How to create an attendance policy

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If you scan any discussion board about attendance or tardiness, you will quickly see that you are not alone. At some point, every manager battles the issue of attendance and ponders how to update their employee handbook. Some create a 4-page document to detail every scenario they can think of, whereas others are so rigid they border running afoul of the law. The challenge is to position your policy somewhere between “just show up to work on time,” and “it doesn’t matter why you were absent; you’re fired.” To accomplish this feat, there are some key areas to consider: Assess what is causing the issue, know the laws, know what should be in the policy, and be creative based on your workplace culture.

Why can’t they show up to work?

This may be your question during that moment of frustration when you hear that someone called off work or is late yet again. Do you ever consider the root cause? It is worth the time to delve into the root cause, both to work with individuals to resolve the issue and to check on the culture of the practice. Numerous factors can contribute to people being absent or tardy at work. These reasons can be broadly categorized into personal (eg, family obligations), health-related, work-related (eg, job dissatisfaction, burnout, conflict), and external factors (eg, traffic, commute, weather disruptions).

It is also important that management examine its role in the issue. Things like bullying or allowing conflicts to go unchecked can lead to tardiness or absenteeism. Management must take steps to address these issues and hold the team to an attendance policy—one that establishes clear guidelines and expectations for attendance, punctuality, and time-off requests.

How to start your policy

Before crafting your policy, be aware of legal requirements, including the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), state and local laws, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, and Equal Employment Opportunity laws. Next, use the following outline to define expectations and guidelines in your policy:

• Clearly state the importance of punctuality and management’s expectations.
• Specify the expected work hours, start and end times, and meal and break periods.
• Clarify to whom the policy applies (ie, everyone, full-time, part-time).
• Explain the recordkeeping system, notification process, and how to make requests for time off and for accommodations.
• Outline the consequences.
• Be specific; don’t just say “excessive absences”—state exactly how many is too many. The same goes for tardiness: Is 5 or 15 minutes late for a shift considered tardy?

It’s also a good practice to periodically review and update the policy to ensure it remains aligned with changing laws, regulations, and organizational needs.

How to craft your recordkeeping system

The goal of your policy is to minimize absenteeism and tardiness, be manageable, and be consistently enforced. There are many possibilities when it comes to crafting a policy, including the following:

The points system

• Points are assigned for missing work. Determine the different infractions you want to list (eg, late for shift, call off, no call off/no show).
• Determine how many infractions are too many and in what time frame.
• Be careful to avoid assigning points regardless of the reason (eg, medical, disability, sick leave).
• Determine the reset period.
• Here’s an example from Amazon:¹
  • 1 point: Employee misses part of a shift
  • 2 points: Employee misses an entire shift without calling out at least 16 hours beforehand
  • 2 more points: Employee misses an entire shift without calling out at least 2 hours beforehand
  • Points expire 2 months after the date they are assigned. If an employee receives 3 absence infractions and 8 points within a 2-month period, Amazon will consider firing them.

A rolling attendance system

• This type of policy records attendance infractions on a rolling time period (3-month, 6-month, or 12-month period). Employees are required to maintain a certain level of attendance over a specified time frame while also allowing for occasional absences. After the specified period ends, the record is cleared (eg, clear only the oldest infractions).
• The policy should state what the infractions are and how many will trigger disciplinary action. For example, “Accumulating 4 infractions in a rolling 3-month time frame will result in…” or “On the first of every month, any infractions received 90 days prior will be removed as part of the rolling 3-month time frame.”
• Another example may reset the calculations, such as, “Accumulating 12 infractions in a 12-month period will result in…” or “Every January 1, any infractions accumulated in the prior 12-month time period will be removed, and the calculation will start over for the next 12 months.”

The no-fault policy

• A set number of unplanned absences and tardiness incidences are allowed without requiring a specific reason.
• The employee is still required to notify their supervisor in advance.
• This type of policy seeks to respect personal privacy if the employee does not want to disclose the reason for the absence.

Note that your policy should be customized to meet your practice’s specific needs and goals.

Don’t ignore the power of recognition and rewards

The other half of attendance policies that is not often heard of is rewards. Why not reward the excellent attendance behavior you want? Excluding emergencies and those covered by FMLA or ADA, reward those not having any attendance infractions, be it every month, quarter, and/or year. Either enter those names with no infractions into a drawing for a bonus or gift card or give all those with zero attendance infractions a gift card, bonus, or additional hours of paid time off.

The goal of an attendance policy is to establish clear expectations and guidelines regarding attendance and punctuality. Whether your policy is lenient or strict, a well-communicated and consistently enforced attendance policy can contribute to the team’s success in delivering exceptional client service and patient care.

Reference

1. Anderson G. What is an attendance point system? Examples and template. Workforce.com. March 24, 2023. Accessed August 12, 2024. https://workforce.com/news/what-is-an-attendance-point-system-examples-and-template