With Gusto Time tracking, you can track, review, and approve your team’s hours in Gusto and then run payroll regular payroll as usual—it’s all automatic. Admins can also:
At this time, time tracking hours will only sync to regular payrolls.
Gusto Time Tracking is included in the Plus, Premium, or Time & Attendance Plus Simple add-on plans—you can upgrade at any time.
At this time, Gusto Time tracking is only available for hourly employees and salaried employees eligible for overtime, and domestic contractors who have an hourly rate. Time tracking for international contractors is not supported at this time.
Time tracking hours will be recorded by the minute and hour an employee clocks in.
The steps below are for customers on the Plus, Premium, or Time & Attendance Plus Simple add-on plans. If you're not on one of these plans, upgrade your plan to enable this feature.
First: Enable Time tracking
Next: Set up Time tracking
To review or edit the start of workweek after setup is complete, navigate to the Pay section and select Pay settings. From there, head to the Pay schedule section.
Important: At this time, approving hours is purely a visual-aid for admins to identify hours that are approved by a manager. Unapproved hours will still sync to payroll, and it's up to an admin to overwrite/correct hours that are synced.
Make sure all employees have the correct set of compliance rules assigned to them.
If you have employees in states with different overtime rules, assign the appropriate set of rules to them by following the steps below.
If you're using Gusto Time tracking and have employees with multiple pay rates, wage calculations and hours worked at each rate can sometimes be difficult to visualize and understand.
Review the table below and explanations beneath it to learn more about how this works in Gusto.
Important: Hours for employees with multiple pay rates are tracked on a per-workweek basis. When reviewing the table, only compare to one workweek's worth of hours, not the total hours from a pay period.
| Column A | Column B |
| What multiple pay rates looks like in Time Tracking | What multiple pay rates looks like in the run payroll flow |
| Rate 1: $10/hr
Rate 2: $15/hr
Total hours earned at overtime*
Total hours earned at double overtime*
*Hours earned at overtime/double overtime of the total 50 hours worked. | Rate 1: $10/hr
Rate 2: $15/hr
Total hours confirmation
|
A: Overtime hours at Rate 1
Use the ratio of hours worked at each rate to allocate across rates. Inputs come from Column A.
B: Double overtime hours at Rate 1
Use the ratio of hours worked at each rate to allocate across rates. Inputs come from Column A.
C: Overtime hours at Rate 2
To avoid rounding issues, take the difference between total overtime hours (column A) and the overtime hours allocated for Rate 1 (column B). The remainder is allocated to Rate 2.
D: Double overtime hours at Rate 2
To avoid rounding issues, take the difference between total double overtime hours (column A) and the double overtime hours allocated for Rate 1 (column B). The remainder is allocated to Rate 2.
E: Total hours confirmation
Inputs come from Column B.
The equation: (Regular hours at Rate 2) + (Overtime hours at Rate 1) + (Double overtime hours at Rate 1) + (Regular hours at Rate 2) + (Overtime hours at Rate 2) + (Double overtime hours at Rate 2)
The math: 16 + 2 + 2 + 24 + 3 + 3 = 50 hours
Admins with the required permissions can configure their timesheet settings to:
These settings apply to all employees on Time tracking—different rules cannot be applied to different employees.
The version history shows various events which represent changes to shifts on different workdays for that timesheet. It'll show the editor's name, the timestamp of the change, and a description of the change, including:
You can also sort the version history for a given workday by the time at which the edit was made (by default, you'll see the oldest edit to newest).
Once you've set up Gusto Time tracking, admins can add and remove employees, as well as assign overtime rules and managers for specific individuals.
For information on how employees enter hours, go to this article.
Once an employee has been added, they'll be able to track time, and edit their hours if allowed.
When you go to run payroll, all employees' synced hours will appear. If you need to edit hours from the Run Payroll flow, you can do so, but they will not be updated in the time tracking log for you or the employee.
Several states require that employees be given an unpaid meal break and paid rest breaks after working a certain number of hours each day. Make sure to check your state laws before creating break policies.
Note: Gusto supports paid and unpaid breaks. You’ll see an alert on employee timesheets when they've reported too many hours worked without a break.
Many states require a meal break around the middle of a non-exempt employee’s workday. Employers usually do not have to pay for these meal breaks as long as the employee is completely relieved of any duties.
Not tracking meal breaks properly is a common work violation that can be very costly and put employers at risk of a wage and hour lawsuit.
The distinction between meal and rest breaks is that rest breaks are often shorter in time (less than 20 minutes) and considered paid time. Because they're usually viewed as compensable working time, rest breaks will also count towards overtime.
This article focuses on meal breaks, but rest break requirements also vary by state, and in some cases, by city or county. Consult specialized employment counsel to make sure you're meeting the rest break requirements applicable to your company.
