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Attendance Policy

Each employee is important to the overall success of our operations. The Company awards its employees with sufficient Sick, Holiday, and PTO days throughout the year. When you are not here, someone else must do your job. Consequently, employees are expected to report to work on time at the scheduled start of the workday. Reporting to work on time means that you are ready to start work, not just arriving at work, at your scheduled start time. Employees are also expected to remain at work for their entire work schedule, except for meal periods or when required to leave on authorized business. Late arrival, early departure, or other unanticipated absences from scheduled hours are disruptive and must be avoided.

Scheduled time off must be requested and approved with your supervisor in advance; at least 2 weeks. If you are unable to report to work on a particular day, you must notify your supervisor at least one (1) hour prior to your start time. When calling in, employees must leave a detailed message for their supervisor and Human Resources. The message may be sent via voice mail, email or text message and must include a call back number. The Company must be able to verify your notification.

Your attendance record is a part of your overall performance rating. Your attendance will be reviewed on a regular basis and excessive or patterned absenteeism and tardiness will be addressed timely and may lead to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Management reserves the right to use its discretion in applying this policy under special or unique circumstances.

Attendance policy does not apply during the first 90 days of employment. During the first 90 days of employment an employee may receive no warning when absences are excessive prior to termination. Generally, three (3) absences will result in termination.

If an employee is scheduled to work overtime and either fails to report or reports after the scheduled start time, an occurrence will be assigned just as if it was a regularly scheduled workday.


Absence Definitions

Scheduled – Any absence from work that is scheduled/approved by your supervisor with a minimum of one-day (24 hrs.) notice. A scheduled absence will be charged against an employee’s PTO.

Unpaid – Any absence that is scheduled but no PTO is available is considered an unpaid absence.

Unscheduled – Any absence that is not scheduled/approved (as defined above) will be considered an unscheduled absence.

Unscheduled Sick – A medically necessary absence (for employee’s own sickness, sickness of a family member, or doctor’s appointment) that is not scheduled/approved (as defined above) will be considered an unscheduled sick absence.


Absence vs. Occurrence

An absence refers to a single failure to be at work. An occurrence may cover consecutive days when an employee is out for the same reason.


Call-In

Employees are required to notify their supervisor and HR if they are going to be late or absent, as follows:

  • Proper Call-In: Notification at least one (1) hour prior to scheduled start time.
  • Late Call-In: Notification after one (1) hour before scheduled start time and/or up to (4) hours after scheduled start time.
  • No Call: Notification greater than four (4) hours after start time, or unverifiable notification.

Tardy

Reporting to work on time means that you are ready to start work, not just arriving at work, at your scheduled time.
A tardy is defined as:

  • more than 15 minutes late in or early out for a shift
  • extending a meal period over 5 minutes without approval
  • see abuse section

No Call/No Show

Not reporting to work and not calling to report the absence is a “no call/no show” and is a serious matter. A “no call/no show” is defined as not properly notifying your supervisor within four (4) hours of your scheduled start time. The first instance of a “no call/no show” will result in a Final Written Warning. The second separate instance will result in termination of employment with no additional disciplinary steps.

Any absence from work for three (3) consecutive days without proper notification will be consider a voluntary resignation. If an employee has already begun the disciplinary process for attendance when a “no call/no show” occurs, the disciplinary process may be accelerated at managements discretion.


Time Clocks and Failure to Clock in/out

Employees are required to follow established guidelines for recording their actual hours worked. A missed punch includes:

  • Failure to clock in/out at the beginning and/or end of their assigned shift.
  • Failure to clock in/out on their designated time clock for the meal break.
  • Failure to accurately and timely report time worked.

Attendance and Reporting to Work

As an employee of the Company, you are expected to be punctual and regular in attendance. Any tardiness or absence causes problems for your fellow employees and your supervisor. When you are absent, your assigned work must be performed by others.

Employees are expected to report to work as scheduled, on time, and prepared to start work. Employees also are expected to remain at work for their entire work schedule, except for meal periods or when required to leave on authorized Company business. Late arrival, early departure, or other unanticipated and unapproved absences from scheduled hours are disruptive and must be avoided.

If you are unable to report to work on a particular day, you must contact your supervisor at least one hour before the time you are scheduled to begin working for that day. In all cases of absence or tardiness, employees must provide their supervisor with an honest reason or explanation. Employees also must inform their supervisor of the expected duration of any absence. Excessive absenteeism or tardiness, whether excused or not, will not be tolerated. The determination of excessive absenteeism will be made at the discretion of the Company.

If you fail to report for work without any notification to your supervisor and your absence continues for a period of 3 days, the Company will consider that you have voluntarily abandoned or quit your employment.


Recording Hours Worked

All employees are required to keep accurate time records. All non-exempt employees must keep accurate time records by completing timesheets or punching a time clock when entering or leaving the building, including coming and going during lunch periods. Tampering with, falsifying or altering time cards or punching another employee’s time card will result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge. Corrections to your time records must be made prior to the end of each pay period. After this time, changes will no longer be permitted.
The Company grants employees a grace period for clocking in. Employees who clock in within 15 minutes after their shift start time will not be considered tardy for attendance purposes. However, showing a pattern or consistently clocking in after a shift begins (even less than 15 minutes) may be subject to disciplinary action.


Disciplinary Process for absences and tardiness

The Company has established the following process for attendance. Points will be assigned for each occurrence out of the office. Absences and tardiness will be counted together, but are assigned various levels of severity based upon the definitions listed below.

No Points

  • Scheduled Absence/Occurrence (as defined above) PTO must be available and used.
  • Unscheduled Sick Absence/Occurrence (as defined above) Sick Time or PTO must be available and used.
  • Off work due to:
    • a verified work-related injury,
    • an approved leave of absence as outlined in the Company Handbook,
    • a lack of work available,
    • subpoenas, or any other absence expressly authorized by the law,
    • adverse weather conditions resulting in the closing of schools and/or roads in this or the surrounding counties by the local authorities,
    • an accident in which you are involved coming to work and which you can verify through police records or other satisfactory evidence.

1/4 Point

  • 2 missed clock punch in a pay period

1 Point

  • Tardy
  • Scheduled Absence/Occurrence, no PTO available/used
  • Unscheduled Absence, PTO available and used
  • Late Call-In (in addition to any points assigned due to tardy or unscheduled absence)

The following is designed to provide guidelines when addressing the total number of occurrences in a rolling 12-month period. Occurrences expire twelve (12) months from the date of the incident.

3 Points        Step 1: Verbal Warning

6 Points        Step 2: Written Warning

9 Points        Step 3: Final Written Warning

12 Points      Step 4: Termination


Abuse

Employees who purposely abuse the policy, as determined by management, will be subject to corrective action, up to and including termination. Patterns of absence without justification or medical necessity, such as repeated absences on Mondays or Fridays, will be subject to disciplinary action.

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