Is employee time tracking / the attendance register mandatory?
Quick answer
- Yes, daily recording of each employee's working hours is mandatory.
- The employer must log the start time and end time of the working schedule.
- The obligation is set out in Art. 119 of the Labour Code, amended by GEO 53/2017.
- Time-tracking records must be presented to labour inspectors (ITM) on inspection.
- Failure to keep working-hour records is an offence punishable by a fine.
What the law says
- Art. 119 Labour Code (amended by GEO 53/2017): the obligation to keep working-hour records.
- The employer records the start and end time of the schedule for each employee.
- Records are kept on the premises and made available to ITM inspectors on inspection.
- Failing to keep working-hour records constitutes an offence.
- Time tracking is the basis for calculating salary, overtime and leave.
Practical examples
- Example: a company with 15 employees must record each one's daily start and end time.
- Example: during an ITM inspection, the employer presents the monthly timesheet confirming hours worked.
- Example: for a 09:00 to 17:00 schedule, both times are logged in the records.
- Example: overtime is proven with the timesheet; without it the 75% premium cannot be justified.
Common mistakes
- Keeping a timesheet with no start and end time, only present/absent.
- Filling in the timesheet retroactively at month-end instead of real daily records.
- No time tracking for remote or teleworking staff, even though the obligation remains.
- Being unable to present records during an ITM inspection, which triggers a fine.
How 4softhr helps
- 4softhr provides digital time tracking with the exact start and end time for each employee, day by day.
- It records attendance including telework and hybrid work, complying with Art. 119.
- It generates monthly timesheet reports ready to present during an ITM inspection.
- It automatically computes hours worked, lateness and overtime from the digital timesheet.
- It keeps the record history in the 4b2b ecosystem, accessible at any time for audit.