timecard How easy it is to optimize time recording in nursing care
The requirement to record working hours also affects care professions. Is it possible that recording working hours can be a solution to existing problems such as high workloads, overtime and a shortage of skilled workers? The obligation to record working hours also applies to the care sector. Here, the law applies to a wide range of activities, as the conditions in this area can vary greatly. timecard – is the optimal solution to meet these challenges.
Advantages of digital time recording in care
- Recording working hours and overtime is much easier with an app or software.
- Employees can record their working times online and thus avoid time-consuming manual documentation.
- Duty planning can also be optimized, as all relevant data is stored centrally and can be called up quickly.
- Important data such as sick days or vacation days can be recorded and evaluated, which is essential for efficient personnel deployment planning.
- Last but not least, the nursing staff themselves also benefit from digital time recording: they have an overview of their working hours at all times and can communicate more quickly with their employer if anything is unclear.
How should working hours be recorded in the care sector?
The current draft of the Working Hours Act stipulates that working hours must be recorded daily and in electronic form. This means that the manual completion of timesheets is no longer permitted. However, there are exceptions for companies bound by collective agreements and small companies with up to ten employees.
The start, end and duration of daily working hours must be recorded. The recorded working hours must be kept for a period of two years. This was set in motion by a ruling of the Federal Labor Court in 2022. In this ruling, it was decided that companies in Germany are generally obliged to record the working hours of their employees.
The ruling of the European Court of Justice played an important role in this decision and stipulated that time recording for care must be objective, reliable and accessible. This means that the recorded times must be free from doubt and protected against manipulation. In addition, employees should have access to their recorded working days.
When does the obligation to record working hours apply in the care sector?
Even if the corresponding amendment to the law is still pending, the obligation to record working hours already exists today. The Federal Labor Court has made this clear in its ruling. With only a few exceptions, this obligation applies to all sectors and companies, including the care sector. This means that time recording is an absolute must in the care sector.
Challenges in nursing care
The care sector is currently facing numerous challenges. One particularly big problem is the shortage of skilled workers. According to the Federal Employment Agency (as of May 2023), an average of around 37,000 vacancies in the care sector were reported in 2022. This corresponds to an increase of five percent or 2,000 jobs compared to the previous year.
The difficulty in filling these vacancies is clearly demonstrated by the working conditions in some areas: High workloads, night shifts and often unpaid overtime deter potential applicants. In 2019, around 5.8 million hours of unpaid overtime were worked in elderly care alone.
How can the working time of nursing staff be recorded?
There are basically two different scenarios for recording working hours in the care sector: Outpatient care services are mobile and decentralized, while inpatient care teams usually work at the same location. This has an impact on the possibilities and options for recording working time.
Time recording for outpatient care services
Employees in outpatient care services look after people directly on site, often in their own homes. In order to be able to carry out time recording for care on the move, suitable tools are required. A very good solution for this are mobile apps for time recording, such as the mobile time clock app from timeCard. The big advantage is that this app can be used on a smartphone or tablet and therefore no additional hardware is required.
Time recording for inpatient care teams
Suitable solutions are also available for recording the working hours of centralized care teams. Central time recording terminals are often used for this purpose. Digital time clocks, which are provided on site, are a much more flexible option. In this variant, time recording is based on an app that is installed on a tablet, for example.
The employees of the inpatient care team can use this tablet to record their working hours. This form of electronic time recording in the care sector offers the advantage that no special hardware such as electronic time clocks need to be purchased. This reduces costs and is also much more flexible, as the app on the tablet can be easily updated if necessary.
Linking duty scheduling and working time recording in nursing care
Time recording in the care sector is not only an important topic in the care sector, but the creation of duty rosters is also a constant challenge for companies in the care sector. This is why tools are available that can be used to combine the creation of duty rosters and the recording of working hours.
