Frequently asked payroll and time tracking questions

FAQs

About Fingercheck

What is Fingercheck?

Fingercheck is a payroll and workforce management platform built for hourly workforces and field teams: the people working job sites, shifts, and multiple locations instead of a desk. Fingercheck connects time tracking, scheduling, payroll, HR, and hiring in one system, so hours worked in the field or across a shift are automatically calculated into each pay run, with no separate timesheets to export or re-enter. Fingercheck is built for small and mid-sized businesses, with particular depth in construction, staffing, and field services.

Who is Fingercheck for?

Fingercheck is the right fit for businesses whose biggest payroll challenges are overtime rules, GPS-verified time tracking, or compliance that changes by state, the kind of problems that come with managing hourly employees across shifts, job sites, or multiple locations. Fingercheck serves construction companies, staffing agencies, field service businesses, and facility-based healthcare providers like skilled nursing and long-term care.

Does Fingercheck handle both payroll and time tracking?

Yes. Fingercheck runs payroll and time tracking on the same platform, so approved hours are automatically calculated into each pay run with no exports or re-entry. Employees clock in from a mobile app, web browser, or physical time clock, and managers approve time before each pay run.

How much does Fingercheck cost?

Fingercheck pricing is based on the number of employees and the features you need. Plans start with core payroll and time tracking and scale up to include scheduling, HR, and hiring tools. → See Pricing

Payroll basics

What is payroll?

Payroll is the process of paying employees for the work they perform. It includes calculating wages and overtime, withholding taxes and deductions, paying employees by direct deposit or check, and filing payroll taxes with federal, state, and local agencies. Most businesses run payroll weekly or biweekly. → See Payroll

What are payroll taxes?

Payroll taxes are taxes employers and employees pay on wages. They include Social Security and Medicare (FICA), federal and state income tax withholding, and federal and state unemployment taxes. Employers are responsible for withholding the employee share, paying the employer share, and filing on time.
→ Free state payroll tax calculators

How do you do payroll for a small business?

To run payroll, you need to collect employee tax forms (W-4, I-9), track hours worked, calculate gross pay and withholdings, pay employees, and deposit and file payroll taxes on schedule. Most small businesses use payroll software to automate the calculations, filings, and direct deposits.

What is certified payroll?

Certified payroll is a special payroll report required for contractors working on government-funded construction projects. It documents each worker’s classification, hours, and prevailing wage rate, and is submitted weekly on federal Form WH-347. Fingercheck generates certified payroll reports automatically for construction customers. -> Free certified payroll guide

How does biweekly payroll work?

Biweekly payroll pays employees every two weeks, resulting in 26 paychecks per year. It is the most common pay schedule in the US because it aligns cleanly with weekly overtime calculations for hourly employees. Two months each year will include three paychecks instead of two.

What is the difference between a paycheck and a pay stub?

A paycheck is the payment itself, whether a paper check or direct deposit. A pay stub is the record that comes with it, showing gross pay, taxes, deductions, and net pay for the period and year to date. Employers in many states are required to provide pay stubs. → See full guide

Hourly employees

How does PTO work for hourly employees?

Hourly employees typically accrue paid time off based on hours worked, for example one hour of PTO for every 30 hours worked. Accrual rates, caps, and payout rules are set by the employer and, in some states, by paid sick leave laws. Time tracking software calculates accruals automatically.

Do hourly employees get paid holidays?

Federal law does not require employers to give hourly employees paid holidays. Paid holidays are a benefit employers choose to offer, and policies vary widely. If an hourly employee works on a holiday, the employer is only required to pay their normal rate unless company policy says otherwise.

Are hourly employees exempt or non-exempt?

Hourly employees are almost always non-exempt, meaning they are entitled to overtime pay at 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Exempt status generally requires a salary and specific job duties under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Does an employer have to pay overtime after 40 hours?

Yes, for non-exempt employees. Under federal law, non-exempt employees must be paid overtime at 1.5 times their regular rate for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Some states, like California, also require daily overtime after 8 hours in a day. → Free OT calculator

What is time theft and how do you prevent it?

Time theft is when employees are paid for time they did not work, including buddy punching, inflated timesheets, and long unrecorded breaks. Biometric time clocks and GPS-verified mobile clock-ins prevent most time theft by confirming who is clocking in and where. → Free time theft calculator

Can employees clock in from their phones?

Yes. With Fingercheck, employees clock in and out from a mobile app with optional GPS verification and geofencing, so managers know clock-ins happen at the job site. This is especially useful for construction crews, home care workers, and other employees who do not work at a fixed location. → See time tracking

Why do businesses with hourly or multi-site teams often outgrow generalist payroll software?

Generalist payroll tools are typically built for a single work location and a mostly salaried headcount. As a business adds job sites, shifts, or multi-state crews, manual workarounds (such as preadsheets for OT rules, separate time clocks, and exported timesheets) tend to accumulate. Purpose-built hourly workforce platforms fold those workarounds into the system itself.

What is the best payroll software for small businesses with hourly employees?

The best fit for hourly-employee businesses is a platform where time tracking and payroll are connected, so approved hours calculate directly into pay without manual entry, and where overtime rules apply automatically. Fingercheck is built around exactly this workflow for small and mid-sized employers.

What payroll software works best for businesses that don’t have a fixed office?

Businesses without a fixed office (construction crews, home care agencies, field service teams) need clock-in options that don’t assume a desk: mobile apps, GPS verification, geofencing, and physical time clocks that can be deployed at a job site. Fingercheck is built around this kind of distributed, deskless workforce.

Compliance & taxes

What is E-Verify?

E-Verify is a free federal system that confirms an employee’s eligibility to work in the United States by checking their I-9 information against government records. Some states and all federal contractors are required to use it.

What payroll records do employers have to keep?

Under the FLSA, employers must keep payroll records for at least three years, including hours worked, wages paid, and overtime. Records used to calculate pay, like timecards, must be kept for two years. State requirements can be longer, so most employers keep records for four years or more.

What happens if payroll taxes are filed late?

The IRS charges penalties of 2 to 15 percent of the unpaid deposit depending on how late it is, plus interest. Repeated late filings can trigger audits and personal liability for business owners. Payroll software with automatic tax filing removes this risk by depositing and filing on schedule.

What is workers’ compensation and do I need it?

Workers’ compensation is insurance that covers medical costs and lost wages when an employee is injured on the job. Nearly every state requires it once you have employees. Pay-as-you-go workers’ comp, offered through payroll providers like Fingercheck, bases premiums on actual payroll each period instead of annual estimates. → See Workers’ Comp

Getting started

How do I switch payroll providers?

Switching payroll providers involves exporting your employee data, year-to-date payroll history, and tax filings from your current provider, then importing them into the new system. The best time to switch is at the start of a quarter or year. Fingercheck’s team handles the migration, including data from QuickBooks, ADP, and Paychex, you name it! → Switch payroll providers today!

How long does it take to set up Fingercheck?

Most businesses are running payroll on Fingercheck within weeks. Setup includes importing employee data, configuring pay rules and schedules, and connecting time clocks or the mobile app. A dedicated implementation specialist guides the process. → See customer support

Does Fingercheck integrate with QuickBooks?

Yes. Fingercheck syncs payroll data to QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop, posting payroll journal entries automatically so your books stay current without manual entry.

Can I talk to a real person for support?

Yes. Fingercheck support is US-based and available by phone, chat, and email. Customers also get a dedicated account manager rather than a rotating call center queue. → See customer support