301. Attendance and Punctuality
Statement
The University depends on employees to report to work regularly and on time. It is the responsibility of employees to notify their supervisor of any expected leaves, absences, or tardiness. In the event of an unexpected absence it is the responsibility of the employee to stay in contact with the supervisor. Departments are responsible for establishing call-in or lateness procedures, to meet operational needs.
Procedure
Absence Notification
Employees are required to notify their immediate supervisor of absences:
- Scheduled Absences
An employee must request supervisory approval in advance when an absence is expected for a full day or part of a day. This includes all planned absences including scheduled health maintenance or medical procedures and vacations. Departmental notification procedures should be followed. - Unscheduled Absences
When advance notice is not possible (because of sudden illness or emergency), the employee must notify the immediate supervisor on the first day of absence. The employee should provide the reason for the absence, the expected return date, and respond to any reasonable questions asked by the supervisor. Departmental call-in procedures should be followed. - Subsequent Notification
An employee who is absent (without prior approval) for more than one day must contact the immediate supervisor daily to report the status of the absence. The supervisor may waive this requirement or designate another contact person for absence reporting.
Absence Without Notification
Employees who do not notify their supervisor of unscheduled absences may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. More than three consecutive workdays absence without notice is considered job abandonment. The department may terminate the employee at the close of business on the third day. Job abandonment is treated as a voluntary resignation.
Lateness Notification
Employees must follow department call-in procedures to notify the department of the reason for lateness and expected arrival time. Excessive unexcused tardiness may be cause for discipline.
Recording Absences
All absences must be recorded and reported:
- Paid leave will be used for all approved paid leave (vacations, scheduled medical procedures, health maintenance, etc.) whether scheduled or unscheduled.
- Leave without pay will be used when an employee has no paid leave available to cover an absence or when an employee’s request for vacation or sick leave is not approved.
- Employees who do not have available paid leave will not be paid.
Recording Lateness
Departments may allow non-exempt employees to make up time, permit the employee to use available paid leave, or deduct pay for time missed due to lateness. Time reported should reflect the lateness accordingly:
- Employees who are allowed to make the time up will record actual hours worked.
- Employees who are allowed to use available paid leave will charge the time to the appropriate paid leave category (e.g., vacation, sick).
- Employees who do not have available appropriate paid leave will not be paid.
Responsibility
Individual departments are responsible for establishing protocols for absence notification. It is the responsibility of supervisors and employees to comply with the guidelines in this policy.
Resource
Contact Human Resources if you have questions or if you would like more information about this policy. See also Vacation (612), Sick Leave (613), and other paid or unpaid leave policies.
Policy Approved: October 23, 1998
Last Updated: October 28, 1998
Last Reviewed: June 30 2022
Maintainer: Human Resources