources (such as starting and ending times of work against flexitour sign in/sign out records), reliance on other internal controls, or a combination of these. The following are specific supervisory Responsibilities : Approve tours of duty and requests for leave to ensure that an office is covered during customer service hours. Ensure that timekeepers or alternates are designated in writing and trained in proper time and attendance reporting. Timekeepers should be NRCS employees; part-time is acceptable if no full-time employees are assigned to that office.

3 Ensure time and attendance records (including supporting documentation such as Form OPM-71, Leave Applications) for each employee are properly prepared and submitted each pay period to the timekeeper. Ensure timekeepers and alternates are provided information necessary to verify the time and attendance documents ( , employee status, separations, retirements, transfer leave, travel plans, authorized overtime, approved tours of duty, leave approvals, etc.). Ensure that time and attendance exceptions are recorded daily on the employee's WebTCAS. Staff work time must be closely monitored when supervisors approve employee self-maintenance of their own time reporting.

4 Certify employee timesheets by 1 the Tuesday following the close of a pay period. Certification validates the fund charges and time recorded as correct. Employee Responsibilities : Keep the Supervisor and timekeeper informed of time and attendance activity. Record time and attendance on a daily basis. Time worked and leave used should be shown in quarter hour increments. Clock hours must be shown for all overtime, leave used (if less than a full day), for all credit and comp hours earned, and for the tour of duty if an employee deviates from the established tour of duty. Correctly enter time and attendance data each pay period into WebTCAS showing clock hours as required.

5 Submit timesheet to timekeeper for verification by 9am on the Monday following the end of the pay period. When the employee submits the timesheet, the employee is certifying that all entries are true and correct. If an employee is found guilty of submission of or causing or allowing the submission of falsely stated payroll documents or their supporting documents, the penalty may result in removal (FMP 751, S- 2, DPM 751, Appendix A). Request and have leave approved in advance by the properly delegated authority, usually the Supervisor . Only supervisors have the authority to approve leave as delegated per 360 GM Part 415, Leave. An approved OPM-71 (formerly SF-71) is required for any leave in excess of three consecutive workdays.

6 Example #1: An employee takes annual leave 2 days before a holiday, and 2 days after the holiday. An approved OPM-71 is needed Example #2: An employee takes Thursday afternoon, Friday, Monday and Tuesday off. Friday is a sick day. An approved OPM-71 is needed. The type of leave does not affect the number of consecutive days off. Sick Leave in excess of 3 consecutive work days needs an approved OPM-71. The Supervisor may request additional medical documentation for sick leave in excess of 3 consecutive work days. If the employee is under a physician's care, a work release from the attending physician is required on or before the day the employee returns to work.

7 A work release is always required if an employee has been out for surgery, extended serious illness, or absence due to injury. Using annual leave for sick leave does not preclude having a work release from the attending physician. An approved comp/overtime request is needed before time is worked. Use FNM Overtime/Compensatory Time Request Form dated 01/06. to receive approval. The signed approval should be sent to your timekeeper. Military leave requires an OPM-71. A copy of military orders and a copy of the OPM-71 request for military leave must be sent to the Financial Management Section at the State Office. Maintain sign in/sign out sheet.

8 If time is entered daily, the WebTCAS timesheet can be used as a sign in/sign out sheet. Employees working hours shown without charging the agency for the time need to include the following statement in the Employee Note to Timekeeper section on WebTCAS timesheet: Time worked in excess of regular work schedule was voluntary.. Must report "on time" as defined by the approved tour of duty. Timekeeper Responsibilities : Examine timesheets submitted by employees verify that clock hours shown correspond with number of hours of work/leave reported. Notify employee if a correction needs to be done and ensure corrections are made. Notify Supervisor immediately of any discrepancy in an approved time and attendance schedule or time reported by email with cc to employee.

9 Verify timesheet for Supervisor certification by 4:00 pm the Monday following the close of a pay period. Coordinate with alternate timekeeper and Supervisor prior to the timekeeper's scheduled absences. Ensure an approved copy of any required documentation for overtime, compensatory time, or leave used (if required) has been received. Ensure supervisors certify timesheets by 1:00 pm the Tuesday following the close of a pay period. Student employee guidelines: Part-time student employees should have a set tour of duty and are not allowed to adjust or vary from their set tour except during scheduled school holiday breaks. During the holiday breaks part-time student employees can work increased hours up to 8 hours per day with the pre-approval of their Supervisor .

10 An increase in hours worked will not require an official change of tour of duty as long as it is for no more than two consecutive pay periods. Students are still part-time employees for all intents and purposes and are not eligible to work compressed tour of duty or flexitour. Holiday pay will be limited to the number of hours scheduled on their regular part-time tour of duty. When part-time student employees switch to a full-time schedule for more than two consecutive pay periods ( during summer break), supervisors should notify Human Resources in writing in advance of the change and submit a Request for Personnel Action (SF-52) with the written request.