Payroll & time-tracking guides
Straight answers to the payroll and labor questions small businesses actually ask.
How to Calculate Overtime Pay
A clear, step-by-step guide to calculating overtime pay under the FLSA — the 40-hour rule, time-and-a-half, the regular rate, and a worked example.
What Is Time and a Half?
Time and a half means 1.5× an employee's regular pay rate. Learn when it applies, how to calculate it, and see examples.
What Is Buddy Punching (and How to Stop It)
Buddy punching is when one employee clocks in or out for another. Learn what it costs, why it happens, and how to prevent it with photo and GPS time clocks.
How to Do Payroll for a Small Business
A plain-English overview of running small-business payroll: collecting hours, calculating gross and net pay, taxes, pay schedules, and recordkeeping.
Exempt vs Non-Exempt Employees
The difference between exempt and non-exempt employees under the FLSA — who gets overtime, the salary and duties tests, and why misclassification is risky.
How to Track Employee Hours
Compare ways to track employee hours — paper, spreadsheets, and time clock apps — and learn the best practices for accurate, compliant records.
FLSA Recordkeeping Requirements
What employee time and pay records the FLSA requires, and how long to keep them — payroll records for 3 years, time cards for 2.
Biweekly vs Semimonthly Pay
Biweekly pays every two weeks (26 checks/year); semi-monthly pays twice a month (24 checks). Compare the two and how each affects overtime.
How Many Hours Is Full-Time?
There's no single legal definition of full-time, but 40 hours/week is standard and the ACA uses 30 hours/week. What employers should know.
How Many Hours Are in a Year?
There are 8,760 hours in a regular year (8,784 in a leap year). A standard full-time work year is about 2,080 hours. Here's the math.
Time Off in Lieu (TOIL): What It Is & How It Works
Time off in lieu (TOIL) gives employees paid time off instead of overtime pay. How it works, when it's allowed in the US, and how to track it.
How to Set Up Chrome Kiosk Mode for a Time Clock
How to lock a tablet or Chromebook into kiosk mode so it only runs your time clock — Chrome kiosk mode, iPad Guided Access, and Android steps.
PTO Meaning: What Does PTO Stand For?
PTO stands for paid time off — paid hours employees can take off for any reason. What PTO includes, how it differs from vacation and sick leave, and how it accrues.
Common Work Schedules Explained (2-2-3, 9/80, 4-10, DuPont)
What the 2-2-3, 9/80, 4-10, and DuPont work schedules mean, how the rotations work, and how each affects overtime. With scheduling tips.
How Many Work Hours Are in a Month?
A full-time month averages about 173 work hours (2,080 ÷ 12). How to calculate work hours per month and why it varies.