BROCKTON AREA MULTI-SERVICES, INC. ORGANIZATION AND POLICY GUIDE

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1 Page 1 of 7 PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to establish a consistent, objective method of managing employee attendance to assure the quality of service delivery and to create a safe, operationally efficient, and fully staffed work environment. SCOPE: This policy applies to all employees. OVERVIEW: This policy is established to give guidance to employees and supervisors regarding appropriate attendance standards and to discourage excessive absenteeism, lateness, or early departure, which affect the quality of care, decrease productivity, place unfair demands on supervisors and coworkers, and create unnecessary financial strain on the agency. POLICY: It is the policy of BAMSI to require satisfactory and consistent employee attendance as an essential condition of employment, and to address unacceptable unplanned absences, lateness, and departures, unexcused absences, and other attendance issues. DEFINITIONS: Attendance includes an employee s record of unplanned absences, unexcused absences, unplanned lateness, unplanned early departures, or other conformance to the work schedule.

2 Page 2 of 7 Unplanned absences are absences that have not been approved in advance by the employee s supervisor. They may be attributed to the onset of personal illness, family and domestic emergencies, an ill dependent, bereavement, urgent medical appointments, or other situations that could not be anticipated and avoided by the employee. Unacceptable unplanned absenteeism is that which exceeds the upper limit of acceptable unplanned absenteeism as defined in this policy. Unplanned absences in excess of this limit must be reviewed by the employee s supervisor and may result in progressive disciplinary action. Lateness is failing to arrive at the employee s assigned work station and engage in work at the designated start or resumption of a shift. Unplanned lateness is lateness that has not been approved in advance by the employee s supervisor. It may be attributed to the onset of personal illness, family and domestic emergencies, an ill dependent, bereavement, urgent medical appointments, or other situations that could not be anticipated and avoided by the employee. Unacceptable unplanned lateness is lateness that exceeds the upper limit of acceptable lateness as defined in this policy. Unplanned lateness in excess of this limit must be reviewed by the employee s supervisor and may result in progressive disciplinary action. Early departure is leaving work before the end of the employee s shift or before the beginning of a scheduled break or meal period, as applicable. Unplanned early departure is one that is not arranged with and approved by the employee s supervisor in advance. It may be attributed to the onset of personal illness, family and domestic emergencies, an ill dependent, bereavement, urgent medical appointments, or other situations that could not be anticipated and avoided by the employee. Unacceptable unplanned early departure is early departure that exceeds the upper limit of acceptable early departure as defined in this policy. Unplanned early departure in excess of this

3 Page 3 of 7 limit must be reviewed by the employee s supervisor and may result in progressive disciplinary action. PROCEDURE: Absences: Regular employee attendance is an essential condition of employment. BAMSI views a standard of three percent (3%) of scheduled shifts on an annualized basis as the upper limit of acceptable rate of unplanned absenteeism. Examples of 3% of unplanned absenteeism Employee s Scheduled Hours Number of unacceptable unplanned absences Five shift per week employee (using a 260-day work year) Four shift per week employee (using a 208-day work year) Three shift per week employee (using a 156-day work year) Two shift per week employee (using a 104-day work year) One shift per week employee (using a 52-day work year) Eight (8) or more unplanned absences would Seven (7) or more unplanned absences would Five (5) or more unplanned absences would Four (4) or more unplanned absences would Two (2) or more unplanned absences would

4 Page 4 of 7 Unplanned absences occurring over consecutive days and shifts may be considered one absence if they result from the same reason and are reported by the employee on the initial report of absence. Unplanned absences that are reported individually on a daily basis shall be considered individual and separate absences. Attendance review shall also take into consideration unacceptable patterns of absences, which may also be the basis for disciplinary action, including such patterns as: 1. absences occurring before or after a weekend or scheduled day off 2. absences occurring during a scheduled weekend shift 3. absences occurring before or after a holiday, or on a holiday that an employee is scheduled to work Employees must report unplanned absences to their supervisor according to the reporting protocol at the specific location as early as possible, but in all cases by the beginning of the employee s shift. Absences may not be reported by family members or other persons unless the employee is unable to report the absence himself or herself because of an extreme emergency. Notification of absences may not be made to other employees or left on answering machines at residential programs. Lateness and/or Early Departure: BAMSI employees are required to arrive on time, adhere to scheduled hours, inform their supervisor of their whereabouts, and give as much notice as possible when taking time off, as specified in the Code of Ethics. BAMSI considers a standard of five percent (5%) of scheduled shifts on an annualized basis as the upper limit of an acceptable rate of combined lateness and early departures.

