TITLE:
ABSENTEEISM POLICY
POLICY 3.35 Rev. September 2023
PURPOSE AND SCOPE: This policy outlines Kokua’s expectations regarding absenteeism. Kokua’s absenteeism policy outlines the various requirements for effective employee attendance in hourly shifts. The purpose is to: Establish a fair and effective policy for employees Proactively manage employee attendance, absence and tardiness. Minimize absenteeism. Promote high quality of client services and healthy work-life balance for all employees. Please note: “Timeliness” is indispensable to hourly shifts. “Tardy” behavior (coming late, taking longer breaks or signing out early without approval) and other absences impact client services and safety. This policy details various measures to counter such violations, including expected employee behavior and agency disciplinary steps. See also Kokua Policy 3.3. This policy adheres to the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act, Washington State Family Leave Act, Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, Initiative 1433 and all Labor and Industry standards. A. Employee Attendance Kokua believes in providing a fair policy, one that considers life circumstances and creates parameters to follow in order to ensure a good work experience for its employees. All employees are entitled to the following: 1. Personal time off – this includes scheduled days off as well as use of Paid Time Off. 2. Emergency personal time – this includes sudden or unexpected events such as illness, medical and legal appointments, accident, death and other unavoidable emergencies. Employees must have earned paid time off in order to use PTO for such absences. Please see policy 3.3 regarding PTO accrual and carryover year-to-year. Employees requiring more than three (3) consecutive shifts off for medical reasons need to produce a note/letter from a medical professional excusing this absence. Medical notes act as both verification of need as well as proof of fitness to return to work. 3. Compassionate leave – Employee absence due to serious accident or medical emergencies, wherein the employee is unable to report immediately. Note: The following will not fall under excused time off: