Continuity of service, coverage, and production all rely on the dependability of staff being at work, on time, and prepared to perform the duties of their position. An employee who is frequently tardy, shall be subject to progressive discipline. Please note that we utilize progressive discipline as the primary means of controlling tardiness, but docking of pay is permissible under certain conditions. The key to progressive discipline rests with early recognition and action.
Counseling therefore becomes essential to the process of correcting an employee's tardiness problem.
In most cases, counseling at the early stages is successful and will prevent the need to work its way through the progressive discipline system. Employees must be informed that if their tardiness continues, it will be reflected in the area of attendance on their annual performance rating. The employer, upon the employee's request, may charge such authorized tardiness to earned time, excluding sick leave, or to unpaid leave. If an emergency causes an employee to be tardy, the employee should notify the supervisor prior to the start of the shift. An employee who is frequently tardy shall be subject to progressive discipline.