What_is_my_employee_s_primary_position_

What is my employee's primary position?

The primary position is the position where an employee will allocate the majority of their hours worked. An employee's primary position is the main job role that determines how they are paid, their benefits eligibility, and their official employment record. 

Why it matters

  • Pay Calculation: Payroll systems use the primary position to determine the standard rate of pay, regular hours, and whether the employee is hourly or salaried.

  • Taxes & Reporting: Tax forms (like W-2s in the U.S.) are tied to the primary position’s pay records.

  • Benefits & Leave: Eligibility for health insurance, retirement contributions, vacation accrual, etc., usually depends on the primary position.

  • Job Hierarchy: The primary position links the employee to their main department, manager, and organizational chart.

 

Primary vs. secondary positions

  • Primary Position: The main job—used for payroll, benefits, and official records.

  • Secondary/Additional Positions: Extra roles the employee might take on (e.g., teaching a course, working shifts in another department). These are usually paid separately (sometimes as stipends, allowances, or hourly pay), but don’t override the primary position’s rules.

 

When Connect displays the positions assigned to an employee, the employee's primary position will always show a checkmark in the column titled Primary Position and will always display at the top of the list.

 

Finding my employee's primary position

1. Open Connect Timekeeping Employees Modify Existing Employees.

2. Click to select the field titled Employee, and then enter the employee name or number. Press Enter.

3. Click to select the Positions tab.

The positions assigned to the employee display in the table on the Positions tab.

4. Find the column heading titled Primary Position.

The employee's primary position has a checkmark in the column titled Primary Position. Only one position can be selected as the employee's primary position.

 

 

 

Copyright © 2025 Caselle, Incorporated. All rights reserved.

    • Related Articles

    • Warning: Employee must have an active primary position

      This warning displays when a new employee is set up but a primary position has not been selected. A primary position must be assigned to each new employee before the new employee record is saved. Errors Found dialog box Selecting an active primary ...
    • How do I check if employees are assigned to a primary position?

      Each employee should be assigned to an active, primary position. Payroll uses the active, primary position to calculate the employee's payroll check and withholding. If an employee is not assigned to an active, primary position, you'll need to update ...
    • Error: Employee does not have a primary position

      Issue An employee does not have a primary position. Explanation Each employee should be assigned to an active, primary position. Payroll uses the active, primary position to calculate the employee's payroll check and withholding. If an employee is ...
    • Error: Employee has more than one primary position

      Issue An employee is assigned to more than one primary position. Explanation Each employee should be assigned to a primary position and only one primary position. Payroll uses the primary position to calculate the employee's payroll check and ...
    • How do I delete a position from an employee?

      Remove a position from an employee. You cannot delete a position from an employee's file when related transactions exist. If related transactions do exist, you can stop payroll calculations from calculating by adding an end date. Deleting a position ...