When it comes to working at Amazon, there are a lot of benefits, but there are also a whole lot of rules. If you want to be sure you keep your job at Amazon and don’t get a disciplinary warning, you need to understand each and every one of these rules.
So let’s find out: Can I clock in before my shift at Amazon?
Can You Clock in Early at Amazon?
Amazon allows their employees to clock in 5 minutes early. Although the Amazon A to Z app will allow you to clock in 10-15 minutes before your shift starts, you will most likely get a disciplinary warning if you do so repeatedly.
In this article, we are going to learn everything there is to know about clocking in early at Amazon, so you don’t break any rules, and even what will happen if you break Amazon’s clock-in rules. So keep reading; you are going to be an expert in just a few minutes.
How Early Can You Clock in at Amazon?
You can clock in early at Amazon; however, Amazon has a very specific rule for how early you can clock in: You can only clock in up to 5 minutes before your shift is scheduled to begin.
Now, it’s important to understand that if you use the Amazon A to Z app to clock in, technically, you can clock in much earlier than the 5-minute maximum. Several Amazon employees have reported that they often clock in up to 15 minutes before their shift begins and are paid for those minutes!
You might be tempted to break Amazon’s rules if you arrive early to your shift and want to get paid for that time, but you should know that Amazon can and does give out warnings to employees who repeatedly clock in more than 5 minutes early.
What Happens When You Clock in Early at Amazon?
You probably have a couple more questions about clocking in early at Amazon, such as: Do you get paid for the extra time? And do you get extra PTO?
If you follow the rule and only clock in 5 minutes before your shift, Amazon will adjust your time clock, and your payment will start when your shift is scheduled to start, so you will not get paid for the extra minutes.
However, although it is not clearly outlined by Amazon, many employees have reported that if they clocked in 10-15 minutes before their shift was due to start, they did get paid for the extra time.
But remember, even if you do receive the benefit of a few extra dollars on payday, you can get in trouble with Amazon for clocking in more than 5 minutes early on a regular basis.
You will not get extra PTO for clocking in 5 minutes early. Since your schedule automatically adjusts to the scheduled starting time, you will neither be paid for the time nor receive PTO.
If I Clock in Early, Can I Leave Early?
Now, let’s find out if you clock in early, do you get to leave earlier? Once again, there is no formal response to this question from Amazon; however, many employees have reported that if you clock in 5 minutes early, you can clock out 5 minutes early without being penalized.
That being said, if you are constantly clocking out early, Amazon will likely notice, and you may receive a disciplinary warning.
Can You Clock in at Amazon and Not Work?
While clocking in and out a few minutes early is frowned upon, you might be wondering: Can you get in trouble for clocking in and not working?
The answer is a resounding yes; in fact, clocking in and not working is the quickest way to get yourself in trouble with Amazon.
Amazon uses a Time of Task metric to ensure all clocked-in employees are working consistently. If you clock in and don’t immediately begin working at your specific workstation, Amazon will notice, and you will certainly be disciplined.
Can You Get Fired for Clocking in Early at Amazon?
Unfortunately, you can get fired for clocking in too early at Amazon.
However, termination can only occur if you repeatedly clock in more than 5 minutes before your shift is scheduled to start, receive disciplinary warnings for the behavior, and continue to do it.
Conclusion
If you are on the premises, you can technically clock in early for your Amazon shift; however, the company states that you can clock in up to 5 minutes before your shift begins. You could receive a disciplinary warning (or worse) if you clock in more than 5 minutes early.