Originally posted May 17, 2011 on the old Dundee Group Blog.

Last week, the Department of Labor released a free app for the iPhone that allows employees to keep track of their hours independently from their employer, and determine what they should be getting paid. Called "Timesheet," the app has only simple functionality, and is neither the first nor the most complex app of its kind to be availble on the iPhone. It is, however, the first one to be endorsed by the Departement of Labor.

The press release says, in part, that "This new technology is significant because, instead of relying on their employers' records, workers now can keep their own records. This information could prove invaluable during a Wage and Hour Division investigation when an employer has failed to maintain accurate employment records." One feature of the app is the ability to take the employee’s punches, figure out what their pay should be given a base wage rate and OT and let the employee send an email straight from the app with the data as an attachment.

Again, similar apps already exist, but the DOL's endorsement of this particular app will probably increase its weight in any labor dispute that uses its data. Now more than ever, it is important for employeers to make sure they record accurate records of employees' hours. "I am pleased that my department is able to leverage increasingly popular and available technology to ensure that workers receive the wages to which they are entitled," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "This app will help empower workers to understand and stand up for their rights when employers have denied their hard-earned pay."