Over the past year, Vanderbilt Human Resources has completed migrating employees at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and in some areas of university central to Kronos. During this time, HR identified ways to improve its timekeeping practices and policies. With this in mind, two updates will take effect—for Kronos users on Nov. 16, and for e-Timesheet users on Nov. 23.
Employees’ work start and stop times are currently rounded to the nearest 10th of an hour for pay purposes. For example, if an employee is scheduled to begin work at 7:45 and punches in at 7:45, their paid time actually rounds to start at 7:48 because it is the nearest 10th of an hour. Vanderbilt’s time-rounding rules will be updated to track time in four 15-minute increments per hour, so employees’ paid start and stop times better align with their scheduled start and stop times.
In the example above, the paid start time would round to 7:45—the exact time you are scheduled to start work. Another example would be punching in at 7:53 for an 8:00 start. The start time would round up to 8:00 for pay purposes. Likewise, if you punch out at 5:10, rounding will go to 5:15. This update impacts both Kronos and e-Timesheet users and will make it easier to calculate time worked.
Please note that this update to rounding does not impact your punch time for punctuality purposes or expectations to meet departmental policies. You should continue to follow what is in place in your work area.
Employees who record time using Kronos will see two new question screens when clocking out for the day. One will ask you to verify whether or not you received an uninterrupted meal break. The other will ask you to verify that your recorded clock-in/clock-out times are correct. The purpose is to allow you to proactively confirm that you are being paid for the right hours. The updates also require Kronos Reader users to swipe their badges to punch in and out. Employee IDs and social security numbers can no longer be used.
Employees who record time using e-Timesheet already enter and attest to the accuracy of shift and meal break start and stop times each day.
Training on these updates will be assigned soon in the Learning Exchange and should be completed by Nov. 16. Reference materials on the Kronos and e-Timesheet help pages on the HR website also will be updated during this time.
Employees with questions about Kronos should contact their timekeepers. For other questions, contact the Employee Service Center at human.resources@vanderbilt.edu or (615) 343-7000.