Q: Can my employee choose to skip their meal or rest break?
A: In most states, employees who are provided the opportunity to take a break can choose to skip that break. In some states (ex. California), employees may only skip their meal or rest breaks under certain circumstances. Consult an HR professional or your legal counsel to confirm what break policies you should create for your employees.
Q: Are employees entitled to both meal and rest breaks?
A: Many of the states that require employers to provide breaks will require employers to provide both rest and meal breaks. Consult an HR professional or your legal counsel to confirm what breaks you must provide to your employees.
Consult an HR professional or your legal counsel to make sure you're meeting the requirements applicable to your company.
This table includes information about the length of the meal and rest breaks, when they should be taken, and important notes to consider.
This table was last revised Nov 2022
| State | Meal break requirements | Rest break requirements |
Additional notes Missed break premiums, exempted industries, etc |
|---|---|---|---|
| California |
Employees are entitled to an unpaid meal break of 30+ minutes for work periods of 5+ hours. The meal break may be waived by mutual agreement if the workday is completed in no more than 6 hours. Employees are entitled to a second meal break of 30+ minutes for work periods of 10+ hours. The second meal break may be waived by mutual agreement if both: (1) The total hours worked is not more than 12 hours, and (2) The first meal period was not waived. |
In addition to unpaid meal breaks, paid rest periods must be provided to employees working more than 3.5 hours per workday at a rate of 10 minutes for every 2-4 hours worked. For example, employees should receive 10 minutes for shifts from 3.5-6 hours, and a total of 20 minutes of rest breaks for shifts of more than 6-10 hours. These rest periods must be counted as hours worked and are compensable |
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| Colorado | Employees must get one unpaid 30+ minute meal break for every scheduled shift of 5+ hours. |
In addition to unpaid meal breaks, employees are entitled to a 10-minute rest period as follows:
Required rest periods count as working time. |
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| Connecticut |
Employees must get one unpaid meal break of 30+ minutes if working more than 7.5 hours. The break must take place between the first two and last two hours of the shift. |
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| Delaware |
Employees must get one unpaid meal break of 30+ minutes if working more than 7.5 hours. The break must take place between the first two and last two hours of the shift. |
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| Illinois |
Employees working 7.5+ hours are entitled to a meal break of 20+ minutes, beginning no later than 5 hours after starting work. Employees working more than 7.5 hours are entitled to an additional 20-minute meal break for every 4.5 continuous hours worked. |
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| Kentucky | Employees are entitled to one unpaid meal break of 30+ minutes as close to the middle of their shift as possible. |
In addition to unpaid meal breaks, employees are entitled to a paid 10-minute rest period during each 4 hours of work. Rest periods of 5 to “about” 20 minutes are compensable working time and may not be offset against other working time, such as waiting or on-call time. Rest periods are in addition to regularly scheduled meal periods. |
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| Maine | Employees are entitled to a break of 30+ minutes if working 6+ hours. |
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| Maryland | Employees in certain retail establishments working 6+ hours are entitled to a 30+ minute meal break. |
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| Massachusetts | Employees are entitled to a break of 30+ minutes if working 6+ hours. |
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| Minnesota | Employees working 8+ hours are entitled to 30+ minutes for a meal break. |
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| Nebraska | Employees in certain industries working 8+ hours are entitled to 30+ minutes for a meal break. |
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| Nevada | Employees are entitled to an unpaid meal break of 30+ minutes for each 8-hour work period. |
In addition to unpaid meal breaks, paid rest periods must be provided to employees working more than 3.5 hours per workday at a rate of 10 minutes for every 2-4 hours worked. For example, employees should receive 10 mins for shifts from 3.5-6 hours, and a total of 20 minutes of rest breaks for shifts lasting more than 6-10 hours. These rest periods must be counted as hours worked and are compensable. |
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| New Hampshire | Employees working more than 5 hours are entitled to a 30+ minute period. |
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| New York |
Employees working 6+ hours that extend over the noonday meal period (11:00am-2:00pm) are entitled to 30+ minute meal break during that period, which may be unpaid. If the 6+ hour shift starts between 1:00pm and 6:00am the employee is entitled to a 45+ minute meal break midway between the beginning and end of the shift. Employees starting work before 11:00am and continuing until after 7:00pm must be allowed an additional meal period of at least 20 minutes between 5:00-7:00pm. |
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| North Dakota | Employees working more than 5 hours are entitled to a 30+ minute period. |
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| Oregon |
Employees working 6-14 hours are entitled to one 30+ meal break. Employees working 14-22 hours are entitled to two 30+ minute meal breaks. Employees working 22-24 hour shifts are entitled to three 30+ minute meal breaks. |
In addition to unpaid meal breaks, employees working 2-6 hours are entitled to one 10-minute paid rest break. Employees working 6-10 hours are entitled to two 10-minute rest breaks. Employees working 10-18 hours are entitled to four 10-minute rest breaks. Employees working 18-22 hours are entitled to five 10-minute rest breaks. In addition to meal breaks, employees working 22-24 hours are entitled to six 10-minute rest breaks. |
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| Rhode Island | Employees are entitled to a 20-minute meal period for 6-hour shifts, and a 30-minute meal period for an 8-hour shift. |
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| Tennessee | Employees working 6+ hours are entitled to a 30+ minute meal break after the first hour of work. |
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| Vermont | Employers must provide employees with a “reasonable opportunity” to eat and use the restroom during work periods. | Employers must provide employees with a “reasonable opportunity” to eat and use the restroom during work periods. | |
| Washington |
Employees who work 5+ hours are entitled to a 30+ minute meal break no less than 2 hours and no more than 5 hours after the start of the employee’s normal workday. An additional 30-minute meal break must be given within 5 hours after the end of the employee’s last meal break, and for every 5 hours thereafter during the work period. |
In addition to unpaid meal breaks, employees must be allowed a paid rest period, free from duties, of at least 10 minutes for every 4 hours worked. Employees cannot work more than 3 hours without getting a rest break. |
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| West Virginia |
Employees working at least 6 hours per day or shift are entitled to a meal break of at least 20 minutes. |
For the employees who have a break policy assigned to them, an alert will appear on their timesheet when they've reported too many hours worked without a break.
