Does geofencing track employees when they are off the clock?

No. BetterDesks uses geofencing only at the point of clock-in and clock-out. It checks whether the employee is at the job site when they start or end a shift — it does not track their location continuously or monitor them when they are not working.

Detailed answer

Geofencing in a time clock context is a verification tool, not a surveillance tool. When an employee taps to clock in, the app reads their GPS coordinates at that moment and compares them to the approved geofence for their job site. That single location check is recorded. No ongoing tracking occurs.

This distinction matters for employee trust, privacy compliance, and how you communicate the system to your team. Employees are not being followed throughout their day. The app only asks for location permission at the moment of a clock event, and that location is used solely to confirm they are at the right site.

Many employees are more comfortable using a geofencing time clock once they understand it works this way. It is similar to checking in at a location — a single confirmation, not continuous monitoring.

Example

A home care agency uses BetterDesks for caregivers who travel between client homes. When a caregiver arrives at a client's address and clocks in, BetterDesks confirms they are at the right location. Once they clock out at the end of the visit, the shift is complete. The agency does not see where the caregiver goes between visits or outside of working hours.

How BetterDesks helps

BetterDesks is designed to give operations managers the attendance verification they need — confirming employees are on site when shifts begin and end — without continuous location tracking. This helps businesses maintain accurate records while respecting employee privacy.

Related questions

• How does a geofencing time clock work?
• Can employees clock in only from a job site?
• What happens if GPS does not work at a job site?

Next step

Learn how BetterDesks handles attendance privacy