Title: | Time and Labor Reporting | Publication date: | 113020139152011POLICYA. PurposeThis policy outlines the requirements for the accurate and timely reporting of effort using Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's (Berkeley Lab's) Pay and the Berkeley Lab Employee Time Reporting System (LETS). B. Persons AffectedAll Berkeley Lab employees C. ExceptionsNone D. Policy Statement- Each employee must report his or her their own time worked (by job or project) and leave taken (by category). Each division or department by the assigned project/activity or work order, as well as any paid or unpaid leave taken (i.e., time off). Prior to the time sweep at the end of each period, each employee is required to certify and attest to the accuracy of their time card before releasing it for review and approval. The employee's assigned supervisor or work lead must review and approve time reported by each of its their employees.
- Accurate and timely reporting is required and enables the Laboratory to:
- Monitor actual performance against budgetary goals
- Ensure labor costs are properly reported by Department of Energy (DOE) Budget and Reporting classification
- Guarantee employees are paid correctly and their leave accumulations are accurate
- pay Lab employees correctly and in a timely manner;
- ensure leave accruals and leave balancesare accurate;
- ensure labor costs are properly allocated to separately funded projects/activities; and
- monitor actual performance against funding limitations and budgetary goals.
- Core Requirements
- Employees must use LETS to record their time worked and all leave taken, regardless of whether leave is paid or unpaid. Lab employees must use their LDAP credentials to access LETS for time entry. Refer to the LETS User training for more information
Procedures- The Laboratory Employee(s) Time Entry System (LETS) provides online access to time-reporting and approvals. Role assignment, password applications, and training are available through the division offices. To access LETS, refer to the LETSLite User Guide or "How To" brochures available in each division.
The following chart details the various time-reporting categories:minimum reporting requirements by employee type: Type of Employee | Schedule | Timecard | Minimum Reporting Unit |
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Exempt (including UC faculty) | Full-time | Monthly | 1/2 day (4 hours) | Exempt | Part-time | Monthly | 1/4 | hourhours | Exempt (Engineering, EH&S | , and Facilities only) | Full-time | Monthly | 1/4 hour ( | 4hours 4 hours for leave taken) | Non-exempt | Full-time, part-time | , and variable | Weekly | 1/4 hour |
- Non-Exempt Classifications
- Non-For employees in exempt classifications , time worked and leave taken on each project must be reported in totalmust record their time worked to the assigned project/activity or work order based on the day the work was performed.
- Leave taken must also be recorded on the specific day leave is taken.
- Exempt Classifications
- Exempt timecards specify the total number of days or hours for the month based on each employee’s standard hours. All time for the month must be accounted for in LETS.
- Total time worked by assigned project/activity or work order must be recorded. It is not necessary to report the specific days on which the that work was performed on project/activities. However, but all leave time (paid or unpaid) must be reported in specific days. For employees in non-exempt classifications, time worked and leave taken must be reported in specific days.
- If exempt employees work more than the normal number of hours or days, they are to distribute their effort proportionally to each project they worked on, based on the total time worked.
- on the specific day the leave was taken. For example, a full-time employee scheduled to work 40 hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday takes pre-scheduled vacation time starting at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday. The employee will then record half a day (0.50) of vacation time or 4 hours with Thursday’s date on the timecard.
If an exempt employee works more than their regularly scheduled work week based on their standard hours, the total number of hours or days worked must be proportionately distributed based on the effort done for each project/activity. For example, a full-time employee has to account for 176 hours or 22 days for the month on their LETS timecard. See the table below for an example of prorating time worked in excess of standard hours.
| Time Worked Hour/Days | Proportion of Total Time Worked (Time Worked by Project Divided by Total Time Worked) | Pro-rated Charge on Timecard* (Proportion of Time Worked x Total Hours or Days for the Month in LETS) |
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Project A | 40 hours or 5 days | 20% | 36 hours or 4 days | Project B | 80 hours or 10 days | 40% | 70 hours or 9 days | Project C | 80 hours or 10 days | 40% | 70 hours or 9 days | Total | 200 hours or 25 days | 100% | 176 hours or 22 days |
*Round to nearest hour or day
- Schedule and Time Changes
- A supervisor can modify an
Schedule and Time Changes- An employee's schedule of days off, workdays, and hours per day within the specified time schedule may be varied by his or her supervisor work period to meet unusual job requirements without use of a Personnel Action Form (PAF). The schedule for employees working indeterminate time, however, must be indicated in detail on the employment form, and changes must be submitted in detail on a PAF.
