Can I pay a shift differential or a second rate for the same worker?

Applies to: staffing partners and account admins setting up a worker who will sometimes be paid at a different rate for the same client — a second-shift differential, a second site, or occasional work in a higher-paid role. Your workers do not need to read this; what they see is covered in How do I add time sheets?.

Summary: Yes, we can accommodate it. The way it is set up is one assignment per rate. Create a second assignment for the higher-rate work and leave the original one open — the two run at the same time. The worker does not onboard again; they pick the right assignment when they enter their hours.

How to set it up

• Create a second assignment for the same worker and the same client, with the pay rate and bill rate that apply to that work. See How do I create an assignment?, or send it to us and we will set it up — see Emailing us a new assignment, promotion, or extension — what to include.

• Name the job so the difference is obvious on sight, for example Assembly Technician — Second Shift. The worker sees this name when they choose an assignment, so a clear label prevents most mis-entered hours.

• Leave the original assignment open. Adding the second one does not end the first, and both stay active.

• Tell the worker to expect two assignments, and which one to use for which hours.

This works the same way whether the second rate is a shift differential, a different site, or a different role for that client. If your assignments are created from your own applicant tracking system (ATS), create a separate job there for the second rate and it will come through as a separate assignment.

What the worker sees

• They onboard once. An additional assignment does not restart onboarding or re-trigger the checklist.

• Both assignments appear in their portal, and they are notified when the new one is added.

• They choose the assignment when entering time. That is what attaches the hours to the right pay rate and the right bill rate — see How do I add time sheets?.

An assignment can sit open with no hours against it for weeks. That is normal for a shift or a site the worker only covers occasionally, and it is not a sign that anything is wrong.

Why a differential is not just a line on the timecard

A timesheet records hours; the rate comes from the assignment those hours are entered against. If a higher rate is applied only at the timesheet, there is no record on the assignment of why those hours were paid more, and the worker has never been told in writing about the higher rate.

Keeping each rate on its own assignment gives you the opposite: a clear record of what was paid at which rate and why, cleaner invoicing and reporting, and a rate the worker has acknowledged. Several states also require workers to be given written notice of their pay rate, and that notice follows the assignment — see Does the pay-rate notice I signed lock in my rate for every shift? for the version your workers see.

Overtime when a worker has two rates

Overtime is based on the worker’s total hours for the week across all of their assignments, not counted separately per assignment. Where the assignments carry different pay rates, overtime is calculated on a blended (weighted-average) rate. The overtime threshold itself varies by work location, so check the rule for the state the work is performed in. What do I do if I have a contractor that works at multiple clients? explains the same mechanics for a worker split across clients, including deciding in advance how you want overtime billed.

Related situations

• The rate for existing work is changing — that is a different case, and it usually means new paperwork for the worker. See Why does a rate change mean my workers have new documents to sign?.

• The worker is at more than one client — one assignment per client. See What do I do if I have a contractor that works at multiple clients?.

• Not sure what an assignment is — see What is the difference between a Contractor and an Assignment?.

Who to contact

Email support@ascen.com or your account team to have a second assignment set up, or if you are not sure how to split the rates for a particular client.