Which payroll records must I keep, and for how long?

Employer

Employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Yes, covered employers must keep wage and hour records for every non-exempt employee.

Keep payroll records, collective agreements and sales records for 3 years, and records used to compute wages, such as time cards, for 2 years.

medium (civil_penalty_per_violation)

Penalty amounts are adjusted for inflation: current amounts.

1. Record hours worked each workday and workweek
2. Record pay rate, overtime and deductions
3. Store payroll records for 3 years
4. Store time cards and wage computations for 2 years

Records kept for 3 years (29 CFR 516.5) and 2 years (29 CFR 516.6).

• 29 U.S.C. 211(c)
• 29 CFR 516.2
• 29 CFR 516.5
• 29 CFR 516.6

sha256 a49d333b04867927b9517601eae1dcb0a8d0359ab8fb4d6b18f88d9d839fe5ce · read 2026-10-15 · Source: NovaCopilot

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