Employees on a "global salary" (in Israel, that means a fixed monthly salary) get the same amount every month, whatever their exact hours. So employers ask: can we leave it at that, and skip asking them to report? As a rule, the answer is no. A fixed salary does not exempt anyone from attendance records.
This guide is for employers, office managers and whoever prepares payroll: what to record for an employee on a global salary, and why it pays to do it every month.
A global salary: what it means, and what it doesn't
A global salary is a fixed monthly salary. The employee isn't paid by the hour, and doesn't have to hit an exact number of hours every day.
But the fixed amount doesn't change how much the employee actually worked. Working days, absences and overtime still exist, even when the pay stays the same from month to month. Whether overtime is included in the salary or paid on top of it is a separate question (see global overtime in our hi-tech guide). Here we focus on attendance itself.
Does an employee on a global salary report hours?
As a rule, yes. Under section 25 of the Hours of Work and Rest Law, the employer keeps a record of the working hours of every employee the law covers. The record is the employer's duty, and it is usually kept by the employee clocking in and out.
Some employees are not covered by the law, for example in management roles or positions of personal trust. What decides is the actual role, not the title in the contract, so if you're not sure, we recommend recording.
What to record
For an employee on a global salary, as for any other employee, you record:
- Working days and hours. Clock-in, clock-out and breaks. Employees can also report from home.
- Absences. Vacation, sick leave, reserve duty. They set the employee's balances, and in a partial month, the pay as well. The vacation balance and the sick leave balance are calculated from these records.
- Overtime. When the employee stays beyond the regular working day. If they get a fixed payment for overtime, the records are what show whether it is enough.
- Notes and corrections. Forgot to clock in? Worked at a client's site? A short note in the report saves a phone call at month end.
Why it pays off even when the salary is fixed
For the employer: in an overtime claim, an employer with no records starts on the weak side. The records are also how you know who is working far more than was agreed, so you can deal with it in time.
For the employee: the records protect them. They see what was recorded, and if they stayed late, there is proof.
For payroll: to calculate the hourly value of a monthly employee, for example to pay overtime, you need to know how many hours they actually worked.
What simple record-keeping looks like
- The employee clocks in and out every day, from the computer, the phone or a time clock. If you still work on paper, a timesheet is a fine place to start.
- At month end, the manager reviews the report and approves it.
- The hours and absences go to whoever prepares payroll.
How it works in ProperTime
ProperTime is an attendance system that suits employees on a fixed salary too:
- Reporting from anywhere. From the computer, the mobile app or a physical time clock, all in the same system.
- Attendance and absences together. Vacation and sick leave are recorded in the same system, alongside working hours.
- Overtime shown separately. The report shows it apart from regular hours.
- Manager approval and a payroll file. The manager approves, and the hours go out in a ready-made file for leading payroll systems.
This is general information. A collective agreement, an extension order in your industry or the employment contract may set different terms. For your own case, check Kol Zchut (the Israeli rights information site) or talk to an employment lawyer.
Source: Hours of Work and Rest Law, section 25 (checked in October 2026).
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