- When clocks are changed to and from daylight savings time each year, actual hours worked should be reported. In the spring, when the time change results in a seven-hour owl shift, non-exempt employees may will be scheduled for an extra hour of work or charged an hour of vacation to make an eight-hour shift. In the fall, when the time change results in a nine-hour owl shift, the additional hour (when worked) is reported as overtime.
- Certification and Approval of Time Reports
- Employees All employees must certify the accuracy of their time reported . Each supervisor (approver) must certify the accuracy of the time reported by his or her subordinates and must approve all of his or her employees' time, either electronically or on a time sheet produced by LETSand release their timecards prior to the scheduled time sweep.
- By certifying their time, an employee is confirming that the work performed for the period is charged to an authorized work activity approved by their supervisor or a designated work lead.
- Supervisors are responsible and accountable for reviewing and certifying the time reported by their assigned staff. They must approve all employees' time entries electronically prior to the scheduled time sweep. In the absence of the supervisor (approver), normally, only another designated supervisor or manager may approve time, a designated backup approver may approve time. The backup approver must be the same level, or above, as the employee's supervisor or work lead.
- Approvers for matrixed employees are expected to confirm the hours recorded by the employee with the matrixed work lead prior to approving the timecard.
- Compensatory time is prohibited at the Lab and must not be granted to an employee.
- In addition to supervisors (approvers), designated work leads are also able responsible to review and certify time for employees assigned to them. Either the supervisor (approver) or the designated work lead may approve the employee's time. Requests for exceptions must be provided in writing and approved in advance by the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or designee
- Designated work leads must be exempt-level Berkeley Lab employees who regularly provide work direction to the person(s) for whom time is being approved. Designated work leads cannot be graduate student research assistants (GSRAs), contract workers, students, or affiliates.
- In certain instances, the ability to certify timecards may be granted to non-Berkeley Lab employees currently employed by another DOE national laboratory who are providing work direction to the person(s) for whom time is being approved.
- With the approval of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), a work lead will be assigned to the Lab Director. The work lead will be an exempt-level member of the Director's staff who is knowledgeable of the Director's schedule.
- Time certification by the employee, supervisor, or designated work lead may should be electronic with the use of a personal password accessing LETS or, when not possible electronically, by actual signature on a time sheet produced from LETS and the employee’s LDAP user ID and password to access LETS. When it is not possible to capture approvals electronically, the actual signatures should be recorded on time cards produced from LETS as provided by the division timekeeper.
- Employees, supervisors, and/or designated work leads must concur with changes and corrections to the time they have certified, whether accomplished through LETS or labor resource adjustments. Corrected time sheets or communication (e.g., e-mail notification) for labor resource adjustments and clearance of labor charges from dropout projects must be sent to the employee and his or her supervisor for concurrence. If the appropriateness of a corrected time sheet is questioned either by the employee or the supervisor, the Controller's Office can assist in the determination.
- GSRAs do not report time on individual timecards. The monthly computer listing for each group of GSRAs is generated by the department and requires the signature of the faculty advisor or, as alternates, the division director, his or her deputy, or the division administrator.
- Periodic Reviews
- The Office of the CFO conducts periodic reviews of time-reporting documents for compliance with policy as stated above.
- Due Dates in LETS
- All employee time records are electronically sent to Payroll for processing based on the following schedule:
- Weekly Reporters. Noon on the first business day of each week and the first business day of the new month
- Monthly Reporters. Noon three business days prior to month's end
E. Roles and ResponsibilitiesManagers, supervisors, and employees have the responsibility to adhere to the provisions of this policy. F. Definitions/AcronymsNone - Timecard corrections for closed or swept periods are completed through LETS or through a Labor Distribution System (LDRS) labor resource adjustment.
- LETS corrections that affect leave types (e.g., vacation, sick, jury duty, unpaid leave, etc.) will be processed by the Division timekeeper in LETS. Once completed, a correction timecard will be visible to the employee and their supervisor and must be certified and approved prior to the next available sweep.
