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.
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.
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