How it works
- Visit time = the sum of (end - start) for every visit.
- Paid travel = the drive minutes between one client and the next. The first visit has no paid drive; the trip from home is the commute.
- Waiting = the gap between visits minus the drive. Whether waiting is paid depends on whether the worker is free to use the time for their own purposes; short gaps often count as work time.
- Travel pay = paid travel hours x travel rate. Mileage = miles between clients x rate per mile.
Under the federal rules, ordinary home-to-work commuting is generally not work time, while travel from one client to another during the workday generally is. Many states add their own rules, and mileage reimbursement may be required where vehicle costs would take pay below minimum wage. Check the US Department of Labor's guidance and your state labor office. Read Overtime for home care workers.