- For LDRS labor adjustments that affect time worked on a project/activity to another project/activity, an e-mail alert will be automatically generated. This notification will be sent to the individual whose time was adjusted as well as to their manager, indicating the details of the adjustment. Should the individual or his/her supervisor not agree with the adjustment that was made, a response is required within five business days. Labor adjustments over the approval thresholds identified in the Resource Adjustment policy still require approval from a designated financial approver.
E. Roles and ResponsibilitiesManagers, supervisors, and employees have the responsibility to adhere to the provisions of this policy. Role | Responsibility | Employee | - Ensures that all time worked and leave time taken are accurately recorded and certified by established due dates.
- Ensures that time reported is for work performed under an authorized work activity approved by their supervisor or an appropriate line manager.
- For non-exempt employees, obtains pre-approval from their supervisor for any overtime prior to work being done.
- Ensures that any errors in time recording are corrected in a timely manner.
- Ensures that any labor adjustments made on behalf of the employee are validated for accuracy.
| Supervisor/Work Lead | - Establishes work schedules and expectations with staff.
- Pre-approves overtime for non-exempt staff.
- Certifies the employee has charged appropriate projects/activities and accounted for all leave time taken (paid and unpaid).
- Consults with assigned work lead to ensure accuracy of time reported for matrixed employees.
- Approves employee timecards by established due dates.
- Ensures that any errors in employee time reporting are corrected on a timely basis.
| Division Timekeeper | - Processes LETS leave corrections for closed periods (i.e. periods that have been swept).
- Processes late time entries for non-exempt employees for closed periods.
- Point of contact for assigned staff for any timekeeping issues.
| Resource Analysts | - Processes labor resource adjustments between projects and activities as appropriate per the Resource Adjustment Policy.
- Coordinates with Division Timekeepers for leave corrections as needed.
| LBNL Payroll Office | - Processes more complex labor/leave corrections.
- Assists in inquiries related to LETS input/corrections.
| Human Resources | - Ensure employee job record is updated timely in UCPath for status changes that affect employee timecards.
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F. Definitions/AcronymsExempt Employee | An employee who is paid an established salary and does not receive overtime compensation or compensatory time off for hours worked over 40 in a work week. Greater emphasis is placed on meeting the responsibilities assigned to the position than working a specified number of hours. | Non-Exempt Employee | An employee who is paid an established hourly rate and is eligible for overtime compensation in accordance with FLSA rules. Refer to collective bargaining agreements for represented employees. | Matrixed Employee | An employee assigned to an outside division (host division) by their home division supervisor. A matrixed employee typically receives daily direction from the host division. | Work Lead | Designated work leads must be exempt-level Berkeley Lab employees who regularly provide work direction to the person(s) for whom time is being approved. Designated work leads cannot be graduate student research assistants (GSRAs), contract workers, students, or affiliates. | Compensatory Time | Also known as comp time is time off with pay in lieu of overtime pay for irregular or occasional overtime work. This practice is prohibited at the Lab. |
G. Recordkeeping RequirementsNone H. Implementing DocumentsDisbursements and Project Costing Services Manager Payroll ManagerLead J. Revision History whomWhom | Revision Description | Section(s) | affectedAffected | Change Type | 1/2/2012 | 1 | M. Mock | Reformat for wiki | All | Minor | 11/30/2013 | 1.1 | M. Hutchins | Reviewed 11/12/13. No changes | Publication, next review date | Minor | 3/25/2016 | 2 | M. Hutchins | Remove GSRA exception and include assigned work lead for Lab Director. | D.5 Certification of time reports | Major | 10/19/2020 | 2.1 | M. Hutchins | Minor clarifications; Periodic Review | D | Minor | 12/ | 2/2012118/2020 |
| D. Soustin | Updated Contract 31 I clause numbers as per mod 1105 | Source Requirement Documents | Editorial | 2/28/2023 | 2.2 | M. | MockHutchins | Periodic review: clarifications of existing policy and link fixes | Reformat for wiki | All | Minor | 6/16/2023 | 2.3 | M. Hutchins | Editorial changes to R&Rs | R&Rs | Editorial |
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