Unapproved overtime and extra hours
Payroll only pays approved overtime, and it pays the lower of the approved hours and the hours the attendance record shows. Extra hours need an extension before they are paid.
What payroll pays
When payroll runs, it reads each employee's attendance and the approved overtime for the same date, then applies the Overtime Policy.
| Situation | What is paid |
|---|---|
| Overtime worked and an approved request | The lower of the approved hours and the recorded hours |
| Overtime worked and no request, or a request that is still pending, rejected or cancelled | Nothing |
| Recorded hours shorter than the policy minimum | Nothing |
| Recorded hours above the daily limit | Hours up to the daily limit |
| Meal break deduction turned on and long overtime | Hours minus the meal break |
The overtime premium itself, such as 125% on an ordinary day, follows the pay rules. See how overtime pay is computed.
Pay hours beyond the approval
Open Time, then OT Discrepancy. The page lists approved requests where the actual hours were higher than the approved hours.
Approved requests where actual hours exceeded the approval, for a date range.
From there HR reviews each case. Extend raises the approved hours to the number HR accepts. Deny keeps the original approved hours. Either decision is recorded with who made it and when, and payroll pays the hours that stand.
Before each payroll run
- Open Time, then Overtime and filter by Pending. Ask approvers to act on each one.
- Open OT Discrepancy for the pay period.
- Run payroll.
Questions people ask
Is overtime paid if the employee never filed it?
No. Payroll picks up overtime requests with the Approved status. Hours worked without an approved request are not paid.
What if the employee worked more than the approved hours?
Payroll pays the lower of the approved hours and the hours recorded. To pay the extra, HR extends the approval first.
What if the employee worked less than approved?
Payroll pays the hours recorded in attendance.
Does the minimum overtime duration still apply at payroll?
Yes. Overtime shorter than the minimum in the Overtime Policy is dropped, and the daily limit caps what is paid.