The attendance register: employer obligations and a correct model

The attendance register is the document in which the employer records, daily, the working hours of each employee: the arrival time, the departure time and, where applicable, the breaks. It is not an optional formality - it is a legal obligation, and its absence exposes you to fines during a labor inspection.

What the law says

The Romanian Labor Code (art. 119) states that the employer has the obligation to keep a record of the hours worked daily by each employee, showing the start and end time of the work schedule, and to make this record available to labor inspectors whenever requested.

In other words: the record must exist, must be daily, and must be ready to present immediately on request.

What a correct attendance register must contain

• the full name of the employee;
• the date;
• the start and end time of the work schedule;
• the hours actually worked (and, where relevant, the breaks);
• absences and their reason (annual leave, medical leave, time off etc.).

On paper or electronic?

The law does not require a specific format. You can keep the register on paper or electronically - what matters is that it is real, up to date and presentable during an inspection. In practice, a paper register filled in at the end of the month, from memory, is the riskiest: it does not reflect reality and is easy to contest.

An electronic record, where attendance is registered in real time, solves exactly this problem: the data adds up on its own, as people start and finish their schedule.

Common mistakes

• filling in the register at the end of the month, retroactively;
• missing start/end times (just a "present" tick);
• mismatch between the register and the timesheet sent to payroll;
• being unable to present the record on the spot, during an inspection.

How pontaj.eu helps

With pontaj.eu, employees register their attendance with one click, in real time, and the attendance register and monthly timesheet are generated automatically - ready to print and sign. You always have a correct, up to date record that you can present at any time. See how it works.

This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific situations, consult a specialist.