Attendance policy

What is an attendance policy?

An attendance policy is a written set of rules on when employees are expected to work, how they report absences and lateness, how working time is recorded, and what happens when the rules are not followed. It gives managers one standard to apply and gives employees a clear picture of what is expected of them.

A good policy covers everyone in the same way, sits alongside the leave and absence management rules, and complies with employment law in every country where the company has staff.

What to include in an employee attendance policy

Types of attendance policies

• Points-based policy. Each unplanned absence or late arrival adds points, and points trigger set steps. It is transparent and easy to apply, but it must exclude protected absences.
• No-fault policy. Absences are counted regardless of the reason, apart from protected leave. It reduces debates about which excuses are acceptable, but can feel harsh if applied mechanically.
• Progressive discipline policy. Repeated issues lead to escalating responses: a conversation, a verbal warning, a written warning and, finally, a formal hearing.
• Flexible or hybrid policy. Focuses on availability during core hours and on agreed office days rather than fixed start times.

Handling absences fairly

Most attendance issues are solved before any formal step. A short return-to-work conversation after each absence shows the employee their absence was noticed, gives them a chance to raise a health or personal issue, and creates a record if a pattern emerges.

In the UK many employers use the Bradford Factor to spot frequent short absences, which disrupt work more than one long absence. It is calculated as B = S² × D, where S is the number of separate absences and D is the total days absent over a rolling period, usually 52 weeks. Two employees with 10 days off each score very differently: one absence of 10 days gives 10, while five separate absences of two days give 250. The score should prompt a conversation, not an automatic sanction.

Measuring absenteeism

The absenteeism rate shows how much scheduled working time is lost to absence: days of unplanned absence ÷ total scheduled working days × 100. A team of 20 people with 22 working days in a month has 440 scheduled days; 18 days of absence gives a rate of 4.1%. Track it by team and by month, and look at short-term and long-term absence separately, because they have different causes.

Legal considerations

An attendance policy cannot override employment law. In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 means employers should consider reasonable adjustments, such as discounting some disability-related absence, before taking action, and employees off sick may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay. In the US, absences protected by the Family and Medical Leave Act or covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act cannot be counted against the employee. Statutory leave such as maternity, paternity, jury service and annual leave never counts as an attendance breach anywhere.

How PeopleForce supports your attendance policy

In Time, you set up attendance policies by location and exclude specific people where needed. For each policy you define clock-in and clock-out tolerance before and after the scheduled time, breaks with minimum and maximum duration, special hours and overtime types, and who approves time records.

Leave and sickness are handled through leave policies in Core HR, so attendance records and approved absences sit in one place when you review a pattern or prepare payroll.

FAQ

What is a good attendance policy?

One that is written down, applied consistently, explains how to report absence, separates protected leave from unplanned absence, and starts with a conversation before moving to formal steps.

What is a points-based attendance policy?

A system where each unplanned absence, late arrival or early departure adds a set number of points. Reaching a threshold triggers the next step, such as a conversation or a written warning. Points usually expire after a set period.

Can an employee be dismissed for poor attendance?

Yes, but only after a fair process: clear rules, warnings, a chance to improve and consideration of any health condition or protected reason behind the absences. Skipping those steps exposes the employer to unfair dismissal or discrimination claims.

Does sick leave count against attendance?

It depends on the policy and the law. Legally protected absences, including many disability-related absences, should not count. Ordinary short-term sickness can be monitored, but the focus should be on support and patterns rather than single days.