How to track your hours (and why your records matter)
Key points
- Your own notes made at the time are valuable evidence.
- If the employer's records are inaccurate or missing, courts can rely on reasonable estimates.
- Keep records somewhere personal, not only on a work device.
Why your records matter
Employers are required to keep accurate records of hours worked and pay. When those records are incomplete or wrong, courts have allowed workers to prove hours with reasonable estimates and their own evidence. The burden then shifts to the employer to disprove it. Records you keep as you go are far more convincing than estimates made a year later.
A simple daily log
| Date | Start | Meal (out/in) | End | After-hours work | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 11/2 | 6:42 a.m. | none (covered phones) | 5:15 p.m. | 20 min emails 8 p.m. | Opened store |
| Tue 11/3 | 6:45 a.m. | 12:10–12:25 | 5:30 p.m. | none | Truck delivery |
A notes app, a paper notebook or a simple spreadsheet all work. Consistency matters more than format.
Other evidence to save
- Pay stubs and W-2s
- Schedules, shift-swap messages and group texts
- Emails or messages sent outside your scheduled hours
- Photos of posted schedules
Don't copy confidential company documents or customer data. Stick to records about your own hours and pay, and ask a lawyer if you're unsure what you may keep.
See what you could be owed
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