Overtime Requests

Udyamo HRMS provides a structured overtime management system built on the OvertimeRequest and OvertimeSetting models. Employees can submit overtime requests that go through an approval workflow, and approved overtime integrates with payroll for compensation. This chapter covers configuring overtime settings, submitting and approving requests, reporting, and payroll impact.


Prerequisites

Required: Before using overtime management:


  1. From the sidebar, click Attendance.
  2. Click Overtime from the submenu.
  3. The Overtime page displays pending requests, approved requests, and a link to overtime settings.

Overtime management page


Understanding Overtime in Udyamo HRMS

Overtime refers to hours worked beyond the employee's assigned shift end time. The system tracks overtime through two mechanisms:

  1. Automatic detection — When an employee checks out after the shift end time, the extra hours are logged in the attendance record.
  2. Overtime requests — Employees submit formal requests for overtime approval, specifying the date, hours, and reason.

The OvertimeSetting model controls whether automatic overtime is enabled, how it is calculated, and what limits apply. The OvertimeRequest model tracks individual requests through the approval workflow.


Configuring Overtime Settings

  1. From the Overtime page, click Settings or Overtime Settings.
  2. Alternatively, navigate to Attendance > Settings and locate the Overtime section.

Overtime Settings Fields

SettingDescriptionExample
Enable OvertimeMaster toggle to enable or disable overtime trackingYes
Overtime Calculation MethodHow overtime hours are calculatedActual hours beyond shift end
Minimum Overtime Threshold (minutes)Minimum extra minutes after shift end before overtime is counted30
Maximum Overtime Per Day (hours)Cap on overtime hours that can be claimed per day4
Maximum Overtime Per Month (hours)Cap on total overtime hours per employee per month50
Overtime Rate MultiplierMultiplier for overtime pay calculation1.5x (time and a half)
Holiday Overtime RateDifferent multiplier for overtime on holidays2.0x (double time)
Require Pre-ApprovalWhether employees must submit overtime requests before working overtimeYes
Auto-Approve If Attendance ExistsAutomatically approve overtime if attendance records show extra hoursNo

Configuring Settings — Step by Step

  1. Open Overtime Settings.
  2. Set Enable Overtime to Yes.
  3. Configure the Minimum Overtime Threshold. For example, set to 30 minutes to ignore minor check-out delays:
    • If an employee works 15 minutes past shift end, no overtime is recorded.
    • If they work 45 minutes past shift end, 45 minutes of overtime is recorded.
  4. Set the Maximum Overtime Per Day to prevent excessive claims.
  5. Set the Maximum Overtime Per Month for budgeting and compliance.
  6. Configure the Overtime Rate Multiplier based on your compensation policy.
  7. If your organization requires advance approval, set Require Pre-Approval to Yes.
  8. Click Save.

Overtime settings form

Warning: Indian labor law (Factories Act, 1948) stipulates that overtime wages must be paid at twice the ordinary rate of wages. Ensure your overtime rate complier meets the applicable legal requirements. Consult your legal team for the correct multiplier.


Overtime Rate Calculation

The overtime rate is calculated based on the employee's basic or gross pay and the configured multiplier.

Calculation Formula

Overtime Pay = (Monthly Basic Pay / Total Working Hours in Month) x Overtime Hours x Rate Multiplier

Example

ParameterValue
Monthly Basic PayINR 25,000
Total Working Hours in Month176 hours (22 days x 8 hours)
Overtime Hours Worked10 hours
Rate Multiplier2.0x
Per Hour Rate = 25,000 / 176 = INR 142.05
Overtime Pay = 142.05 x 10 x 2.0 = INR 2,840.91

Tip: The overtime rate base (basic pay vs. gross pay) can vary based on your organization's policy and applicable labor law. Verify the correct base with your payroll team.


Employees Submitting Overtime Requests

When to Submit

  • Pre-approval required: Before working overtime (the request serves as authorization)
  • Post-work submission: After working overtime, within a configurable submission window (e.g., within 3 days)

Step-by-Step: Submitting an Overtime Request

  1. Log in to Udyamo HRMS.
  2. Navigate to Attendance > Overtime or My Overtime from the self-service menu.
  3. Click New Overtime Request or Submit Request.
  4. Fill in the required fields:
FieldDescriptionRequired
DateThe date of the overtime workYes
HoursNumber of overtime hours (decimal supported, e.g., 2.5)Yes
ReasonJustification for the overtime workYes
Project/TaskThe project or task associated with the overtime (if applicable)No
  1. Click Submit.
  2. The request is sent to the approver (direct manager or configured authority).

