5 minute read

Timesheets, rosters and the records employers must keep

A practical routine for rosters and timesheets, and the employee records the Fair Work Ombudsman expects you to keep.

Good time records protect both your business and your team. They make pay accurate, help you price work properly, and they are a legal requirement for employers.

Records you must keep

Employers must keep time and wages records for each employee, including hours worked where that affects pay, and keep those records for 7 years. Employees must also receive a pay slip within one working day of being paid. The Fair Work Ombudsman sets out exactly what the records must contain.

Publish the roster early

Sharing the roster well before the week starts reduces last minute swaps and missed shifts. Many awards also have rules about rosters and changes, so check the award that applies to your team.

Log time on the day

Timesheets filled in at the end of the fortnight are guesses. Asking staff to log start, finish and breaks each day, ideally against the job they worked on, gives you accurate pay and true job costs.

Approve quickly

Review and approve timesheets every week. Questions are easier to answer while the week is fresh, and approved records are ready when payroll runs.

Handle leave in one place

Leave requests in emails and texts get lost. A single place to request and approve leave, with a view of who is away, keeps planning simple.

How CAQA Ops helps

Build and publish the roster, let staff log hours against jobs on their phones, approve timesheets and leave in a click, then export approved hours with rates and amounts for your payroll software. Every approval is recorded with who approved it.

Check your obligations with the Fair Work Ombudsman. This guide is general information, not legal advice.