The Curia, parishes, schools, and other agencies within the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois are required by applicable federal and state laws to keep an accurate record of hours of work by all employees. Local payroll processors or supervisors provide new employees with training and instructions for the electronic record keeping system, as part of the new hire orientation. Please refer to §Policy 500: Employment Relationships, 504.4 Time Sheets and Work Schedules. 

Work weeks are determined by the pastor, principal, supervisor or agency director and are based on the work required.

Non-Exempt (Hourly) Employees

To ensure complete and accurate time records, non-exempt employees are paid for all hours worked; non-exempt employees are required to record all working time using the designated timekeeping system. Time must be recorded as follows:

• Immediately before starting a shift.
• Immediately before a meal period.
• Immediately, after a meal period before resuming work.
• Immediately after finishing work for the day.

Non-exempt employees should clock in no more than five minutes ahead of the start time and clock out no later than five minutes after quitting time.

Time sheets and payroll are processed every other week or in rare instances, according to the local schedule; all time worked must be entered prior to payroll processing.

Exempt Employees

Exempt Employees are also required to have their time worked recorded. However, at most locations, the timekeeping system will be programmed with the assumption that the exempt employee will work the agreed upon number of hours per day and/or for a total number of hours per week. It is recognized that exempt employees receive a predetermined salary that is related not to the hours they spend at work, but rather to the job responsibilities and requirements to be accomplished. The predetermined compensation cannot be reduced because of variations in the quality or quantity of the employee’s work, nor can exempt employees receive overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a work week. Exempt employees receive a flat salary for all, or any portion of work performed in a work week.

Deductions of exempt employee’s salary are permissible for the following: full-day or half-day absences for personal reasons, sickness, or vacation, offset amounts for jury pay, witness fees or military pay, disciplinary suspensions of one or more full days imposed in good faith for serious workplace conduct rule infractions, or absences under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Exempt employees are expected to review their time sheet weekly to ensure their time has been calculated appropriately. Any exempt employee is free to record time under the same process as a non-exempt employee.

Record Time Keeping Problems

Employees should notify the local payroll processor of any pay discrepancies, unrecorded work hours, errors, or any involuntary missed meal or break periods. Falsifying time entries is strictly prohibited. Falsifying time entries includes working “off the clock.” If an employee falsifies his/her own time records, or the time records of co-workers, or if the employee works off the clock, the employee will be subject to discipline up to and including termination. Any employee should immediately report to the pastor, principal, agency director or the Office of Human Resources of any employee who falsifies a time entry or encourages or requires someone to falsify their time entry or work off the clock.

• Immediately before starting a shift.
• Immediately after resuming work, before a meal period.
• Immediately before resuming work, after a meal period.
• Immediately after finishing work for the day.
• Immediately before and after any other time away from work.

Non-exempt employees should clock in no more than five minutes ahead of the start time and clock out no later than five minutes after quitting time.

Time sheets and payroll are processed every other week; all time worked must be entered prior to payroll processing.

Exempt Employees

Exempt Employees are also required to have their time worked recorded. However, the timekeeping system will be programmed with the assumption that the exempt employee will work the agreed upon number of hours per day and/or for a total number of hours per week. It is recognized that exempt employees receive a predetermined salary that is related not to the hours they spend at work, but rather to the job responsibilities and requirements to be accomplished. The predetermined compensation cannot be reduced because of variations in the quality or quantity of the employee’s work, nor can exempt employees receive overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a work week. Exempt employees receive a flat salary for all, or any portion of work performed in a work week.

Deductions of exempt employee’s salary are permissible for the following: full-day or half-day absences for personal reasons, sickness, or vacation, offset amounts for jury pay, witness fees or military pay, disciplinary suspensions of one or more full days imposed in good faith for serious workplace conduct rule infractions, or absences under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Exempt employees are expected to review their time sheet weekly to ensure their time has been calculated appropriately. Any exempt employee is free to record time under the same process as a non-exempt employee.

Record Time Keeping Problems

Notify the local payroll processor of any pay discrepancies, unrecorded work hours, errors, or any involuntary missed meal or break periods. Falsifying time entries is strictly prohibited. Falsifying time entries includes working “off the clock.” If an employee falsifies his/her own time records, or the time records of co-workers, or if the employee works off the clock, the employee will be subject to discipline up to and including termination. Any employee should immediately report to the pastor, principal, Office of Human Resources, or Director of any employee who falsifies a time entry or encourages or requires someone to falsify their time entry or work off the clock.