Glossary
What is the Absenteeism policy?
Apr 5, 2024

As a business manager, you are responsible for the smooth running of your company. That is why you need to implement clear company policies, including an absenteeism policy.

Formal employee tardiness and absenteeism policy explain the rules that employees must follow regarding absences from work. It will also state what happens when someone doesn't follow those rules.

The purpose of an absenteeism policy is to keep absenteeism down and ensure that time off from work is taken responsibly by employees.

How to build an absenteeism policy?

A good policy for absenteeism should define what constitutes a reasonable amount of sick leave, as well as the consequences of abusing that policy. It should also include clear guidelines for what constitutes acceptable reasons for missing work and what does not.

It’s important to note that some states require employers to offer paid leave benefits regardless of whether they are written into employee contracts; however, most employers do offer some form of paid leave package.

Why does your company need an absenteeism policy?

Absenteeism is a serious problem for the company. It can affect your business in multiple ways, but the most obvious is that it results in lost time and productivity. When employees are away from work, it means that they're not working at all. This means their absence will certainly have an effect on the overall productivity of your organization.  If you have enough people out sick, it could even result in layoffs or cutbacks if you can't make up those lost hours by hiring more workers or paying overtime.

To prevent these outcomes, you need to establish an absenteeism policy and procedure for employees and make sure all know about it before any problems arise. In addition to helping keep your employees healthy and happy (which may improve overall morale), this type of policy can also help reduce costs associated with absenteeism by ensuring that no one is abusing their eligibility for paid time off or taking advantage of other benefits offered through the company's leave policies (like FMLA).

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