What is your attendance policy?

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

We don't seem to have a very strict policy. There are people that call in almost weekly. I remember a previous facility where I worked. You could call in sick once every three months. After three days you needed a Dr note to return to work.

[Ginger80]

At the nursing home where I currently work, there are no strict policies either. I have coworkers who call in every 2 weeks. No write-ups or warnings.

[justjRN]

Ours was recently changed due to some staff taking advantage of the previous policy which was similar to yours- you could call in one time every 3 months and then you'd have a clean slate again. Now we get 4 in a year with 2 tardies counting as one absence ( even a minute late). Once you are to 4 absences you're on grounds for termination. Sucks.

[evolvingrn, BSN, RN]

We don't have a strict policy but i know that it will now affect your raises , reviews as well as your ability to transfer to other departments. a co-worker was just denied transfer for that reason.......

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

When I worked in LTC it was something like a call off per month, but if you called off on two (three, etc) consective shifts this all counted and "one" call off. If you violated the policy it was supposed to be verbal warning for first offense, then write up, then upaid suspension, and then termination. However, the would require a Dr's note if you called off three or more days.

There was very spotty enforcement of the policy. They usually used it as a reason to "remove" some not very good employees from the facility. There was one aide who called off amost weekely. This went on for over a year. Eventually they finally started the write ups, etc. She was a really really good aide, but had attendence issues (to say the least). I think the DON, etc. though it best to have her there....it just became way too much of a stress on the staff to have her calling off at her whim.

[babieblue2]

Our policy is like others on this post. 4 episodes in a year, any episode over 3 days requires a Dr note, anything more you can be up for some kind of discipline (written warning, suspension, termination). Management seems to leave good nurses alone on this and only uses it as something to go after nurses that they already have a "bullseye" on there back. I am a union steward and talked with a manager about the policy. They said that 4 sick episodes a year is "industry standard". I asked, "What industry? Car sales?!!!!!" When you're around sick people all day 4 days of being sick yourself seems stricked. Then you add the stress of flipping between day/night shifts, working 12 hour shifts, being asked to double and double back.....Rediculous to me.

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

babieblue2 said:

Our policy is like others on this post. 4 episodes in a year, any episode over 3 days requires a Dr note, anything more you can be up for some kind of discipline (written warning, suspension, termination). Management seems to leave good nurses alone on this and only uses it as something to go after nurses that they already have a "bullseye" on there back. I am a union steward and talked with a manager about the policy. They said that 4 sick episodes a year is "industry standard". I asked, "What industry? Car sales?!!!" When you're around sick people all day 4 days of being sick yourself seems stricked. Then you add the stress of flipping between day/night shifts, working 12 hour shifts, being asked to double and double back.....Rediculous to me.

Seems the three day before a note is pretty standard. I wish it were strict in some ways. Nurses call in sick 2 hour prior and it leaves the floor in a lurch.

I think our facility uses it as the final straw for some nurses. Those that never call in sick but then have a rash of call in's seem to avoid discpline.

[Ivanna_Nurse, BSN, RN]

Three call outs in 90 days and then you get a warning. If you get another, its a small suspension. The first day falls off after the 90 day mark, so its a constant think. 3 tardies count as a callout. The one perk-if you are under the care of a doc for a chronic condition, and it causes you to miss work those absences dont count. 3 days in a row require an MD note, as it causes you to roll into disability pay. ~Ivanna

[wooh, BSN, RN]

4 call-ins per year? That's ridiculous!

I don't like that we have 2 tardies count as a call-in. I got to work ONE minute late recently and felt like I should have called in and gotten 12 hours off for barely more "punishment" than I got for the one minute.

We get something like 8 call-ins and then we're on probation and can't call-in or be late for 6 months. Incidents roll off after a year.

[chorkle]

From a friend who works in LTC--the facility refuses to accept call-ins, instead demanding that one finds one's own replacement; the replacement, assuming you can find one, cannot be working overtime. Thus, you must find a part-time employee as a replacement--and there are very few of those.

Apparently, this policy applies in ALL cases--no exceptions for any circumstances.

[mustlovepoodles, RN]

I don't know if we have a specific policy. I'm a school nurse. My personal policy is "if the school is open, I need to be there." I know that if I don't show up there are going to be a lot of people inconvenienced and some kids who could possibly be endangered by not having a nurse on site. If I *have* to take a day off, I do my utmost to get a sub, give the front office a heads up, and make sure everyone has my cell number. They don't usually have to call me, but I think they like knowing that they *could* if they needed to.

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

chorkle said:

From a friend who works in LTC--the facility refuses to accept call-ins, instead demanding that one finds one's own replacement; the replacement, assuming you can find one, cannot be working overtime. Thus, you must find a part-time employee as a replacement--and there are very few of those.

Apparently, this policy applies in ALL cases--no exceptions for any circumstances.

What? So if you are sick, you have to find a replacement?