How would you handle?

LindaS

I have an employee, an employee who has traditionally had an attendance problem, who I'm not sure how to handle.

This employee has a child and the mother of this child left the state and is now in Kentucky with the boy. The employee has talked to his son several times since the mother left with the children (she has another child with a different father) but the mother refuses to return to WI because she claims her husband is abusive. Because the court order states that she cannot leave the state without his (the employee's) approval, the employee has been working with local law enforcement to get her to come back here.

My problem is that this employee, who works 2nd shift by the way, has missed one day and has now called in again today stating that he cannot work because of all this. I'm trying to be understanding but this employee is KNOWN as one who enjoys sitting in a bar and I have a problem believing that he will accomplish anything on a Friday night.

Should I excuse the employee's absence or do I assign him the "points" in accordance with our attendance policy? If I go the points route he is looking at a 3-day suspension due to his past attendance. I want to be fair but I feel like I'm being taken for a ride.

Any thoughts?!?

FunHRBanker

My opinion is to excuse the absence until you KNOW that he was really "sitting in a bar" while he was supposed to be at work. I don't think it's fair to penalize him for something you feel MAY be happening.

deniseE

If his reason would be an excused absence under your policy, then don't give it another thought...if you're just trying to be nice and understanding...then be prepared to excuse any similar absence for another employee.

If you excuse the absence, what he chooses to do with the time is up to him.

mushroomHR

We've had this problem in the past too. Our solution was to offer the employee a personal leave of absence for "X" period of time to straighten out their affairs. After the leave was over the employee returned to work and his attendance wasn't any better than before the leave. Obviously the leave wasn't used to take care of his affairs so the employee was ultimately terminated. If you give them enough rope they'll eventually hang themselves.

Hunter1

Linda: It's not a question of what may or may not be accomplished on a Friday night. The employee has put himself in the position of receiving a suspension based on his TOTAL attendance record. If he had been a good employee, he wouldn't find himself in this situation now.
In addition, to be blunt about it, because I have some familiarity with the family court system, he will just have to get used to not having his son in-state. He's not going to get the courts to bring her back.

JM in ATL

I think you should tell him what you have told us. His attendance is horrible and that he is on his way to a suspension/termination.

If he needs time off to deal with family issues then he can request a LOA for whatever you both feel will be enough time.

Then when he returns if his attendance and punctuality suffer, he will again be subject to the disciplinary policy, but his actions are a hinderance on the company and the employees.

I understand you want to be sympathetic to him, I agree its the human thing to do, but also be fair with him and let him know where he stands.

Don D

One post indicated it 'is unfair to penalize him for something you're not certain of'. It's also unfair to the total employee population to cut this particular guy slack due to this hard luck story he's laid out. Enforce your attendance policy, period. No emotions, no slack. Otherwise, be prepared to sit on the emotional throne for every hard luck story that comes your way from now on.






Note: The preceeding is my personal opinion and has no value beyond that. Although it may be 'sorta offensive' or 'indeed offensive' to someone out there, it is offered without regard to that possibility. Should you find yourself alarmed by my post, you may privately mail me to protest or you may alert the principal's office. x:-)