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What timekeeping mistakes could delay my pay?
What timekeeping mistakes could delay my pay?
Trusted Care Team avatar
Written by Trusted Care Team
Updated over a week ago

Timely and accurate pay is incredibly important to any clinician. It is the primary goal of our payroll team to get you paid and in order to correctly process your pay our timekeeping rules must be followed. Here is a round-up of the most common mistakes we see clinicians make when keeping time, and solutions for fixing those mistakes!

❗ Please keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list of items that can delay your pay. It is your responsibility to provide correct documentation before the weekly cut off in order to be paid correctly and on time. This list is meant to be a helpful resource for only the most common examples of incorrect timekeeping mistakes.


Where can I find proper timekeeping instructions?

Your proper timekeeping method will be contained in your First Day Instructions email. If you have questions after reviewing your first-day instructions, please reach out to the Care Team via Inbox so we may help clarify. Please review this article for answers to FAQ about timekeeping.


What will happen if I don't track my time correctly?

If you have incorrectly tracked your hours, payroll will either:

  • Reject your timecard entirely, in which case you will receive an Inbox message detailing the reason for the rejection. If your timecard is rejected, you will need to completely re-submit your timecard in the Trusted app before the due date in order to be paid on time.

  • If only a portion of your timecard is incorrectly recorded, payroll will process any hours that are correct and let you know on your payroll preview what corrections are needed to process the remaining hours. It is imperative that you review your payroll preview each week and provide the necessary corrections prior to the due date in order to be paid correctly and on time.

If we do not receive your corrections by the weekly cut off, your pay will be delayed and a retroactive payment will be made on a future pay date. We cannot process corrections separately from or sooner than the next pay cycle.


What are some examples of mistakes I should avoid?

In order to prevent timekeeping mistakes, please review some common errors when it comes to submitting your weekly timecard. Please remember this is not an exhaustive list of timekeeping mistakes and is meant to be a helpful resource for the most common mistakes only. If you are in doubt about any timekeeping requirement, please reach out to us through Inbox for clarification.

Please remember this is not an exhaustive list of timekeeping mistakes and is meant to be a helpful resource for the most common mistakes only.
If you are in doubt about any timekeeping requirement, please reach out to us through Inbox for clarification.


Mistake: Not sending the edits requested on your pay preview

Don't:

Don't send another copy of your original submission. The documentation you submitted does not suffice and cannot be accepted.

Do:

Carefully review your payroll preview to understand what changes payroll is asking for. If you don't understand what is necessary, respond by clicking contact us and ask for clarification.

Once you've collected the proper documentation, reply directly to your payroll preview with the requested information and/or documentation. Responding directly to your payroll preview will send the changes straight to the payroll team for faster review.


Mistake: Not showing your exact in and out times for your on call and/or call back shifts

Don't:

Don't just tell us how many hours of call you had without providing the start/end times.

Don't tell us your hours were call back without proof that the hours were within your on call shift.

Keep in mind that if your shift or case (i.e. during regular hours) goes into pre-scheduled on call time, you're no longer considered “on call” and those additional hours worked do not qualify for the call back rate.

Do:

We need to be able to verify that your call back hours occurred during your on call shift. You can add the full "on call" start and end times to the “Additional Notes” field when submitting your weekly time in the Trusted mobile app.

If you are using electronic timekeeping:

Your electronic timekeeping needs to show the exact clock-in and out times for your "call back" shift, AND the total hours or exact times of your "on call" shift.

If only your total "on call" hours are listed on your electronic timekeeping, we need you to let us know your "on call" shift's start and end times.

If your exact "call back" times and total or exact "on call" hours are not listed on your timecard, then you will need to fill out a Trusted paper timecard and have your manager sign so we can get those added.

*Please note: Even if completing a Trusted paper timecard, you must still complete a punch correction form at the facility so that your electronic record is updated to reflect the changes to your on call/call back hours.

If completing a paper timecard:

On your paper timecard, please be sure to list the scheduled start and end times of the "on call" hours so the entire shift is listed. This ensures that any eligible "call back" hours can be paid out accordingly. Additionally, please be sure to list out the "on call" and "call back" hours as separate line items to ensure this information is clear.

Example:


Mistake: Documenting your time as two different hour types on a paper timecard without clear in/out times

Don't:

When completing a paper timecard, don't check multiple columns (e.g. "Regular" and "Charge," or "Regular" and "On Call").

Do:

Only one hour type should be recorded at a time. Enter in/out times for your shift, and then check the column that correlates to those hours specific pay code. If you split your time during a shift between two hour types, then you should enter these hour types onto separate lines.

For example, if you worked charge for part of a shift, on the first line indicate the in/out times for your regular shift, then mark the "Regular hours" column. Then on a second line, put the in/out times for the hours you worked as charge, then mark the "Charge" column.

Example:


Mistake: Not correctly documenting your missed lunches

Don't:

Don't just say "Missed lunch" in your "Notes" section on your timecard. We cannot accept this without further proof.

*Please note: Trusted will automatically deduct a 30 minute lunch unless there is proof a meal break was missed.

Do:

For the simplest solution, your electronic report should show the correct daily total number of hours.

E.g., you worked a 12 hour shift, and your electronic report shows your correct in/out times and a 12 hour daily total (not 11.5 hours).

