Free Caregiver Schedule Template (Weekly and Monthly)
Printable weekly and monthly caregiver schedule grids for home care agencies, with a backup caregiver per client and a weekly hours tally that flags overtime.
By Caregiver Scheduling Team ·
Print the weekly grid below, write one client per row and the caregiver plus visit times in each day’s cell. Name a backup for every client and total each caregiver’s hours on the right. The monthly grid underneath is for recurring visits and days off. Both grids follow a fixed Sunday-to-Saturday workweek, which is what overtime and payroll records are built on.
Weekly schedule
Week of: ____________ Workweek: Sunday 12:00 a.m. to Saturday 11:59 p.m.
| Client | Backup | Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Write each cell as caregiver initials and times, for example “MJ 9-1”. Mark a visit that still needs a caregiver as OPEN so it stands out.
Caregiver hours this week
| Caregiver | Visit hours | Travel hours | Training hours | Total | Over 40? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Monthly schedule
Month: ____________ Caregiver or client: ____________
| Week | Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | ||||||||
| Week 2 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | ||||||||
| Week 5 |
Print one monthly page per caregiver to hand out, or one per client to keep in the home. Write the date in the corner of each cell. Shade requested days off and known client appointments before you assign anything.
How do you use the template?
Fill in fixed visits first, then open slots, then totals. The order matters because recurring visits set the shape of the week.
- Copy recurring visits onto the weekly grid. See recurring caregiver schedules.
- Add one-off visits, hospital discharges and reschedules.
- Add travel time between clients to each caregiver’s total. Drive time between clients during the workday is paid time and counts toward overtime (29 CFR 785.38). See travel time pay.
- Add required training or meetings. They count too.
- Flag anyone over 40 and move visits before the week starts.
- Check that every client’s backup has met them at least once.
Why does the workweek start matter?
Overtime is counted per fixed workweek, so the grid has to start on the same day and hour every week. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act a workweek is “a fixed and regularly recurring period of 168 hours,” seven consecutive 24-hour periods (29 CFR 778.105). It can start on any day, but once set it stays put. You cannot average a 50-hour week against a 30-hour week.
Agency caregivers are owed time-and-a-half after 40 hours, because third-party employers cannot claim the companionship or live-in exemptions (29 CFR 552.109). Hours with every client add up. See home care overtime rules.
Does a paper schedule count as a payroll record?
Only if it shows actual hours, not planned ones. Federal recordkeeping rules require, for each employee, the hours worked each workday and the total hours each workweek, plus the day and time the workweek begins (29 CFR 516.2). Payroll records must be kept at least three years (29 CFR 516.5).
A schedule written before the week is a plan. Make it a record by correcting each cell to the real start and end times after the visit, then initial and date the sheet. Keep the corrected sheets with payroll. See home care record retention.
What should every cell include?
Enough that a substitute could cover the visit from the sheet alone. At minimum:
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| Caregiver | MJ |
| Start and end | 9:00-1:00 |
| Visit type | Personal care, meal prep |
| Payer or authorization | Private pay, or Medicaid 12 hrs/wk |
| Notes | Key code with office, cat in home |
Keep client details off any copy that leaves the office. A sheet in a caregiver’s car is a privacy risk. See HIPAA for non-medical home care.
When does a paper schedule stop working?
Usually around 8 to 10 caregivers, or the first week with three call-outs. Every change means rewriting the sheet, calling caregivers one at a time and re-adding hours by hand. A spreadsheet helps with the totals but not with the phone calls. See when the scheduling spreadsheet stops working.
How Caregiver Scheduling handles this
Caregiver Scheduling puts the week on one calendar, with drag-and-drop changes and recurring visits you set once per client. Double-booking is blocked as you drop a visit, and drive times update on the map. Open shifts go out to caregivers who are cleared for the client, and GPS check-ins record the actual start and end of every visit. Timesheets that total hours and flag overtime are coming soon. $199/month for up to 10 caregivers or $299/month for up to 50, free for 30 days.
FAQ
Can I start the workweek on Monday instead of Sunday? Yes. Any day and hour works, as long as it is fixed and used for everyone in the same group.
Do I count travel time on the schedule? Yes. Drive time between clients during the day is hours worked and counts toward the 40-hour line.
How long do I keep old schedules? If they show actual hours, treat them as payroll records and keep them at least three years.
Should the client keep a copy? Yes, a monthly page with caregiver names and times. Leave out other clients’ details and anything you would not want on a kitchen counter.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Check your state’s wage and recordkeeping rules.