Compliance
18 Timekeeping Compliance Benchmarks for Audit-Ready Employers in 2025
Roughly 75-80% of DOL Wage and Hour Division investigations find at least one violation, and the DOL recovered $274 million in back wages in FY2022 alone (DOL WHD, FY2022 Annual Report). Meanwhile, inaccurate time records cost employers 2-5% of gross payroll, per EasyClocking by WorkEasy Software's published ROI benchmarks. This catalog presents 18 timekeeping compliance benchmarks across five categories so you can measure your audit readiness, payroll accuracy and record retention against documented norms.
Headline Numbers
75-80% of DOL investigations find violations
Three in four investigated employers are found non-compliant, according to DOL Wage and Hour Division Annual Reports from 2021-2023. Audit readiness, not audit avoidance, is the correct posture.
$274 million in back wages recovered in FY2022
The DOL Wage and Hour Division recovered this amount for approximately 190,000 workers. Employers in high-density hourly industries face disproportionate investigation targeting.