A Break Policy is a way to tell the Fingercheck platform when your employees go on an approved "break." It allows for various rules that can interact with that break time, such as whether or not to pay for it, how long it should be, if it should be automatically deducted even if the employee doesn't punch out for it, and more.
In this article, you will learn:
How to set up a Break Policy
Log in to your Fingercheck account as an Administrator.
Click the SETUP tab.
Select Policies > Break Policies.
The page lists any existing break policies for your company.To add a Break Policy, click Add.
A list of pre-defined break policies appears.
To add a pre-defined policy:
Click the policy's Add button.
Update the fields as needed, and click Continue.
Click OK.
To add a custom policy:
Click Add Custom.
Complete the fields, which are defined in the following section.
Click Save.
Attach the Break Policy to a Master Profile.
Go to Setup > System > Master Profiles.
Edit the profile you want, and enter the policy in the Break Policy field.
Fields for Break Policies
If click Add Custom or you want edit a Break Policy, enter information into the following fields to define the policy.
Details:
Code: An abbreviated name for the Break Policy. This, in combination with the Description field, determines the full name of the policy, as it will be displayed in other areas of Fingercheck. (Example: "BR")
Description: A descriptive name for the Break Policy. This, in combination with the Code field, determines the full name of the policy, as it will be displayed in other areas of Fingercheck. (Example: "Break")
Paid Break: When selected, this checkbox tells Fingercheck that any time towards this break should be paid for.
Allowed Hours: The minimum number of minutes (in decimal format) that a break should be. For example, 30 minutes is entered as 0.5. Any punch pair that is shorter than this setting will not be considered.
Allowed Break Type: Designates whether Allowed Hours should be totaled across a whole day (PerDay) or considered separately from each other (PerBreak).
Max Break (Minutes): The maximum number of minutes (in decimal format) that a break should be. For example, 30 minutes is entered as 0.5. Any punch pair that lasts longer than this setting will not be considered.
Max Break Type: Designates whether Max Break minutes should be totaled across a whole day (PerDay) or considered separately from each other (PerBreak).
Division Earnings: The Earning Code to use if the break is paid. Otherwise, leave this field blank.
Use Schedule: Select the Schedule Policy if you want the Break Policy to refer to a Schedule for break guidelines.
Effective Rule:
Start Date: The date when policy rules should come into effect.
End Date: The date when policy rules should stop being in effect.
Start Window: The time of the day in which policy rules should come into effect.
End Window: The time of the day in which policy rules should stop being in effect.
Active After Pair: If selected, the rule is active only after a punch pair (for example, for meals).
Active After Minutes: The number of minutes after which the rule is active.
Auto Break:
Automatic Break: If selected, the break should automatically apply after the conditions below are met.
Auto Break Type: Select whether automatic break should add or subtract time.
Auto Break Hours: Enter a number of hours (in decimal format) to add or subtract. For example, 30 minutes is entered as 0.5.
Auto Consecutive Type: Select the method in which consecutive hours should be calculated:
PerPair = Time between pair of punches.
PerDay = Triggers once per day if required number of hours are met.
PerConsecutiveHours = Triggers as many times as the blocks of required hours have passed.
Consecutive Hours: Number of hours to consider "worked consecutively."
Auto Break Earning: The Earning Code to use for automatic break hours.
Start Window: Start time from when to give automatic break hours.
End Window: End time from when to stop giving automatic break hours.
Qualifier Fewer Than Minutes: Policy is active only if the break is shorter than this number of minutes.
Qualifier More Than Minutes: Policy is active only if the break is longer than this number of minutes.
What can be done with Break Policies
With Break Policies, many options are available for different needs. The following sections walk you through how to use those options to set up some common types of Break Policies.
Example: Auto-Deduct 30 Minutes for Lunch
This Break Policy is designed to dock employees 30 minutes for a required lunch break. This policy triggers even if the employee does not punch out for it. To set this up, change the following fields as described:
Code: Set this field to whatever name you want.
Description: Set this field to whatever name you want.
Start Date: Enter the current date.
End Date: 12/31/2099
Automatic Break: Select this checkbox.
Auto Break Type: AutoDeduct
Auto Break Hours: 0.5
Auto Consecutive Type: PerDay
Consecutive Hours: 7
This field is set to 7, assuming an 8-hour workday. Generally speaking, this field should be set one or two hours under the length of what is considered a "full workday," so if someone works less than that time (for example, they were sent home early), they won't be docked.
Example: Paid 30-Minute Lunch Break
This Break Policy is designed so that if an employee clocks out for 30 minutes in the middle of the day, they are still be paid for that time. If they clock less than that, they are paid for the amount of time they were out. If they clock more, they'll get only the 30 minutes. To set this up, change the following fields as described:
Code: Set this field to whatever name you want.
Description: Set this field to whatever name you want.
Paid Break: Select this checkbox.
Allowed Hours: 0.5
Allowed Break Type: PerDay
Max Break (Minutes): 90
Setting 90 for Max Break (Minutes) is optional. We suggest setting the field because if the employee clocks out for longer than 90 minutes, they won't get paid for the break at all, not even the 30 minutes. But if they clock out for anytime between 30 and 90 minutes, they will still get the 30-minute paid break.Max Break Type: PerDay
Set this field only if you set an amount for Max Break (Minutes) above. Otherwise, the Max Break Type field does nothing.Division Earnings: Leave this field blank for RG - Regular, or set it to another Earning Code you want to use.
Start Date: Enter the current date.
End Date: 12/31/2099
Example: The "Wash Rule"
This one's a bit more advanced. It is essentially a mix of the two policies above and is meant to be used if you want an employee to punch out for their break. Then, even if they "work through their break" or take a short break, they are still docked 30 minutes. If they are out for longer than the allotted break time, the whole time out will be unpaid. To set this up, change the following fields as described:
Code: Set this field to whatever name you want.
Description: Set this field to whatever name you want.
Paid Break: Select this checkbox.
Even though you are selecting this option, it's not a paid break. This setting ensures that the employee is not double-deducted.Allowed Hours: 0.5
Allowed Break Type: PerDay
Max Break (Minutes): 90
Setting 90 for Max Break (Minutes) is optional. We suggest doing it because if the employee clocks out for longer than 90 minutes, they won't get paid for the break at all, not even the 30 minutes. But if they clock out for anytime between 30 and 90 minutes, they will still get the 30-minute paid break.Max Break Type: PerDay
Set this field only if you set an amount for Max Break (Minutes) above. Otherwise, the Max Break Type field does nothing.Start Date: Enter the current date here.
End Date: 12/31/2099
Automatic Break: Select this checkbox.
Auto Break Type: AutoDeduct
Auto Break Hours: 0.5
Auto Consecutive Type: PerDay
Consecutive Hours: 7
This field is set to 7 assuming an 8-hour workday. Generally speaking, this field should be set one or two hours under the length of what's considered a "full workday," so if someone works less than that time (for example, they were sent home early), they won't be affected.
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