This allows the individual shifts to be filled according to employee availability and the employees’ working time accounts are displayed in real time. This makes it possible, for example, to see at a glance whether individual employees are exceeding their target hours or whether employees with the required qualifications are missing for certain shifts.
Conclusion: Is recording working hours the solution to the problems in the care sector?
The introduction of mandatory working time recording could improve the situation for nursing staff. This could make care jobs more attractive and vacancies easier to fill. Additional employees would relieve the pressure on existing staff. If working hours are recorded daily and in a comprehensible manner, the high workload becomes visible.
Overtime can also be documented so that employees can assert their claims for compensation. Ultimately, both companies and employees would benefit from the introduction of working time recording in the care sector.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions
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How many hours a day are you allowed to work in care?
There are legal requirements for working hours in the care sector. According to the Working Hours Act, the daily working time may not exceed 8 hours. However, this can be extended to up to 10 hours if an average of 8 hours per day is not exceeded within six calendar months.
The maximum weekly working time is 48 hours and may also be increased to up to 60 hours on average over a six-month period. An exception applies to managers in the care sector, who can work up to 13 hours a day under certain conditions. However, they must then take at least eleven hours of rest. A special regulation applies to night work: working hours may not exceed eight hours, but must be compensated by days off within four months.
It is important that employers and employees comply with these legal regulations on working hours in the care sector in order to prevent overwork and health problems. After all, good patient care can only be ensured if everyone involved adheres to the rules.
Is travel time in outpatient care working time?
The question of whether travel time counts as working time in outpatient care depends on various factors and can be regulated differently from country to country and from employer to employer.
In principle, travel time in outpatient care is often regarded as working time if it is part of regular working hours and is ordered by the employer. In this case, the employee is entitled to payment for the travel time.
However, there are also scenarios in which travel time is not considered working time, such as when the employee drives home to work at a different location later.
It is important to check the exact labor law regulations and agreements that apply to your specific case. If in doubt, it is best to contact your employer or a trade union representative to find out the correct regulations in your country and company.
Why is time recording important in care?
Accurate time recording in the care sector is important to ensure reliable documentation of working hours. It not only serves as proof of hours worked, but also as a basis for billing services and meeting legal requirements.
What are the advantages of digital time recording in care?
Digital time recording offers numerous advantages for the care sector. It enables precise recording of working hours, reduces the administrative workload through automated processes and simplifies billing. Digital solutions can also be used to link additional information such as activity reports or notes, which simplifies documentation.
How are the rest periods for a 24-hour caregiver regulated by law?
The German regulations on rest periods apply to care workers who work in Germany. According to the Posted Workers Act and the Working Hours Act, a care worker may work a maximum of 48 hours per week. In exceptional cases, a temporary extension of the daily working time to 10 hours is possible as long as the average maximum working time is observed.
It is important to ensure that adequate rest periods are granted for these additional working hours. A posted caregiver must be in possession of an A1 posting certificate, which confirms their work permit and compliance with German labor law regulations. This also includes compliance with the statutory rest periods.
To ensure that rest periods are observed in accordance with the law, working hours and breaks must be planned between the intermediary, the employer in Eastern Europe and the client (i.e. the person in need of care or their relatives). At least one day off – either at the weekend or, by arrangement, during the week – must be scheduled. Depending on the substitute care, such as care by relatives or attending day care, these days off can be spread over several days.
Violations of the statutory regulations on rest periods are administrative offenses and can be punished with fines for the employer of the caregiver. In the case of intent or endangering the health or working capacity of the employee, even imprisonment or fines can be imposed.
Why are rest periods important in 24-hour care?
It is very important that rest periods are guaranteed in order to protect the health and well-being of care staff. They also serve to avoid mistakes and maintain a high quality of care work. Adequate free time allows caregivers to relax and socialize, which in turn can increase their satisfaction and motivation.
References
https://www.youtube.com/embed/iJpmhJMSV1I
https://www.mecasa.de/ratgeber/pflege-tipps/
