When you have a positive workplace culture, your team wont want to lie about being sick! Streamlining your sick day processes means nothing falls through the cracks and any absencesplanned or otherwisedont end up impacting your customers. The policy must detail clear and direct consequences for abusing the sick day policy. Employees will inevitably get sick and need a policy they can fall back on when in need. Looking for ways to stay up to date on employment laws and small business news? This is also a good opportunity for your people to take advantage of your companys work-from-home policies, which were instilled in order to make your employees feel comfortable and supported enough to take a day off from their duties when needed. The average 30-minute meeting with three employees at the company costs between $700-$1600, according to an internal note shared with CNN Wednesday. If an employee is out sick for more than three days, she might qualify for unpaid job-protected leave for up to 12 weeks under the FMLA, so make sure your excessive absenteeism policy does not clash with this legislation. , 40% of workers have called in sick in the last 12 months when they weren't sick. Develop clear and consistent policies and procedures as they relate to sick days to help keep management and employees on the same page and reduce the possibility of confusion or perceived preferential treatment. Get Homebase and take the stress out of employee sick days with easy scheduling and team communication tools. Employees, who report to work on or before 8:30 a.m., must call the Supervisor or Manager on site (See contact list below). Its important for all employees to feel encouraged to sort themselves out, sort their work out, and take a day to focus on their well-being. Keep your entire team updated on available shifts and changes to the schedule in just a few clicks. Missing too many shifts, or forgetting to call out, could lead to termination. And while they say that theres no such thing as bad press, you, No matter how you decide to handle sick days, make sure to be transparent with your team. Rebecca Hudson was quoted in a Fortune article titled "Workers Are Calling Out Bosses Who 'Guilt' Staff Into Donating Their Vacation Time To Sick Colleagues: 'Putting The Onus On Employees To Cover For Each Other Is Disgusting'.". She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Cincinnati. Not covering that employees shift can have a significant impact on your customers and your bottom line. How to Respond When an Employee Calls In Sick (Expert Tips) When should you cover a sick employees shift? Plus, your staff will know you care about their well-being, boosting morale. Another option is to merge all leavesick days, vacation time, and personal daysunder one paid time off policy. Keep Morale and Productivity High. If he's otherwise qualified for the job, however, you do have to make reasonable accommodations for his disability, which can include adjusting the work schedule or allowing special leave time for medical treatment. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page and will reduce confusion and any feelings of preferential treatment. When your employee is vulnerable and truthful with calling in sick, it is important that the reaction they receive from their HR and/or management is respectful, kind, and accepting. With clear policies, your employees will know how to share the news theyre sick without having to ask. If you don't offer sick leave, you aren't required to give it to a disabled employee just because of his disability. Take steps to discourage sick days and ensure that workers utilize sick leave in a responsible manner to keep your business operating smoothly and efficiently. Procedures for Calling in Sick | Small Business - Chron.com We'd love to keep you in the know on all things HR. See more: Subscribe to The Thougthful Leader newsletter to discover exceptional leadership insights to elevate your team's performance. An employee calling in sick is bound to happen eventually. Are you going to be late or calling off all day? You may permit employees to leave a voice message if they cannot get a supervisor on the phone. If proper call-in procedures are not followed, disciplinary action may follow. How to Deal With Employees Who Call in Sick Weekly If for any reason the employee is unable to report to work or is going to be late for duty, it is the employees responsibility to notify his/her manager/supervisor through the appropriate department notification procedure. Occupational Health Clinic By putting a plan in place for how to tackle sick days, you and your management will be better equipped to deal with a sick day curveball. Please refer to section 7. This reason is the one thats most often ignored by your people. Weve tried many other answering services in our 17 years of business but they are by far the best. Penny Luker, that enable organizations to centralize and standardize their call-in processes. It can also have the added benefit of the employee taking the rest they need so theyre ready to show up sooner vs. them trying to push through, which could result in them actually being sick longer. First, answer the question: Why should we care? Its usually best not to