Approver(s): Eric Jensen Date Approved: 10/04/2016

Transcription

1 Document Owner: Kathryn Rothberg Department: Human Resources Date Created: 03/04/2013 Approver(s): Eric Jensen Date Approved: 10/04/2016 Affected Department(s): Human Resources Version: 2 PURPOSE To establish guidelines for attendance, punctuality and overall dependability. Dependability is essential to maintain individual employee performance and productivity, to ensure smooth daily operations, and to provide quality and safe patient care. The essential components of satisfactory dependability include punctuality for the start of work, appropriate and timely breaks and meal periods, not leaving work early, appropriate recording of time worked, and timely notification of absences. Dependability also demonstrates respect and consideration for co-workers, management, providers, customers, and the organization. POLICY Regular and timely attendance is an essential function of each employee s job and a condition of employment. EvergreenHealth Monroe (EHM) expects all employees to report to work punctually and to work all scheduled hours, including any required overtime. Employees will be paid for all time worked, even if subject to corrective action based on this policy. TARDINESS DEFINITIONS Tardiness/Lateness: A non-exempt (hourly) employee who does not clock in and out by swiping his/her EHM badge on time (regardless of whether it falls within the seven (7) minute electronic timekeeping (Kronos) system "window") and/or fails to be at his/her assigned work area performing his/her job functions at the designated time. An employee may be considered tardy any time he/she is not at his/her work station at the beginning of a work shift or is late returning from breaks or meal periods. An exempt employee may also be considered tardy if he/she is not at his/her work station at the beginning of his/her core hours as determined by his/her manager. Page 1 of 6 Expiration Date: 10/03/2019

2 Scheduled Tardiness: Late arrivals or returns to the work site that are requested, scheduled and pre-approved by the manager at least one day in advance. Unscheduled Tardiness: Late arrivals or returns to the work site that are not requested, scheduled and pre-approved by the manager at least one day in advance. TARDINESS GUIDELINES Counting Incidents of Tardiness: Formal corrective action may begin when an employee has three (3) incidents of unscheduled tardiness in less than six (6) months. Tardiness incidents are counted on a rolling six (6) month calendar basis. This means that as long as an employee is not in the formal corrective action process for tardiness yet, only the tardy incidents occurring during the six (6) months preceding the most recent incident are considered when assessing an employee s dependability record. However, once an employee is placed in formal corrective action for tardiness (i.e., has at least three (3) tardy incidents and has received at least a Verbal Warning from his/her manager), each additional tardy incident will result in further corrective action, up to and including termination, as long as any tardy incidents have occurred within the last six (6) months. Making up Time by Working beyond the Shift: A tardy employee is not allowed to make up his/her time by working beyond his/her scheduled hours unless the manager deems it necessary to meet departmental needs. The record of tardiness remains whether or not the employee makes up the tardy time at the end of the shift. Employees will be paid for all time worked. ABSENCE OCCURRENCE DEFINITIONS Absence Occurrence: Being absent from the work site when scheduled, for either an entire or partial day, regardless of the reason. An occurrence is defined as a single continuous period of absence from work. For example, an absence of one (1) work day is an occurrence, while an absence of four (4) consecutive work days is also one (1) occurrence. Two (2) partial days will count as one occurrence. In order for a shift to be counted as a partial shift, an employee must work at least half his/her assigned shift. If less than one-half (1/2) an assigned shift is worked, it will count as a full day's absence. Scheduled Absence Occurrence: Absence that is requested, scheduled and pre-approved by the manager at least one (1) day in advance, including vacation, holidays, personal holidays and pre-scheduled sick time for medical appointments or treatments. Employees are Page 2 of 6 Expiration Date: 10/03/2019

3 expected to attempt to schedule medical appointments outside of work time or with as little impact to work time as possible. Unscheduled Absence Occurrence: Absence that is not requested, scheduled and preapproved by the manager at least one (1) day in advance. These absences may be counted towards corrective action. See Verification of Illness or Injury section below for details regarding medical documentation. Protected Absence Occurrence: Employees who are eligible to be absent from work under State and Federal laws will not have absences or tardiness related to the approved leave counted towards corrective action for attendance. Specifically, the following absences protected by State or Federal laws or contractual obligations should not be counted towards corrective action: 1. Absences protected by the Washington Family Care Act (FCA) if the employee has accrued and available paid leave. 2. Absences protected by Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). 3. Absences protected by Washington Maternity Disability. 4. Absences protected by Workers Compensation laws. 5. Any other absences protected by State or Federal leave laws or contractual obligations. Job Abandonment (i.e., no call, no show ): Absences occurring when an employee does not properly notify the manager and subsequently does not report for work. In such cases, an employee may be subject to an advanced level of corrective action. Any employee who is absent two (2) consecutive scheduled days without notifying his/her manager is deemed to have abandoned his/her job and to have resigned without giving proper notice. Similarly, an employee who verbally states a resignation and then leaves EHM without management approval is deemed to have abandoned his/her job and to have resigned without giving proper notice. ABSENCE OCCURRENCE GUIDELINES Counting Incidents of Absence Occurrences: Formal corrective action may begin when an employee has three (3) unscheduled absence occurrences in less than six (6) months. Unscheduled absence occurrences are counted on a rolling six (6) month calendar basis. Page 3 of 6 Expiration Date: 10/03/2019

4 This means that as long as an employee is not in the formal corrective action process for unscheduled absence occurrences yet, only the unscheduled absence occurrences during the six (6) months preceding the most recent incident are considered when assessing an employee's dependability record. However, once an employee is placed in formal corrective action for unscheduled absence occurrences (i.e., has at least three (3) unscheduled absence occurrences and has received at least a Verbal Warning from his/her manager), each additional occurrence will result in further corrective action, up to and including termination, as long as any unscheduled absence occurrences have occurred within the last six (6) months. NOTIFICATION OF TARDINESS AND ABSENCES Every employee must contact his/her manager and follow hospital and department notification policies. For anticipated absence or tardiness, employees must obtain manager approval at least one (1) day in advance. To schedule consecutive days off, the employee is expected to submit his/her request a minimum of two weeks in advance, whenever possible. EMPLOYEES' RESPONSIBILITY TO CLOCK IN/OUT An employee who habitually fails to clock in or out at his/her work area at the beginning and end of the shift, who repeatedly fails to enter special codes (such as charge, lead, callback, etc.) correctly, or who participates in any unauthorized use of the badge scanner, is subject to corrective action. An employee is expected to clock in and out at the badge reader closest to his/her work area. CLOCKING GUIDELINES Counting Incidents of Missed Clockings: Formal corrective action may begin when an employee has three (3) incidents of missed clockings in less than six (6) months. A missed clocking is defined as a failure to clock in at the beginning of a shift or to clock out at the end of a shift. Missed clockings are counted on a rolling six (6) month calendar basis. This means that as long as an employee is not in the formal corrective action process for missed clockings yet, only the missed clocking incidents occurring during the six (6) months preceding the most recent incident are considered when assessing an employee s dependability record. However, once an employee is placed in formal corrective action for missed clockings (i.e., has at least three (3) missed clocking incidents and has received at least a Verbal Warning from his/her manager), each additional missed clocking incident will Page 4 of 6 Expiration Date: 10/03/2019

5 result in further corrective action, up to and including termination, as long as any missed clocking incidents have occurred within the last six (6) months. Requesting a Correction for a Missed Clocking: An employee who misses a clocking must notify his/her supervisor as soon as possible, and use the Kronos system to request a missed clocking correction. (A reason must be added to the Requested Reason field when submitting a missed clocking correction request.) The record of a missed clocking remains even if the employee corrects the missed clocking. Employees will be paid for all time worked. PATTERNS AND TRENDS Patterns and trends in employee absences and/or tardiness are additional factors that will be considered in determining if unscheduled absences, tardy incidents, or improper badge swiping should result in corrective action. Examples include: 1. Repeatedly absent the day before and/or after regularly scheduled days off. 2. Repeatedly absent the day before and/or after a holiday or vacation. 3. A pattern of being absent or tardy on particular days of the month or week. 4. Repeatedly missing full shifts for medical appointments that could be scheduled outside of work time or do not require a missed full shift. 5. Unscheduled absences at the same time/rate that sick leave accrues. 6. Habitual tardiness to work or returning from break. 7. Repeatedly leaving work early. 8. clocking in or out at a location other than their designated work area. 9. Frequently clocking in more than seven (7) minutes prior to the start of their assigned shift or out more than seven (7) minutes after the end of their assigned shift. 10. Repeatedly failing to enter special codes appropriately when clocking in or out. 11. Repeatedly forgetting ID badge. 12. Other combinations of absences, tardiness, leaving early, or not maintaining work schedule. VERIFICATION OF ILLNESS OR INJURY An employee s manager, Human Resources, and/or Employee Health may request a medical note to verify that an employee s absence was due to illness or injury and may request medical information on an employee s ability to return to work and whether he/she has any work restrictions. This may also be done when an employee has a history of dependability Page 5 of 6 Expiration Date: 10/03/2019

6 issues or if a particular absence occurrence appears suspicious. A medical note may also be requested to verify an employee s absence was due to a family illness. (For an absence exceeding three (3) consecutive work shifts, an employee must submit appropriate paperwork and medical documentation to Human Resources for an official leave of absence.) MANAGER GUIDELINES 1. Apply this Dependability policy to all departmental employees in a consistent and nondiscriminatory fashion by establishing and communicating notification procedures for their departments. 2. Contact Human Resources with questions related to interpreting and implementing the policy. 3. Address dependability in annual employee performance evaluations (See attachment below). EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Follow hospital and department notification policies for absences and tardiness. 2. Provide appropriate documentation for absences due to illness or injury of employee or family member. 3. Notify manager as soon as possible when the employee knows he/she will be absent from work or late arriving for work. The employee should also communicate the cause and length of the absence. This may include making daily contact with the employee s manager during a period of absence, unless the manager explicitly instructs the employee otherwise. 4. Record all time worked appropriately in the Kronos system and sign off on electronic timecard by the end of each pay period. RELATED POLICIES Time Clock Employee Leave Employee Injury and Illness Reporting Page 6 of 6 Expiration Date: 10/03/2019