After you create this break policy, check with your legal counsel or HR department before assigning this policy to any employees. They can help you confirm whether the policy meets minimum legal requirements and help you remain compliant.
Currently, shifts that go past midnight are not supported. If a worker does not clock out of a shift before midnight, Gusto automatically ends the shift at 11:59:59pm and starts a new shift at 12:00:00am that'll end once the employee clocks out.
For example, if an employee works an overnight shift from Thurs 10pm - Fri 2am, the shift will appear as two shifts in Gusto:
If an employee forgot to clock out, you can edit hours manually in the Time tracking tab.
Domestic contractors must have an hourly rate (rather than a fixed wage) assigned to use contractor time tracking. Multiple rates for domestic contractors are not supported. Time tracking for international contractors is not supported at this time.
This feature is available on Plus, Premium, or Time & Attendance Plus Simple add-on plans—you can upgrade at any time. Keep in mind that this feature is not available on the Contractor Only plan type.
Contractors added will be able to track their hours worked right from their Gusto account. Once hours have been reported, you can sync your contractor hours by clicking the Pay section and selecting Pay contractors.
If you’ve previously synced hours for a time frame but do not want to issue a payment for the whole time frame, return to the Time tracking section, update the dates to only the ones you intend to pay for, and click sync hours to payments again.
Once you dismiss a team member, their tracked hours in Gusto will branch off your regular active pay period into an off-cycle pay period. Admins can access this off-cycle pay period from a card on the time tracking dashboard, or by choosing it from the dropdown above the team’s timesheets. The new pay period will have the same date range as your active pay period, but will include the label “off-cycle.”
Hours for dismissed team members can be reviewed, edited, and approved just like any other hours. Managers who can review and approve time for their direct reports will see the “off-cycle” label when reviewing the dismissed employee's hours, but will not see anything regarding dismissal.
Dismissed team members will not see any changes to their time tracking experience until their last day has passed. They'll also still have access to their timesheet in their Gusto profile. There, they can review and confirm previously tracked time.
Disabling Gusto Time tracking will affect all employees enrolled. If you're looking to remove an employee from time tracking, follow the steps in the manage employees dropdown above.
Q: Will employees and managers be notified about deadlines?
A: Employees and contractors will receive an email on the final business day of the pay period, usually in the afternoon, reminding them to get their time entered. Managers will receive an email the business day after the pay period ends reminding them to review hours.
Q: Can employees track breaks during their shift?
A: While Gusto does not account for time not worked during breaks, employees can indicate they were not working during that time.
Q: Can I use Gusto Time Tracking and Autopilot together?
A: Gusto recommends not using these features together to allow time for managers and admins to review and approve hours before processing payroll.
Q: How will Gusto Time Tracking affect an employee’s default hours?
A: Time Tracking will overwrite the default hours with the clocked hours.
Q: Can my employee choose to skip their meal or rest break?
A: In most states, employees who are provided the opportunity to take a break can choose to skip that break. In some states (ex. California), employees may only skip their meal or rest breaks under certain circumstances. Consult an HR professional or your legal counsel to confirm what break policies you should create for your employees.
Q: Are employees entitled to both meal and rest breaks?
A: Many of the states that require employers to provide breaks will require employers to provide both rest and meal breaks. Consult an HR professional or your legal counsel to confirm what breaks you must provide to your employees.
Q: Can hours for the future be entered in?
A: Not at this time.