A workweek is not only the amount of time an employee spends on the job, but the amount of hours an employer is legally permitted to demand of an employee in a calendar week. Most countries regard the workweek as lasting five days, typically falling between Monday and Friday. Generally, companies require an average of 40 hours a week.For payroll, there are no such things as business days and weekends. Every day must be accounted for when paying employees. That’s why it’s important to know the true workweek definition. So, what is a workweek?
What is the difference between the workweek and the payroll period?
The workweek and the payroll period are two distinct concepts. The workweek is a fixed period of seven 24-hour periods, and does not need to coincide with the calendar week or the employer’s payroll period. An employer may establish any seven-day period as its workweek.
What is an employee's workweek?
An employee's workweek is a fixed and regularly recurring period of 168 hours — seven consecutive 24-hour periods. It need not coincide with the calendar week, but may begin on any day and at any hour of the day. Different workweeks may be established for different employees or groups of employees.
Are there business days and weekends on payroll?
Not when it comes to the Fair Labor Standards Act ( FLSA) and your payroll. For payroll, there are no such things as business days and weekends. Every day must be accounted for when paying employees. That’s why it’s important to know the true workweek definition.
Should your workweek and pay periods co-occur?
If you have a weekly pay period, and some states may still require some weekly payrolls, then your workweek and pay period should coincide and any overtime is very simple to figure. Once the beginning time of an employee’s workweek is established, it remains fixed regardless of the hours the employee is scheduled to work.
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