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

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy USA guide

Short answer

Save a copy of what the system currently shows, then make a dated record of the hours or attendance you believe are correct. Report each discrepancy promptly in writing to the person responsible for timekeeping, payroll, or attendance records, and keep the response.

Do not do these things

  • Do not delete, overwrite, or alter records you may need later.
  • Do not rely only on a verbal conversation about the discrepancy.
  • Do not confirm that disputed entries are accurate merely to complete an approval process.
  • Do not access accounts, files, or systems you are not authorized to use.
  • Do not accuse a particular person of deliberately changing records without evidence.
  • Do not resign, threaten anyone, or post workplace information publicly while upset.
  • Do not take confidential workplace information unrelated to your own hours or attendance.

What to do now

  1. Save or photograph the current timesheet or attendance record if workplace rules permit it. Include the relevant dates, entries, totals, approval status, visible edit history, and timestamps.

  2. Write a dated account of what you believe is correct. Record when you started and finished work, breaks taken, shifts worked, approved leave, missed punches, remote work, and attendance events shown incorrectly.

  3. Gather records you already possess and are permitted to retain, such as schedules, clock-in confirmations, pay statements, leave approvals, calendar entries, and messages or emails concerning the disputed shift.

  4. List each discrepancy separately. Note the date, what the record currently shows, what you believe it should show, and which available record supports your account.

  5. Send a calm written correction request to your supervisor, payroll department, human resources department, or designated timekeeping contact. Ask them to confirm receipt, review the disputed entries, and provide either a corrected record or an explanation.

  6. Follow any workplace process for missed punches, payroll errors, attendance reviews, or record disputes. Keep copies of submitted forms, emails, messages, case numbers, responses, and revised records.

  7. If you are asked to approve the record before it is corrected, state in writing that you dispute the identified entries. Ask how to record or attach your objection without confirming that the entries are accurate.

  8. Note any immediate effect on your wages, overtime, leave balance, attendance points, or disciplinary status. Check the relevant pay statement or revised attendance record rather than assuming the correction was completed.

  9. If missing or changed hours affect your pay, or you are concerned about retaliation for asking about pay or hours, contact the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division. For an attendance-only dispute, also check your workplace appeal process, any union agreement, and whether your state labor agency handles that type of issue.

What can wait

You do not need to decide now whether to quit, make a public accusation, or begin legal action. You also do not need to reconstruct your entire employment history before reporting a clear current discrepancy. First preserve the available records, submit a specific written correction request, and note any immediate effect on pay or discipline.

Important reassurance

You do not need to determine why the record changed before asking for it to be reviewed. A dated personal account and a clear written correction request can help others identify the disputed entries. You can ask the Wage and Hour Division about its confidentiality procedures before sharing details.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate steps for preserving information and raising a timesheet or attendance discrepancy. Later decisions may require help from a union representative, state labor agency, worker-support organization, or qualified employment lawyer.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. Federal wage-and-hour protections do not apply identically to every worker or every attendance dispute, and state law, employment contracts, union agreements, and workplace policies may provide different rules or procedures.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

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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