Section: Human Resources

Subject: Absenteeism and Tardiness

Approved by: Eddie Faircloth

Effective Date: 19 October 2000

Last Reviewed Date: 19 October 2000

Policy Owner: Director of Human Resources

Policy #

Scope: All Employees

Regular attendance is a condition of employment and each employee is expected to be present for all scheduled hours of work except for reasons beyond their control which are excused or authorized by the supervisor and fall within acceptable standards. Excessive or unjustified absences or tardiness may result in loss of pay for the time in question and becomes a matter for corrective or disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

• The employee is responsible for prompt and regular attendance, and the Company is responsible for administering a consistent and reasonable policy.
  1. Proper notification of the reason for absence or tardiness requires the employee to request authorization from the supervisor as far in advance as possible.
  2. Any employee who is absent for three (3) successive days without notifying the Company and without a justifiable reason for their absence may be terminated as having voluntarily resigned.

1. Failure to notify the Manager will cause the absence or tardiness to be charged as unexcused. Notification without a justifiable reason will not necessarily excuse the absence or tardiness.

Procedure #

1. The following definitions are included to provide general guidelines as to what will be considered normally excusable reasons for, and acceptable limitations of, tardiness and absence.
2. Normally Acceptable Reasons
   • Personal Illness: Those illnesses (i.e. flu, pneumonia, etc.) which are, in fact, disabling. Simple colds are normally not disabling.
   • Personal Business: Those situations, which are beyond the employee’s control to handle outside working hours. A supervisor should expect the employee to provide a reasonable explanation for the absence.
   • Family Illness and Death: Any emergency illness, or death, in the immediate family, which requires the assistance or presence of the employee.
   • Tardiness: All tardiness, as with absence, should be a matter of record. However, there can be extenuating circumstances, which result in tardiness being excusable within acceptable limits.
3. For an individual, an attendance record can be measured only on frequency of absence, reasons for absence and the total time lost. While a certain amount of absenteeism may be unavoidable, it is expected that this “certain amount” be an absolute minimum. Therefore, the Massey attendance standard is “zero absenteeism” or attendance as close to the perfect mark as possible.
   1. Excessive Absenteeism
      1. Employees in the probationary period may be considered as having a record of excessive absenteeism in the first six (6) months of employment:
         1. Upon the first occasion of unexcused absence, or
         2. If they are otherwise absent for as many as three (3) days for any reason within the probationary period.
      2. Regular Full-time Employees are considered as having a record of excessive absenteeism:
         1. Upon any occasion of unexcused absence, or
         2. If they are otherwise absent for as many as four (4) days in a six (6) months, or eight (8) days in a twelve (12) month period.
      3. NOTE: Control and correction of excessive absenteeism is to be handled as outlined in D (next page).
         1. It is recognized that legitimate circumstances may arise which result in acceptable long-term absences. Consideration for such cases is provided in accordance with Policy, “Absence with Pay” (see Company Benefits section).
4. Control and Correction
   • Supervisors are directly responsible for maintaining good attendance in their respective department and correcting problem cases. This responsibility includes maintaining attendance records, counseling employees who are experiencing difficulties in attendance and, when necessary, recommending corrective action or productive discipline for employees whose records become excessive.
   • Absenteeism in Probationary Period. When a probationary employee becomes excessive in his/her absenteeism, the following action is recommended.
     • Hold a conference with the employee to explain the excessive record of absenteeism and warn that any future absences may result in discharge. The conference should be documented in writing for the employee’s personal file.
     • Next Occurrence: When a probationary employee has further absenteeism after being warned of corrective action, termination is advised.
   • Absenteeism/Regular Employee: When a regular employee becomes excessive in his/her absenteeism, the following action is advised:
     • Hold a conference with the employee to explain the excessive record of absenteeism and warn that any future absences may result in corrective action. The conference should be documented in writing for the employee’s personnel file.
     • Next Occurrence: Issue a written warning that the employee has exceeded acceptable attendance standards and any future absences may result in further disciplinary action up to, and including, termination.

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