Questions and Answers
We will post the most commonly asked questions and their answers here. Here are a few we've received so far.
How does this new system work?
You record your hours electronically rather than using a paper timesheet. Depending on your department, you may use a Web page, telephone, time clock, swipe card (similar to a credit card), or place your hand on an electronic pad. The hours you report are then sent to your supervisor for approval. After the supervisor has approved the time, your hours are loaded into the USC Payroll System, and a paycheck is generated.
When will I be paid?
All non-exempt staff will be paid biweekly rather than monthly. You will be paid on every other Wednesday for the two-week pay period ending the previous Wednesday. Refer to the Payroll Schedules for the dates of each paycheck.
How can I estimate the amount of my biweekly check?
Use the Biweekly Tax Modeling Worksheet to estimate the amount of your check. The OTiS Help Desk will help you with these calculations if you need assistance.
Will I be able to tell if my supervisor has approved my time record?
Yes, when you log into OTiS you will see the status of your time report. Supervisors will approve time records at the end of each pay period.
When do I submit my time records?
You must enter and submit your time record at the end of each bi-weekly pay period. You should enter your hours daily. Supervisors will approve the time record at the end of each biweekly pay period.
What happens if my supervisor does not approve my time?
Your supervisor has the option to reject your timesheet, and require that you make corrections. Any corrections must be a true representation of the hours you worked.
What if my supervisor is not in the office when the time reports are due?
OTiS allows supervisors to designate an alternate to approve timesheets when they are away.
Overtime
How is overtime calculated?
Hours worked more than 8 hours in a day, or 40 hours in a week, are paid at time-and-a-half, aka "premium time." Hours worked more than 12 in one day are paid at double time. OTiS will automatically calculate premium and double time based on hours worked.
Must overtime be approved?
Yes. As always, you must have approval before you work overtime. If you work overtime without permission, you will be paid for the time worked, but you may be subject to disciplinary action. Always check with your supervisor before working overtime.
Clocking In and Out
Some departments will choose to use a system that records the actual time worked by recording the time a person punches in or logs in. The following questions relate to those systems.
I work in two different departments. Do I clock in and out when I change jobs?
Yes. You must clock in at your first position, work, and then clock out. When you arrive at the next job, you must clock in again. You must designate which job you are clocking in or out for.
Do I clock in and out for meal periods?
Yes. Non-exempt staff is entitled to at least a 30-minute meal period for every 5 hours worked.
Do I clock in and out for breaks?
No. You only clock in and out for meal periods and at the beginning and end of your work day.
What happens if I forget to clock in or out?
Contact your supervisor who can fix the problem for you.
OTiS is a project of USC Payroll Services. Send questions and comments to otisusc@usc.edu.
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OTiS Help Desk