a simple solution to end all problems...............

[pickaname]

I was told RM wont use these machines as the odd few minutes that staff may go over their time, but dont bother claiming, would cost them millions of pounds a year in overtime payments.

[RoyalQuest]

Why aren't the top brass in the union fighting for this, making sure all hours of work are paid and EVERYONE does an equal shift. Come on ward and co do it for us workers!!!!!

[somerset]

I remember the old days of clocking machines ! Finish at say 5 in the afternoon and creep out. Get your mate on the lateshift to clock you out a couple of hours later! Easy overtime.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I remember the old days of clocking machines ! Finish at say 5 in the afternoon and creep out. Get your mate on the lateshift to clock you out a couple of hours later! Easy overtime.

We should all have security passes now, and it would be easy to make a system based on those.

On the other of letting someone clock you out that should be a lock down for a conduct case and the CWU would have to have that in any agreement. After all it would be Fraud and therefore a criminal offence in LAW to clock out for someone else.

[Stormproof]

I thought the I.D. badges were going to be a part of clocking in/out system, hence the bar-code, but we all now know in delivery they are just for scanning your name into the PDA Forgot to mention in my previous post that the office were willing to pay for a clocking machine out of the FLF. Many years ago when I worked at Hornby making trains/scalextric we obviously had a clocking machine, they used to go through our cards on a Thursday, if you were'nt late you used to get a £10 bonus every week

[dvbuk55]

If your office uses the pda it logs your times when starting and finishing

Nonsense - it logs the time you log on and off - not when you start and finish - log on/off times aren't the same as start and finish. Some people like them and some don't - they are a pain to keep going and an even bigger pain when you haven't enough to go round.

[somerset]

I remember the old days of clocking machines ! Finish at say 5 in the afternoon and creep out. Get your mate on the lateshift to clock you out a couple of hours later! Easy overtime.

We should all have security passes now, and it would be easy to make a system based on those.

On the other of letting someone clock you out that should be a lock down for a conduct case and the CWU would have to have that in any agreement. After all it would be Fraud and therefore a criminal offence in LAW to clock out for someone else.

Sorry must point out this was in a previous job before RM. Our security badges don't have a barcode only photo and name?

[andy2007]

It's still illegal, to get someone else to clock out for you. Specifically, it's fraud! Because you were falsifying the records, to show that you were in work, longer than you actually were. Which is a completely different situation to job and finish. Because with J and F, the Manager KNOWS that you're going Home early. So no deception has taken place.

[POSTMAN]

If RM got you to clock back in then most offices would fall apart as the posties would have to obviously make their way back to the office in their duty time,in the present climate there would be cut offs galore.

[Jack Mehoff]

http://www.primemark.com/epos/time-attendance.php

this has a good link on the advantages and disadvantages of clocking in,i tried to copy it with no joy.
my problem would be in the current climate royal mail would use this as yet another tool to discipline and ultimatally get rid of staff.

Is this what you were trying to copy:

Time & Attendance Systems at low prices
Primemark supplies Staff / Employee Time & Attendance Systems to enable you to monitor staff / employee attendance and timekeeping and automatically obtain reports for monitoring attendance and calculating wages. The systems can link to a Windows PC for either real-time or ad-hoc monitoring and reporting using the supplied easy-to-use software.

IDENTIFICATION METHODS:
Our Time and Attendance Systems include basic pin-pad entry, swipe card entry systems, contactless RF entry systems as well as biometric door entry systems with fingerprint sensor entry to identify staff.

EASY TO USE:
Your staff simply clock in and clock out at the start of their shift, during breaks and at the end of the day - using either a fingerprint, RF tag or card or a pin number. The clocking in system with built-in time clock will keep a record of all attendance times which can be accessed real-time from a networked PC or uploaded via a USB stick or data cable.

INSTANT REPORTS:
Time sheets, reports and detailed logs for each staff member can be instantly produced and exported into Excel if required. No more need for handwritten employee time sheets and manual totalling each week - our automated staff time clock systems will do it all!

FAST & EASY TO SETUP:
Our time and attendance terminals can be wall-mounted or placed on your reception/counter. Simply power-up the system, program in the staff names via the integrated control panel or using the included Windows-based application software, and the clocking in system is ready to use.