Overtime request submission form

Tip: Encourage employees to provide specific, detailed reasons for overtime. "Project deadline" is less useful than "Completing API integration for Project X, due April 1." Detailed reasons help managers make informed approval decisions.

Request Validation

The system validates the request against configured limits:

ValidationCheck
Date must be a past or current datePrevents requests for future dates (unless pre-approval is enabled)
Hours must not exceed daily maximumCompared against Maximum Overtime Per Day setting
Monthly total must not exceed maximumCurrent month's approved overtime + new request must not exceed Maximum Overtime Per Month
Attendance record must exist (optional)If configured, the employee must have an attendance record for the date showing actual overtime
No duplicate requestOnly one overtime request per employee per date

If validation fails, the employee sees an error message explaining why the request was rejected.


Approval Workflow

Approval Flow

  1. Employee submits the overtime request.
  2. The request appears in the approver's Pending Approvals queue.
  3. The approver reviews:
    • The date and hours requested
    • The reason provided
    • The employee's attendance record for that date (actual check-in/check-out times)
    • The employee's total approved overtime for the month
  4. The approver takes one of the following actions:
ActionDescription
ApproveThe overtime is approved and will be included in the next payroll
RejectThe overtime is rejected with an optional comment explaining the reason
Request RevisionThe approver asks the employee to modify the request (e.g., adjust hours)

Approving an Overtime Request

  1. The manager/admin navigates to Attendance > Overtime > Pending Approvals.
  2. Clicks on a request to view details.
  3. Reviews the request alongside the attendance data for the date.
  4. Clicks Approve or Reject.
  5. If rejecting, enters a reason for the rejection.
  6. The employee is notified of the decision.

Overtime approval screen

Bulk Approval

For managers with many pending overtime requests:

  1. Navigate to Attendance > Overtime > Pending Approvals.
  2. Use checkboxes to select multiple requests.
  3. Click Approve Selected or Reject Selected.
  4. For bulk rejection, enter a common reason.

Tip: Review overtime requests weekly to prevent a backlog. Unresolved requests delay payroll processing.


Overtime Request Statuses

StatusMeaning
PendingSubmitted by the employee, awaiting manager/admin action
ApprovedManager/admin approved the request; overtime will be included in payroll
RejectedManager/admin rejected the request; no payroll impact
CancelledEmployee cancelled the request before it was acted upon
Revision RequestedApprover asked the employee to modify and resubmit

Approved Overtime Impact on Payroll

When overtime is approved, it integrates with the payroll module.

How Overtime Appears in Payroll

  1. During payrun processing (see Running Payroll), the system totals each employee's approved overtime hours for the pay period.
  2. The overtime pay is calculated using the configured rate multiplier.
  3. The overtime amount appears as a separate earning component in the payslip:
Payslip LineCalculation
Overtime EarningsSum of (approved hours x hourly rate x multiplier) for all approved requests in the period
  1. Overtime earnings are added to the gross pay.
  2. Statutory deductions (EPF, ESIC, TDS) are calculated on the total gross pay including overtime.

Warning: Overtime earnings increase the gross pay, which may affect EPF and ESIC contributions. Ensure your payroll configuration handles this correctly. See Salary Components.


Overtime Reports

Accessing Overtime Reports

  1. Navigate to Attendance > Overtime > Reports.
  2. Select the report type and date range.

Available Reports

ReportDescription
Overtime SummaryTotal overtime hours and cost per employee for a date range
Department-wise OvertimeOvertime hours aggregated by department
Monthly Overtime TrendMonth-over-month overtime hours and cost
Pending Requests ReportAll pending overtime requests that have not been actioned
Approval HistoryLog of all approval and rejection actions with timestamps

Overtime Summary Report Columns

ColumnDescription
Employee NameFull name
Employee IDOrganization employee ID
DepartmentDepartment name
Total Overtime HoursSum of approved overtime hours in the period
Overtime RateApplicable rate multiplier
Overtime PayCalculated overtime compensation
Requests (Approved / Total)Number of approved requests out of total submitted

Exporting Overtime Reports

  1. Generate the desired report.
  2. Click Export and choose CSV, Excel, or PDF.
  3. The report downloads for external analysis or record-keeping.

