College of Arts & Sciences
Attendance Expectations & Absence Notification Procedures

Prompt, dependable attendance is an important job function for all members of the staff. All staff members are expected to report for work every workday unless prior approval for annual leave has been obtained or the employee is sick. Planned absences, such as vacations, are to be scheduled as far in advance as possible. Unplanned absences and tardiness may negatively impact office operations and must be kept to an absolute minimum.

Requesting Scheduled Absences

Planned absences must be requested and approved in advance. An employee is expected to notify the supervisor promptly when the leave is known in advance. For leaves of one or two days the leave request should be made a minimum of 48 hours in advance. For longer leaves the request should be made at least one week in advance.

Reporting Unscheduled Absences

Unplanned absences can be very disruptive. In the case of sudden illness or other personal emergencies, the employee is expected to immediately notify his/her supervisor regarding the reason for the absence and the anticipated return-to-work date. Unscheduled, non-medical absences may or may not be approved retroactively at the supervisor's discretion. In the case of illness the supervisor may require the employee to provide written verification from a medical professional.

Reporting Tardiness

An employee is expected to notify his/her supervisor as far in advance as possible of any anticipated tardiness. If unforeseen circumstances result in tardiness of 30 minutes or more, the employee should call the supervisor immediately.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Each supervisor is responsible for documenting employee absences/tardiness and for approving or disapproving absences. The supervisor should develop a process, in writing, for how employees are expected to request advance approval for annual leave and planned sick leave as well as how they are expected to report unscheduled absences and tardiness.

Discipline

Employees who are frequently tardy or absent or who fail to follow departmental guidelines for notification may be subject to disciplinary procedures up to and including termination. The supervisor will work with HR to ensure all University policies and procedures regarding disciplinary actions are followed.