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Reduce Absences Through a No-Fault Attendance Policy

03/07/07

“My dog was sick and I had to take him to the vet.”

“I had a flat tire.”

“My alarm clock broke.”

Tired of hearing excuses like these when people come in late for work—or don’t come in at all? A no-fault system that uses points to track unscheduled absences could make such excuses history at your company.

While you’ll need to create a policy that reflects your corporate culture and other unique factors, here’s how a typical no-fault system using points looks:

  • Unscheduled absence: 1 point
  • Unscheduled absence, with no call to supervisor: 2 points

  • Unscheduled late arrival or early departure: 1/2 point


    • Accumulating 5 points results in a verbal warning or counseling session; 6 and 7 points in written warnings, and 8 points in termination. Some programs are less stringent, others more so.

    Keys to Success
    Structuring a program that both reduces unscheduled absences and is considered fair by the workforce requires careful thought. To get buy-in, create a committee that includes representatives from all quarters of the company. Considerations include:

    How you define an unscheduled absence? List the kinds of absences subject to, and not subject to, the policy. Exempt absences usually include vacation, jury or military duty, planned absences that have been approved, bereavement, and so forth. Illnesses are counted as unscheduled absences, but they are usually assigned only one point even if the employee misses a number of days.

    Note: You can’t count FMLA absences in a no-fault system that may result in discipline. Have your employment attorney guide you if necessary.

    How many points to assign the different types of absences?

    How many points result in which disciplinary procedure?

    Who employees must report absences to and by when?

    When to wipe the slate clean? Some companies erase points at the start of each fiscal year, some remove all points if you have perfect attendance for six months, and some take off a point for each quarter an employee has zero unscheduled absences.