Also See:
Door Access Control | CCTV | All Security Products


TIME AND ATTENDANCE SYSTEMS - BUYING ADVICE

Staff Identification Technology
Time and attendance systems are available for use with either close-proximity RFID cards, Magstripe cards, Biometric Fingerprint Sensor, Pin-number or a combination of these methods.

Biometric fingerprint technology is obviously the most secure method for time clock systems as it prevents 'buddy clocking' - staff clocking in for each other. Whereas with pin numbers, magstripe cards or close-proximity RF cards, staff could more easily clock in/out for other staff.

If your working environment is polluted or an employee's finger is dirty when they use the time clock, that may affect the succesful operation of the Biometric Time and Attendance system. The fingerprint sensor would also fail if a particular staff member cut their finger or had a wart or other skin condition which would prevent the fingerprint matching from working. Damage or dirt to the sensor would also impact operation, so the fingerprint sensor on the time clock system would need to be regularly checked, cleaned and/or disinfected.

One way to reduce the number of read failures on time clocks would be store 2 fingerprints for each employee - eg. one on the the left hand, one on the right hand. If the fingerprint on one hand is unreadable, due to a cut or plaster/bandage being applied, they can use the other hand.

Primemark recommends using a dual-technology Time and Attendance System so if the fingerprint sensor fails for any of the above reasons, staff can either use an RF card or pin number for entry on the time clock system. The TA-855 Time & Attendance System supports fingerprint recognition, RF proximity card and PIN number entry.

Capacity
Check the capacity of the Time and Attendance System you intend to purchase to make sure it will support the desired staff numbers.Staff time clocks vary in capacity eg. some will hold 200 fingerprints, others will hold over 2000 fingerprints. Of course, records of old staff can be cleared or over-written for re-use by new staff.

If you will be holding records on the Time and Attendance Terminal (rather than downloading them real-time), check the storage capacity for how many time records it will hold.

Linking to a PC
Most of our Time & Attendance systems may be linked to a PC or network for real time management of staff movements using TCP/IP. Windows-based management software is included in each of our Time and Attendance System packages. Alternatively, depending on the Time and Attendance equipment model, you may export staff attendance and time keeping data via the USB or RS232 Serial port or using a Flash memory card. Much easier than the older manual punch cards.

Mounting & Location
Most of our Time and Attendance terminals are designed for wall-mounting and are easily self-fitted with 2 screws. Some of our Time and Attendance systems are also suitable for placing on a counter or reception desk.

When choosing the location to mount your Time & Attendance Terminal, take into consideration that the time clock system may need to be mains powered so within close proximity of a power point. If you will be connecting the Time & Attendance System to your network or PC, you will also need the time clock to have close access to a network port or to the PC.

Reporting
All the Time and Attendance Systems will provide basic time records of each clock-in and clock-out, showing the staff name, date and clocking in time / clocking out time. Most also permit the data to be exported, so you can import into other applications such as Excel. Also check which other reports are available to meet your requirements.

[greynut]

We mentioned clocking in/off machines about 2 years ago at my office, nothing heard since. I think it would be a good idea, 99% of us have nothing to hide(except the runners and the ones who use their own cars). RM would have to pay O/T as they can't bullshit their way out of the times you come back, 1 minute over = 1 minute overtime no being accused of fiddling docket then.

Here a simpler solution.... we all go to work do our job and go home....Oh sorry we cant because RM management wouldn t get a bonus.

Oh yes and another thing, wouldn t using PDA's mean modernisation....no chance ! :cfo

[OnAFlyer]

I went back to the office at 12 today as i'd forgotten something (I thought i'd thrown it out for the driver then realised I'd left it on my frame ) - the lights were off and all the managers had gone home.

I don't think they'd be too happy about clocking off machines!

[DGP1]

I went back to the office at 12 today as i'd forgotten something (I thought i'd thrown it out for the driver then realised I'd left it on my frame ) - the lights were off and all the managers had gone home.

I don't think they'd be too happy about clocking off machines!

Another reason for putting them in