A new national survey conducted by OnTheClock on behalf of Centiment shows that inaccurate time‑keeping is a common problem among hourly workers. The online study, fielded from July 1‑9, 2026, sampled 831 U.S. adults who track their hours with time cards, clocks or digital systems.

Key findings

• Buddy punching – where an employee clocks in or out for a co‑worker – was admitted by 25% of respondents. Seven‑in‑10 say their employer has a clear policy against the practice, yet 31% consider it acceptable in some situations.

• Misreported hours – 43% of workers said their submitted timesheets did not match the actual hours worked. Of those, 17% adjust their hours daily or weekly.

• Clock‑in without work – 45% reported clocking in before a shift starts, failing to clock out for lunch, or forgetting to clock out after work.

Financial impact

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports an average hourly wage of $32.40 for private‑sector production and non‑supervisory workers as of July 2026. If a single employee overreports by one hour each week, the excess payroll can reach roughly $1,684 annually. For a ten‑person team, that adds up to more than $16,800 a year, not including payroll taxes.

Generational differences

Gen Z workers (ages 18‑29) are more likely to engage in buddy punching – 41% versus 25% overall – and 51% view the practice as acceptable in certain situations.

Manager oversight

While 79% of respondents believe their managers review time cards thoroughly, oversight alone does not appear to curb misreporting. Among workers who adjust hours weekly or daily, 92% still think their manager checks cards carefully.

Potential employer responses

Employers may consider clearer communication of policies, especially regarding personal tasks performed during paid time. The survey found that 83% of workers admit to doing some personal activity while on the clock, and 48% of those have also adjusted their time sheets.

Two‑thirds of respondents said additional monitoring tools such as GPS tracking or activity screenshots would not change their behavior, suggesting that stricter oversight may have limited effect.

Practical steps for employers

• Re‑affirm and regularly communicate time‑keeping policies.
• Implement random audits of time‑card data.
• Provide training on the legal and financial consequences of time theft.
• Consider technology solutions that verify active work status without being overly intrusive.

The full survey methodology notes a margin of error of ±3% at the 95% confidence level.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.