- On 8 March the government approved a decree requiring daily recording of working hours for all employees.
- The obligation applies to all companies, whatever their size or sector, and took effect on 12 May.
- A simple, reliable and consultable register avoids penalties and claims that are hard to fix later.
On 8 March 2019 the government approved a decree requiring all companies to record their employees’ working hours daily. The rule came into force on 12 May. Until then, many companies, especially small ones, did not keep a formal record of their staff’s hours, so the change affected a large number of businesses. Although the obligation was explained as a technical matter, in practice it forces many companies to review how they organise working time and how they document it.
The measure is presented as a safeguard for the worker and as a tool for companies. For the former, it is a way of ensuring that agreed hours are respected and of proving, if necessary, how many hours have been worked. For the latter, it means a new management task that should be organised well from the start, so that it does not become a source of problems. A company with a culture of transparency about working hours usually finds it easier to adapt than one where schedules are managed informally.
What the rule requires
A working-time register means noting, every day, the specific working hours of each member of staff: when they start and when they finish. Until then, many companies did not keep a formal record, and hours were agreed or offset informally. The rule turns that practice into a documented obligation.
The obligation applies to all companies, whatever their size or sector. It makes no distinction between a large company with hundreds of employees and a family business with a few, although the way to comply can be very different in each case. What is asked is that a register exists and that it is reliable, not that a particular technology be used. What is required is that the register reflect, day by day, what happens in practice, including part-time or shift work.
Why it matters
The register is used to check that the agreed hours and overtime are respected. If it is missing or poorly kept, the company is exposed to penalties and to claims from its employees, and finds it hard to defend itself with documents if a disagreement arises over time worked. It is a risk that can be avoided with a little organisation.
Properly kept, on the other hand, it is useful evidence for both sides. It lets the employee demonstrate their hours and the company show that it complies with employment rules. An orderly register reduces conflict and brings transparency to the working relationship, which over time benefits the internal climate of any workforce. A well-kept register also provides useful information for management itself, for example to adjust shifts, spot work peaks or plan holidays better.
How to organise it
The rule leaves room to choose the system, whether on paper, with an app or with a time clock. What matters is that it is reliable, can be consulted and that the company can prove it in an inspection. An overly complex system tends to end up abandoned; one that is too informal offers no guarantees.
It is advisable to talk to the employment adviser to adapt it to each workforce: an office with fixed hours is not the same as a shop with shifts, or a company with people working away from its premises. It is also sensible to inform employees how the register works and to keep the data in the way and for the time the rule establishes. It is better to define a clear procedure from the start, with people responsible and review deadlines, than to fix an incomplete register later when a discrepancy has already arisen.
A simple, well-kept register avoids problems that are hard to fix later.
This article is general information. It is not legal, tax or investment advice, and it does not take anyone’s particular circumstances into account.