If your daily total is incorrect, you can:

  • Provide a signed paper timecard indicating you missed lunch

  • Provide a punch correction form documenting the missed lunch

  • Provide an updated electronic timekeeping report with the correct daily total

  • If you are in CA or WA, you should provide a signed missed meal break form

If using a paper timecard, write "NO LUNCH" in the "Meal Period" column and have the timecard signed by your manager as usual.Example:


Mistake: Indicating a different pay code for worked hours in the "notes" section of your timecard without corresponding proof

Don't:

Don't tell us you worked a different hour type than regular hours without proof. For example, saying something like "I was charge on 7/13," or indicating another different pay type (On Call, Call Back, Orientation, etc) without corresponding proof that you worked something other than regular hours cannot be accepted.

Do:

Make sure your electronic report correctly documents your hour type, or obtain a signed paper timecard to report missing information.


Mistake: Not documenting hours you were called off by the facility

Don't:

Don't assume we already know that you were called off by the facility. (We don't!) If you don't document these hours, we will not apply any applicable guaranteed hours and/or count the hours towards your cancellation policy.

Do:

If you were called off by the facility:
Clearly indicate the dates and times you were called off by the facility in the "Notes" section of your timecard. This will alert our payroll team to apply those hours to your cancellation policy (where applicable).

If you were called off and placed on call for a whole shift, and you WEREN'T called in: Please ensure these hours are clearly documented as "Called off by facility" as well as "On Call" on your timecard.

If the facility called you off and placed you on call for a whole shift, and you WERE called in:

Please ensure these hours are clearly documented on your timecard as

  • "Called off by facility" for YOUR ENTIRE SHIFT, as well as,

  • "On Call" for the hours you were placed on call (this applies only to the hours you were not physically at your facility), as well as,

  • "Call Back" for the hours you worked at the facility

Example:


Mistake: Not providing your exact in/out times on holiday weeks

Don't:

Don't provide a copy of your punches for the day before, during or after a holiday with only an hour total for the day.

Do:

Provide your exact in/out times for your shifts the day before, during or after a holiday.

As a reminder, holidays and hours edible for the holiday rate will be listed in your contract. You are paid at the holiday rate (instead of the base rate) for hours worked during the specific holidays. Holiday hours are not guaranteed and are determined solely by your facility.


Mistake: Not hitting "submit" in the app

Don't:

Don't just attach your timekeeping photo and assume you are done submitting your timecard. You're not, and we won't be able to review your timecard!

Do:

Once you've added your timekeeping attachment and any notes (notes are optional), click continue. This will take you to the policy to review, and once you've confirmed that you've read and agree to it, you can click submit my time. This will send your timecard to payroll for review.


Mistake: Not submitting time and counting on your facility to send us a copy of your hours

Don't:

Don't assume that because your facility is sending us a copy of your hours, that you do not also need to submit a copy of your hours each week in the app. While some facilities do send us a copy of clinicians' time, there is a delay between when you work and when we receive a copy of those hours. In order to be paid each Friday, we require clinicians to provide their own copy of their hours. We cannot pay you unless you have submitted a copy of your hours in the Trusted app.

Even if your manager says you do not need to submit your hours to us, you do still need to submit a copy of your hours to Trusted. As you are an employee of Trusted, your Manager may not be aware of our travel contract policies and can accidentally provide you with false information. Anything regarding your pay will be listed in your contract, and you should always confirm payment questions with us.

Do:

Submit your hours in the Trusted app each week by the due date.

If your workweek is Sunday - Saturday, please submit your timecard no later than Sunday at 12pm PST.

If your workweek is Monday - Sunday, please submit your timecard no later than Monday at 12pm PST.


Mistake: Submitting a screenshot in the Trusted app of unsubmitted or unsaved hours in the facility's timekeeping system

Dont:

Don't submit a screenshot of your punches or hours from the facility's electronic timekeeping (ETK) in the Trusted app until you've submitted them in the ETK. If the screenshot you submit to us shows your punches in the ETK are "unsubmitted," or shows they have not yet been saved, we cannot enter or approve those hours.

Do:

Take your screenshot after you've submitted the hours in the ETK, then upload that photo to Trusted. The status for your hours in the ETK should show "approved" or "pending," NOT "unsubmitted."


Mistake: Not using military time or AM/PM

Don't:

Don't label all your hours on standard time (i.e. 12 hour increments). If payroll cannot discern from your daily total how many hours you worked, your time will be entered as shown.

E.g. if you worked 7am-9pm but enter your time as "7:00-9:00," payroll cannot tell whether your shift started and ended in AM or PM, and only 2 hours will be entered.

Do:

Use military time, or denote if your hours are AM/PM.


Mistake: Submitting Relias assessments as pre-employment modules

Don't:

Don't submit time spent completing Relias assessments on your pre-employment module timecard. They do not qualify for reimbursement.

Do:

Confirm with your Care Team during onboarding which hours are eligible for reimbursement as pre-employment modules. You can view more information about pre-employment modules here.


❗ Please remember this is not an exhaustive list of timekeeping mistakes. Always consult your payroll preview to see if payroll requires any additional information. If you ever have questions about a timekeeping requirement, please reach out to your Care Team through Inbox for assistance.

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