uk Work & employment crises

What to do if…
your timesheet or attendance records are changed or shown as inaccurate

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: 27 July 2026 Last reviewed: 16 August 2026 Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Save a copy of the record as it appears now and write down the entries you believe are correct. Raise the discrepancy promptly in writing with your manager, payroll team or HR, especially if it could affect your pay or lead to an attendance warning.

Do not do these things

Do not alter, crop or delete the original records or messages you are relying on.
Do not knowingly confirm that a record is accurate when you dispute it.
Do not accuse a particular person of dishonesty before you know what happened.
Do not rely only on a verbal conversation about the discrepancy.
Do not access restricted systems, recordings or other workers’ information.
Do not copy confidential workplace material outside approved systems unless you are permitted to do so.
Do not stop attending work or resign solely because the record is wrong.
Do not ignore a payroll cut-off, meeting date or workplace deadline that has been given to you.

What to do now

Take screenshots or download copies of the timesheet, attendance record, rota or clocking entries. Include the relevant dates, times, amendments and approval status where visible.
Write a dated account of the correct information while it is fresh. List your scheduled and actual start and finish times, breaks, overtime, leave, sickness or other absence.
Gather records already lawfully available to you, such as rotas, payslips, calendar entries, approved leave notices and work messages. Store them securely and follow workplace confidentiality rules.
List each disputed entry separately. State what the record shows, what you believe it should show and which document or message supports your account.
Send the list to your manager, payroll team or HR. Ask them to check how and when the entries were changed, preserve the current record, correct any errors and confirm their response in writing.
If you must submit or approve the record before the issue is resolved, use any available comments box to state that you dispute the listed entries. If there is no comments box, send a separate written message immediately.
If payday is approaching or your pay has already been affected, say so clearly. Ask whether the record can be corrected before payroll closes and when any missing pay will be addressed.
If the record could be used for an attendance, capability or disciplinary decision, state in writing that you dispute its accuracy. Ask for your objection and supporting information to be considered before a decision is made.
After any conversation or meeting, send a brief written summary of what was discussed, what each person agreed to do and any stated review date.
If the issue is not resolved informally, check your employer’s grievance procedure and consider raising a formal written grievance. A trade union representative may also be able to support you.
You can ask an organisation to correct inaccurate personal information held about you. If you need copies of relevant personal information, you can also consider a focused subject access request for your timesheet, attendance or clocking data; information may sometimes be redacted or withheld where an exemption applies.
Seek prompt employment advice if pay is missing, a formal workplace process has started or the employer will not address the discrepancy. Contact Acas if you work in England, Scotland or Wales, or the Labour Relations Agency if you work in Northern Ireland, because time limits may apply to employment claims.

What can wait

You do not need to decide immediately why the record changed, whether anyone acted deliberately, whether to leave your job or whether to begin a legal claim. You also do not need to collect every workplace document before sending a clear initial correction request.

Important reassurance

A discrepancy does not by itself show that someone deliberately changed the record. Recording the exact entries promptly and raising them in writing gives the employer a clear opportunity to investigate and respond.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate steps for recording and challenging an apparent inaccuracy. Later decisions may require help from an employment adviser, trade union representative or solicitor.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. Your employment status, workplace location, contract, employer procedures and the effect of the disputed record may change which rights and processes apply.

Additional Resources

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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