Daylight Saving Time & Your Paycheck: What to Do If You Experience Wage Theft

As we fall back for the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST), most of us will enjoy an extra hour of sleep, but if you’re an hourly worker, that extra hour could raise an important question: Will you actually get paid for it?

When clocks roll back on Sunday, November 2, 2025, some overnight shifts will technically include an extra hour of work. While most employers adjust for this automatically, payroll errors do happen, and those mistakes could mean you’re working more time than you’re being paid for. That’s wage theft, and it’s money you’ve earned.

How The End of Daylight Saving Time Can Affect Hourly Wages

Daylight Saving Time begins this year on Sunday, March 9, 2025, at 2:00 AM, when clocks move forward to 3:00 AM, and ends on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at 2:00 AM, when clocks move backward to 1:00 AM. If you work an overnight shift that includes this time change, you could end up working one hour longer than usual.

For example:

• If your normal shift is from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM, you would usually work 8 hours.
• But during the “fall back,” the clock repeats the hour between 1:00 AM and 2:00 AM, meaning you’ll actually work 9 hours even though your schedule looks the same on paper.

If your employer doesn’t account for that extra hour, your paycheck could come up short.

Are You Being Paid Fairly?

Employers must ensure that all non-exempt (hourly) workers are compensated for every hour worked, including the repeated hour during the DST rollback. Here’s how pay should be handled:

• Non-Exempt (Hourly) Employees: You must be paid for the actual hours worked, even if that means one more than your usual shift.
• Overtime Considerations: That additional hour may qualify for overtime pay if it pushes your total hours over 40 for the week.
• Union or Company Policies: Some workplaces have written agreements or policies about how DST shifts are handled. Make sure you know your rights under those policies.

What to Do If You Notice a Payroll Error

If you suspect your employer failed to pay you correctly after the time change, follow these steps:

• Review Your Pay Stub: Check your shift times and compare them with your actual hours worked during the DST transition.
• Talk to Your Employer: Payroll mistakes can be accidental. Contact your manager or HR department to request a correction.
• Keep Records: Document your clock-in and clock-out times, and save copies of your schedule and pay stubs.
• Know Your Rights: Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), employers are legally required to pay you for all time worked.
• Seek Legal Help: If your employer refuses to correct the issue or intentionally withholds pay, you may have a valid wage theft claim.

Morgan & Morgan Can Help

No one should lose wages due to a technicality or employer oversight. 

If you believe your wages were shorted due to the DST time change, or any payroll error, Morgan & Morgan’s wage and hour attorneys are ready to fight for you. We’ve helped workers across the country recover the wages they earned and hold employers accountable. 

Don’t let that “extra” hour vanish from your paycheck. Know your rights, review your pay, and take action if needed. Contact us today for a free case evaluation, and let’s make sure you’re getting paid what you’re owed.