Travel Time Policy for Non-Exempt Employees

Non-Exempt (Hourly Paid) Employees

Generally, employees in positions classified as non-exempt (hourly paid) under the Fair Labor Standards Act are restricted from traveling on behalf of Bethel due to the complexity of wage payment and overtime compensation. However, if an hourly paid worker does on rare occasion travel for the University, they will be compensated in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

All travel time for hourly paid employees must be approved and vetted in advance of travel by the Office of People and Culture. Regular travel by hourly paid employees is prohibited and can only be approved under specific circumstances by OPC.

All time must be tracked, accurately recorded and categorized at the time travel occurs. Time spent traveling/working is submitted to OPC for validation and ultimately to payroll for appropriate payment. Managers who engage hourly paid workers for travel are fully responsible for gaining the proper permission to allow travel, for tracking and management of travel, and for timely and appropriate payment of travel time. Employees may not be paid a stipend for travel, are not volunteers and can not “work” as an unpaid volunteer, and must be paid on an hourly basis according to the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The compensation an employee receives depends on several variables including, but not limited to, the method of travel, whether the travel time takes place within normal work hours, and whether the travel involves an overnight stay. The purpose of this information is to explain what time is considered hours worked under the Fair Labor Standards Act and is therefore compensable time.

Recording Travel Time

All hours worked, including those for travel, must be accurately recorded on timesheets. Each employee must sign (self-service login acts as an electronic signature for online timesheets) their timesheet to verify that the reported hours worked are complete and accurate (and that there is no unrecorded or “off the-clock” work). Timesheets must accurately reflect all regular and overtime hours worked, any absences, early or late arrivals, early or late departures and meal breaks.

At the end of each pay cycle, timesheets should be submitted for verification and approval by the supervisor. When employees receive their paychecks, they should be verified immediately that they were paid correctly for all regular and overtime hours worked each workweek.