Time tracking
What is buddy punching?
Buddy punching is one employee clocking in or out for another, which pays for hours nobody worked.
It thrives wherever a punch is anonymous: a shared code taped to the wall, a paper sheet filled in Friday afternoon, or a kiosk anyone can tap. The cost is quiet and steady rather than dramatic, a few minutes per shift that never shows up as a single obvious loss.
The fix is identity at the moment of the punch. A per-employee PIN raises the bar, a photo captured at punch time settles disputes, and GPS on a mobile punch shows the punch happened at the site.
Source: 29 CFR 516.2 (records employers must keep)
Handle this automatically
Kloqk is a free employee time clock for small business. It records the punches, applies your rules, and does this arithmetic for you.
Related terms
Time theft
Time theft is being paid for time not worked, through padded timesheets, early punches, long unrecorded breaks, or buddy punching.
Time clock kiosk
A time clock kiosk is a shared tablet or terminal at a fixed location where employees punch in and out with a personal PIN.
Geofencing
Geofencing draws a virtual boundary around a job site so a mobile punch is only accepted when the employee is actually there.
General information for US employers, not legal advice. Wage and hour rules change and vary by state, so confirm specifics with your state labor agency or counsel.