5 Page 5 of 7 Examples of 5% of combined lateness and early departures Employee s Scheduled Hours Number of unacceptable combined lateness and/or early departures Five shift per week employee Thirteen (13) late arrivals and/or early (using a 260-day work year) departures represent more than 5% of that Four shift per week employee (using a 208-day work year) Three shift per week employee (using a 156-day work year) Two shift per week employee (using a 104-day work year) One shift per week employee (using a 52-day work year) employee s Eleven (11) late arrivals and/or early departures represent more than 5% of that employee s Eight (8) late arrivals and/or early departures represent more than 5% of that employee s Six (6) late arrivals and/or early departures represent more than 5% of that employee s Three (3) late arrivals and/or early departures represent more than 5% of that employee s Unplanned lateness or unplanned early departures must be reported to the employee s supervisor according to the reporting protocol in effect at the specific location as early as possible, but in all cases by the beginning of the employee s shift (lateness) or prior to the time the employee leaves (early departure). Lateness or early departure may not be reported by family members or any other persons. Notification of lateness or early departure may not be made to other employees or left on answering machines at residential programs.

6 Page 6 of 7 Unexcused Absences: Unexcused absences are those for which the employee has an unacceptable reason for the absence or for which the employee failed to notify the supervisor as early as possible or, at the latest, by the beginning of his or her shift. Unacceptable reasons for an absence include, but are not limited to, arrest or incarceration, working at another job, and/or taking vacation, personal time off, or discretionary sick leave without receiving an approved Request for Time Off form. Unexcused absences constitute unacceptable conduct and cause the employee to be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment, on an individual event basis. Miscellaneous: Each employee s record of attendance shall be reviewed annually as part of the employee s performance evaluation, or more frequently as the situation requires, to determine compliance with the attendance standards articulated above. Excessive absences, lateness, early departure, or unacceptable absence patterns must be reviewed as part of formal supervision. Supervisors must document the attendance concerns discussed during the supervision meeting and any appropriate follow-up action necessary (see policy Plan for Staff Supervision and Problem Resolution ). Once unacceptable unplanned absenteeism, lateness, early departure, or an unacceptable pattern of absence is addressed in formal supervision, continued unplanned absence, lateness, early departure in excess of the standards, or unacceptable absence patterns shall be addressed by a verbal warning and proceeding, as needed, progressively through a written reprimand, an unpaid suspension, and finally termination of employment, consistent with the agency s progressive disciplinary policy (see Policy on Progressive Disciplinary Action ). Managers are advised to consult with their supervisor or the Human Resources Department for guidance and/or assistance if necessary.

7 Page 7 of 7 An employee s record of unacceptable absences, lateness, early departure, an unacceptable pattern of absenteeism, and/or any resulting disciplinary action may be evaluated in considering an employee s application for a position transfer or promotion and may be a basis for the rejection of such application. Likewise, a positive attendance record will be considered an asset when being considered for promotion or transfer. Absences during an approved Family Medical Leave of Absence or which have been approved as a reasonable accommodation for a disability may be excluded from the calculation of unplanned absences, lateness, or early departure. Please contact the Human Resources Department for more information. During the formal supervision and disciplinary process, employees should be made aware that continued unacceptable absenteeism, lateness, early departure, or unacceptable absence patterns may result in additional disciplinary action, including possible termination of their employment. Evaluating attendance, lateness, early departure, or unacceptable absence patterns is a separate process from accrual, approval, and utilization of various paid time off benefits. The use of each of these benefits is governed by the applicable policy or collective bargaining agreement. Having a balance of benefit time or exhausting such benefits is not a factor in evaluating attendance, lateness, or early departure.