Overtime summary report


Viewing Overtime History

Employee View

  1. The employee navigates to Attendance > Overtime or My Overtime.
  2. A list of all submitted requests is displayed with:
    • Date
    • Hours
    • Status (Pending, Approved, Rejected)
    • Approver's comments (if any)
  3. The employee can filter by status and date range.

Manager View

  1. The manager navigates to Attendance > Overtime.
  2. Views overtime requests for their direct reports.
  3. Can filter by employee, status, and date range.
  4. Sees a summary of the team's total overtime for the current month.

Administrator View

  1. Administrators see all overtime requests across the organization.
  2. Full filtering capabilities: department, office, employee, status, date range.
  3. Access to all overtime reports.

Overtime Policies and Best Practices

Defining an Overtime Policy

Establish clear rules for when overtime is permitted:

Policy ElementExample
EligibilityOnly non-managerial employees are eligible for overtime pay
AuthorizationAll overtime must be pre-approved by the department manager
LimitsMaximum 4 hours per day, 50 hours per month
CompensationOvertime paid at 2x the basic hourly rate, as per the Factories Act
Submission deadlineOvertime requests must be submitted within 3 working days of the overtime date
Holiday overtimeHoliday overtime compensated at 2x rate or as compensatory leave (comp-off)

Best Practices

  1. Pre-approval workflow — Enable pre-approval to control overtime costs. Unapproved overtime does not get compensated.
  2. Monthly caps — Set monthly overtime limits to prevent burnout and control costs.
  3. Regular review — Review overtime reports monthly. Consistently high overtime in a department may indicate understaffing.
  4. Comp-off alternative — For exempt employees, offer compensatory time off instead of monetary compensation.
  5. Audit trail — All overtime submissions, approvals, and rejections are logged. Use this for compliance audits and dispute resolution.

Tip: Communicate your overtime policy clearly to all employees. Include it in the employee handbook and reference it in the Udyamo HRMS self-service portal.


Compensatory Off (Comp-Off)

Some organizations offer compensatory leave instead of or in addition to overtime pay for work on holidays and weekends.

How Comp-Off Works with Overtime

  1. Employee works on a holiday or weekend.
  2. Instead of (or in addition to) an overtime payment, the employee earns a comp-off day.
  3. The comp-off is credited to the employee's leave balance under a "Compensatory Off" leave category.
  4. The employee can use the comp-off as a regular leave day.

Configuration

Comp-off integration with leave management is configured under Settings > Leaves & Attendance > Categories. See Setting Up Leave Categories for details.


Common Issues and Solutions

IssueCauseSolution
"Maximum daily overtime exceeded"Employee requested more hours than the daily capAdjust the request hours or increase the daily limit in settings
"Monthly overtime limit reached"Employee's total approved overtime for the month exceeds the capReject the request or increase the monthly limit
"No attendance record for this date"System requires attendance proof but no check-in was recordedAdd a manual attendance entry for the date (admin), then resubmit the overtime request
"Duplicate request for this date"An overtime request already exists for the same employee and dateEdit or cancel the existing request before submitting a new one
Overtime not appearing in payslipRequest is still pending approvalApprove the request before running payroll
Overtime not appearing in payslipPayroll was already processed for the periodProcess an off-cycle payroll or include the overtime in the next period
Incorrect overtime amountWrong rate multiplier or base salary usedVerify overtime settings and the employee's salary structure
Manager not receiving overtime requestsApproval workflow not configured for the managerCheck the reporting hierarchy and role permissions

Integration with Attendance Data

Overtime requests can be cross-verified against actual attendance records:

Attendance FieldOvertime Relevance
Check-Out TimeVerifies the employee actually worked beyond the shift end
Working HoursConfirms total hours worked exceed the shift duration
Attendance EventsProvides a timeline of check-in, check-out, and breaks
Location DataConfirms the employee was at the workplace during the claimed overtime period

Managers should review the attendance record alongside the overtime request before approving. The approval screen displays the attendance data for quick reference.


Next Steps