Employee Attendance Policy

The following Model Policy will work for all jurisdictions.

  1. POLICY STATEMENT

Reporting to work on time on a regular and consistent basis is an essential responsibility of every ABC Company employee. Where it is necessary to miss work or report late due to illness, injury or other unplanned circumstances, employees must follow the procedures set out in this Policy.

 

  1. DEFINITIONS

For purposes of this Policy:

  • “Absence” means work time missed as a result of medical, personal emergency and other unforeseen and unplanned circumstances, as opposed to vacations, statutory holidays, leaves of absence and other time off to which the employee is entitled under [province] employment standards laws or the terms of their contract and which are governed by separate ABC Company HR policies;
  • “Culpable absences” means those that are not medically or otherwise justified but caused by circumstances within the employee’s power to control and correct;
  • “Nonculpable absences” means those that employees can document are attributable to medical, personal emergency and other justifiable circumstances beyond their power to control and correct.

 

  1. ABSENCE REPORTING PROCEDURES
    • Short Absences

Where the absence is expected to last 1 to 3 days, employees must notify their immediate supervisor as far ahead of normal start time as possible. Where the absence is expected to last 4 or 5 days or employees do not know how long the absence will last, they must notify their immediate supervisor at the start of each absence day to report that they will not come to work that day. Employees who believe they have a work-related illness or injury must complete the ABC Company Injury/Accident Report and submit it to their supervisor as soon as possible.

  • Extended Absences

Where the absence continues for more than 5 consecutive days, employees must notify their immediate supervisor and provide appropriate medical documentation to the ABC Company HR Department that lists:

  • The reason for the absence;
  • A prognosis;
  • An expected return date; and
  • Any work limitations or restrictions that they may be subject to upon returning to work.

 

  1. ACCOMMODATIONS/ATTENDANCE MANAGEMENT/RETURN TO WORK

Upon receiving the above medical documentation, the HR Department and supervisor will, in consultation with the employee and his/her medical provider, make a determination about whether to initiate ABC Company procedures and policies for accommodating employees with long-term absences, including:

  • The ABC Company Accommodations Policy;
  • The ABC Company Attendance Management Program; and/or
  • The ABC Company Return-To-Work Program.

 

  1. MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS

Employees should, whenever possible, schedule medical appointments for non-working hours. If, however, that is not possible and employees need time off for medical appointments, they must give their supervisor as much advance notice as possible to provide maximum time for coverage, work scheduling and assignment changes to be made.

 

  1. DISCIPLINE

Culpable absence is grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination in accordance with the ABC Company Progressive Discipline Policy as is failure to comply with the reporting procedures set out in the Policy regardless of whether the absence is culpable or non-culpable. Non-culpable absences are not grounds for discipline, provided that the employee follows the Policy reporting procedures. ABC Company will also make accommodations for non-culpable absences attributable to disabilities up to the point of undue hardship in accordance with [province] human rights laws and ABC Company policies.