Timekeeping & timesheets policy template
A free, ready-to-edit timekeeping and timesheets policy template for Australian businesses. Set clear rules for recording work hours, breaks and overtime, define how timesheets are submitted and approved, and keep records that meet Fair Work obligations — no signup required.
Timekeeping & timesheets policy
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By downloading, you agree to our template disclaimer
This timekeeping and timesheets policy template reflects Australian workplace and record-keeping standards at the time of publication and is provided as a general guide to adapt for your business, applicable award or enterprise agreement. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
Why your business needs a timekeeping policy
A timekeeping and timesheets policy sets out how employees record their work hours and how managers review and approve them. It is the foundation of accurate pay: when start and finish times, unpaid breaks and overtime are captured consistently, payroll is correct, awards are applied properly, and disputes are far less likely.
It also keeps you compliant. Under the Fair Work Act 2009, employers must keep accurate time and wages records, and failure to do so can lead to penalties and adverse findings in a wage dispute. A documented policy makes expectations clear before issues arise, gives managers a fair process to follow, and pairs naturally with your attendance policy and overtime recording policy.
It applies to every employee required to record time. Capture clock-ins, breaks and hours automatically with time and attendance software, and store the policy and employee acknowledgements in your HR software so you can show every worker has read and understood the rules.
What a timekeeping policy should cover
The essentials of accurate, compliant time recording
Recording work hours
How employees clock in and out and record exact start and finish times each day.
Break recording
Rules for recording unpaid meal breaks and paid rest periods accurately.
Timesheet accuracy
The expectation to record all hours worked honestly and completely.
Approval process
How managers review, verify and approve timesheets before each pay run.
Overtime approval
When overtime must be pre-approved and how additional hours are recorded.
Record retention
How long time and wages records are kept to meet Fair Work obligations.
What's included in this template
A complete framework for recording and approving employee time
Purpose & scope
Why accurate timekeeping matters and which employees must comply.
Policy statement
Your commitment to accurate time recording and correct, fair pay.
Recording work hours
How to clock in and out and record start, finish and break times.
Approved timekeeping methods
The systems and tools employees must use to record their hours.
Break & meal periods
Recording unpaid meal breaks and paid rest periods consistently.
Timesheet submission
Deadlines and the procedure for submitting timesheets each pay period.
Manager approval
Manager responsibilities for reviewing and verifying recorded hours.
Corrections & adjustments
How to fix errors, omissions or missed clock-ins fairly.
Overtime recording
Pre-approval and recording requirements for additional hours.
Record retention & falsification
Retention periods and the consequences of falsifying timesheets.
Getting timekeeping right under Australian law
What a compliant policy must reflect
Keep records for seven years
Under the Fair Work Act 2009, employers must keep time and wages records for seven years. They must show hours worked, overtime, leave taken and rates of pay. Inadequate records can attract penalties and lead to adverse inferences in a dispute — see Fair Work record-keeping requirements.
Rounding must be fair
If you round start and finish times or use a short grace period, the practice must be applied consistently and must not systematically reduce paid time. Record exact times wherever possible and reserve rounding for genuinely minor variances.
The timesheet workflow
Record
Employees clock in and out and capture all hours, breaks and overtime daily.
Submit
Timesheets are submitted by the deadline for each pay period.
Verify
Managers review hours against the roster and approve or query them.
Process
Approved hours flow through to payroll for accurate, on-time pay.
Make the rules concrete: name the clock-in method employees must use, the submission deadline, who approves, and how to report a missed clock-in. Pair this policy with your timesheet accuracy policy so expectations are unambiguous.
Intentionally over-recording hours or manipulating timesheets is a serious form of misconduct, so spell out the consequences clearly. The easiest way to make timekeeping accurate is to remove manual entry: digital clock-in tools timestamp every shift, flag anomalies, and feed straight into payroll. See our guide on tracking employee hours for practical implementation tips.
Who should use this template?
Essential for any workplace that records employee hours
Especially important in award-covered, shift-based businesses where pay depends on exact hours, breaks and overtime.
Compliance resources
Official Fair Work guidance on time records and pay.
Automate timekeeping the easy way
RosterElf records clock-ins, breaks and hours automatically, flags anomalies for approval and feeds accurate timesheets straight into payroll — so pay is right and records are audit-ready.
Related guides
Put accurate timekeeping into practice
Related templates
Build a complete attendance framework
Timesheet accuracy policy
Set clear standards for honest, complete and on-time timesheets.
View templateClock-in / clock-out policy
Rules for how and when employees record start and finish times.
View templateAttendance policy
Standards for punctuality, absenteeism and reporting absences.
View templateAttendance compliance policy
Manage attendance expectations and address ongoing absenteeism fairly.
View templateTimekeeping & timesheets policy FAQ
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A complete timekeeping policy should cover its purpose and scope, the approved methods for recording hours, clock-in and clock-out rules (including any grace period or rounding), how unpaid meal breaks and paid rest periods are recorded, overtime pre-approval, the timesheet submission and manager approval process, how corrections are made, record retention, and the consequences of falsifying time records.
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A time clock policy states that employees must clock in when they start work, clock out for unpaid meal breaks and at the end of each shift, and record their exact times using the approved system — not estimate or round on their own. It explains how to report a missed clock-in, when overtime needs pre-approval, and that deliberately misrepresenting hours is a serious breach. Our clock-in / clock-out policy covers this in detail.
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Yes. This template is a solid starting point, but you should tailor it to your workplace — name the timekeeping system you use, your pay period and submission deadlines, who approves timesheets, and any rules in your applicable modern award or enterprise agreement that affect ordinary hours and overtime.
Before you download
General information only — not legal advice
This document is a general HR template provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and may not reflect the latest changes in legislation or apply to every workplace situation. RosterElf Pty Ltd and the template provider accept no liability for any loss arising from reliance on this document. Users should seek independent legal advice and customise the template to ensure it complies with all relevant laws, awards and workplace requirements.