Sample Hourly Employee Attendance Policy

Excellent Attendance Is the Standard Expectation

Worker scanning time clock with his id card
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Having a formal written attendance policy that all employees are privy to is essential for most companies. From the expectation that everyone shows up for work and puts in the required hours to the consequences of not showing up, the ground rules set up by an organization should be understood by all employees. Below you'll find a sample attendance policy that you can adapt to your company.

Attendance

Excellent attendance is an expectation of all employees of XYZ Company. Daily attendance is especially important for hourly employees whose customers and coworkers have the expectation of on-time product shipment and delivery.

Emergency personal time is made available to employees for such unscheduled events as personal illness, immediate family member illness, doctor appointments, or a death in the family.

Emergency Personal Time

Employees accrue 2.15 hours of emergency personal time per pay period. On an annual basis, this is the equivalent of 56 hours. Employees may use emergency personal time up to 56 hours.

If an employee leaves employment at XYZ Company with a negative accrual balance, hours used yet not accrued will be subtracted from an employee’s final paycheck. The emergency personal time that is accrued at the time an employee leaves XYZ Company will not be paid out.

Employees who are using emergency personal time must call and talk to their supervisor as soon as possible, but no later than one hour after the start of their shift. If the supervisor is unavailable, employees may leave a message for the supervisor with a phone number where they can be reached. The supervisor will then return the call. 

Failure to call in on consecutive days will be considered a voluntary resignation from employment at XYZ Company.

The number of minutes and/or hours an employee misses—or is tardy for work, from lunch, or from breaks—will be subtracted from personal time accrued. Tardiness occurs when an employee is not at their workstation (or working) as scheduled.

When an employee misses a punch, the employee should see his or her supervisor immediately. Their time worked will be dealt with as if the employee has just arrived beginning with the moment they report to their supervisor. Time missed will also count as being tardy.

Hourly employees may schedule time off, in advance, for such things as doctor's appointments, classes, household repair appointments, parent-teacher meetings, and religious events and services—as long as the time off does not adversely affect co-workers or customers.

When possible, within one's normal schedule, the employee may make up the time missed during the week in which the time was missed. Employees must have the permission of their supervisor to make up this time. Otherwise, vacation time must be scheduled in advance to cover these events.

No emergency personal hours accrued may be carried over into the next calendar year.

Consequences of Overuse of Emergency Personal Time

The accumulation of 12 tardies in a rolling year (i.e., any consecutive 12 months) is grounds for employment termination. Disciplinary action, that may lead up to and include employment termination, may start when the sixth tardy in a three month period is recorded.

Disciplinary action, up to and including employment termination, will commence, for the overuse of emergency personal time, when 56 hours of absences have been accumulated. The disciplinary action will consist of a written warning for the next eight hours missed, then a three-day suspension without pay for the next eight hours missed, followed by employment termination when an employee has used up any hours over 72.

Attendance Bonus for Hourly Employees

Life events can interfere with work attendance. However, XYZ Company needs employees to use as few emergency personal hours as possible and to avoid tardiness so that XYZ Company can operate the business in an orderly and efficient manner.

Therefore, XYZ Company has established an attendance bonus system to encourage employees to show up for work and be on time.

The attendance bonus system is comprised of the following four components:

  • Each employee who uses no emergency personal time and has no tardies in a calendar week will have their name entered into the monthly attendance drawing. The drawing is held at the monthly all-company staff meeting. For each week the employee had perfect attendance, they are allowed to enter the drawing. Four employees a month, whose names are drawn randomly, will receive $50.00.
  • Each employee who uses no emergency personal time and has no tardies in a calendar quarter will receive a gift from XYZ Company, with an approximate value of $25.00, in appreciation of their attendance and commitment.
  • Every employee who accomplishes the following attendance record in a calendar year is eligible to receive the stated annual bonus after the end of the calendar year.
    • If an employee misses up to 16 hours and has no more than one tardy, the employee will receive 100% of the bonus, or $300.00
    • If an employee misses up to 24 hours and has no more than two tardies, the employee will receive 50% of the bonus, or $150.00
    • If an employee misses more than 24 hours and/or has more than two tardies, the employee will not receive an attendance bonus.
  • Employees who do not use their emergency personal hours will be paid for the unused hours at the rate of 110% of their straight-time pay after the end of the calendar year.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

If you or an immediate family member has a recurring medical condition that results in frequent absences, you may qualify for unpaid leave under the FMLA. Please refer to the separate policy covering FMLA.

Be advised that FMLA time off must be arranged for in advance and does not necessarily relieve an employee from their responsibilities as set forth in this policy.

The Signed Employee Attendance Policy Document

I have read and been informed about the content, requirements, and expectations of the attendance policy for hourly employees at XYZ Company. I have received a copy of the policy and agree to abide by the policy guidelines as a condition of my employment and my continuing employment at Your Company.

I understand that if I have questions at any time regarding the attendance policy, I will consult with my immediate supervisor, a Human Resources staff member, the Plant Manager, or the President of the company.

Please read the policy carefully to ensure that you understand the policy before signing this document.

Employee Signature: _______________________________________

Employee Printed Name: ____________________________________

Date: _________________________