Okay, a bit of common sense stuff right up front for those of my gentle readers who need things spelled out for them. I am not a lawyer. I don’t even play one on the Internet. None of the information here is intended, nor should it be used as, legal advice. No matter how reputable the source appears to be, you should always consult with a qualified professional for specific advice related to your specific situation, not simply rely on some stuff you read online.

Whew. Now that we’ve got that out of the way…

So, how did I get interested in this wage & hour / time & attendance stuff? Well, my first job was as a public accountant with a large national firm. Part of my job was to audit client payroll records and recommend procedures to insure compliance with the law and accounting board standards.

After a couple of years, I become a manufacturing cost accountant, where I had responsibility for (among other things) our timekeeping and payroll processing functions — so I got to experience those same wage & hour and time & attendance issues from “the other side of the desk.”

Over the remainder of my 27+ year career, I’ve done a lot of things, including a stint with a company that makes time and attendance products. (Hey, talk about getting an “insider’s perspective”!)

As it happens, my husband and several of our friends are small business owners. I see up close and personal the issues they face trying to understand payroll, overtime and labor regulations. If you think it ain’t easy, let me tell ya folks, you’ve got a lot of company!

So, rather than sit around and complain about the problem, I decided to “light a single candle.” I’ve got a lot of accumulated experience with time and attendance issues, and access to a lot of information about wage and hour issues, and it seemed to me it was time to share, in the hope it will prove useful to others.

I believe it’s imperative to do business in compliance with the law and treat your employees fairly — and I believe you can do this and still make a good living. The purpose of this blog is to help you learn what you need to know do just that.

So come on in and join the conversation. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

–The Timekeeper