make assumptionsif you havent heard the saying, just trust us on this one. Scope: This policy applies all employees in the HR Operations. like Homebase to help simplify the communication process. If your employee knows theyre going to be out for three days or more due to a contagious virus, they should feel comfortable to be upfront about it. Enforce policies related to the use of sick days across the board. Discover how our outsourced HR team can help you navigate those sticky situations by contacting us at info@bluelionllc.com or 603-818-4131 today! By offering resources, you can help the employee feel valued and supported, which can reduce absenteeism, increase productivity, and improve overall performance. However, this number can change depending on a few factors, including your industry, if sick days are paid, and the type of work environment. Be sure to give complete answers to all questions. If an employees story about their illness changes or doesnt add up, it could be a sign they are lying. Make sure your employees know the rules about calling in sick to work. Just check out the stats: Being flexible also means giving employees other options if you deny their vacation time due to scheduling needs. Take the time to evaluate the possible source of frequent absences. Some companies may give their employees a 15- or 30-minute window before or after . How can you make sick days less impactful to your business and staff? . Both three day no call no show terminations and failure to report absences or late arrivals are discussed. Join our newsletter, and we promise to over-deliver on value, but NOT on emails! The law also covers all employeesincluding part-time and temporaryif the employees worked for at least 30 days for the same employer within a calendar year. The notification requirement applies to each day of absence unless the manager/supervisor approves an extended absence. 4 Sick-Leave Practices to Avoid During the Coronavirus Pandemic - SHRM What Are My Options If an Employee Constantly Calls in Sick? CMSs Employee Call-Off Hotline makes it easy to manage your employee call-ins by providing a dedicated, centralized hotline with time-saving features, including online reporting and automated policy enforcement. This can help you make any schedule adjustment sooner rather than later. The fact is, your organization may not depend upon one employee's day-to-day attendance. Workers are calling out bosses who 'guilt' staff into donating their vacation time to sick colleagues: 'Putting the onus on employees to cover for each other is disgusting' KVS employees call for protest on July 18, demand changes in transfer How to Legally Terminate an Employee in the State of Florida, Rules for Salaried Employees With No Sick or Vacation Benefits. Of course, getting sick is an unfortunate part of life. Thats okay! An agency may also grant up to 240 hours (30 days) of advanced sick leave for an employee's . Consider keeping a log of these days to refer to. There are numerous reasons for establishing a thorough call-in procedure. Then, the employee will understand what their role entails. Nicole Long is a freelance writer based in Cincinnati, Ohio. I've come across a lot of employees that suffer from chronic illness such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and others. The information on this website, including its newsletters, is not, nor is it intended to be legal advice. Continental Message Solution (CMS) Privacy Policy, Sometimes employees have to (or decide to) miss work. Even if you have a policy of not requiring a doctor's note except for absences of more than 3 days (and you should review that policy also . Golden Approach to Dealing With Employees Who Frequently Call in Sick Detroit Attorney Provides Considerations for Employers in Response to Conclusion. Calling In Sick At Walmart? Everything You Need to Know Making accusatory statements can have a negative effect on employee performance, morale, and team culture. You just got the dreaded call or text. Attendance and Leave Policies and Procedures for Employees, FMLA Call-in Procedures: What Employers Need to Know, Reducing Workplace Absenteeism with a Call-Off Hotline, Essential Guide to Ethics Hotlines: Best Practices, Benefits, and Policies, The Best Employee Call-Off Systems and Employee Call-Off Hotlines of 2023, Absenteeism Rate: How to Calculate and Define Absence Rate, Managing Employee Attendance and Absenteeism. The more information they can provide, the better equipped your team will be when the employee takes their leave. This will force employees to rethink calling out sick because it would use up their potential vacation days. When taking a sick day, it's important to communicate with your coworkers and managers. What to do When an Employee Calls in Sick, What to Do When an Employee Comes to Work Sick, Occupational Health Employee COVID-19 Information, Safe Patient Handling Program/Smooth Moves, Caring for Children, Parents and Other Loved Ones, Getting Off To A Healthy Start at Vanderbilt, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt Faculty & Staff Health and Wellness. In fact, 2022 had the, highest number of sickness-related absences since 1976. , with more than 19 million absences for the year.