The Blueprint for Professionalism: Drafting an Effective
Attendance Policy for Salaried Employees
When building a robust organizational structure, many employers focus intensely on timekeeping for hourly staff, often mistakenly assuming that salaried (exempt) employees do not require defined attendance expectations. This oversight can lead to inconsistencies, decreased productivity, and legal vulnerability. If you want to establish a culture of clarity and accountability within your organization, you must formalize expectations. Drafting a functional and legally sound attendance policy for salaried employees is not merely administrative busywork; it is a fundamental requirement for professional management. This policy outlines how your most trusted staff maintain their professional commitments while leveraging the flexibility inherent in their exempt status.
The Importance of Adding an Attendance Policy for
Salaried Employees to Your Company Policy and Procedures Manual
Your Company Policy and Procedures Manual is the foundation of your business operations. It acts as a single, accessible source of truth, guiding managers and staff alike through complex HR, ethical, and operational situations. Failing to include a specific, delineated attendance policy for salaried employees within this manual creates several immediate risks for your organization:
Legal Protections and Consistency: Exempt status under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) means employees are paid for the job they perform, not the precise hours worked. However, this status does not mean they are immune from supervision or disciplinary action related to attendance. If you terminate a salaried employee for excessive absence but cannot point to a consistently applied written policy, you open the door to claims of unfair treatment or discrimination. A documented policy ensures every manager applies the rules uniformly, providing essential legal defense.
Maintaining Professional Expectations: Salaried employees are often given immense flexibility regarding start and end times, provided the work gets done. Without boundaries, this flexibility can erode into inconsistency, resulting in missed meetings, delayed project handoffs, and a decline in team collaboration. A formal policy clarifies that professional presence and timely communication regarding absences are mandatory components of their job performance, regardless of their work location or schedule flexibility.
Preventing Wage Claims: Mismanaging leave and attendance for exempt staff can inadvertently threaten their exempt classification. If you deduct pay for partial-day absences (except in very narrow, legally defined circumstances, such as FMLA usage or suspension per company policy), you risk reclassifying them as non-exempt, potentially requiring back pay for overtime. A clear policy ensures managers understand when—and when not—to adjust salaried pay, protecting the company from expensive wage and hour violations.
Critical Elements to Include in Your Salaried Attendance
Policy
Because salaried employees are paid based on responsibility, their attendance policy must focus on professional accountability rather than strict time tracking. The goal is to define expectations for presence, communication, and management of time off, ensuring coverage is always maintained.
When formulating your policy, ensure the following critical elements are addressed:
1. Definition of "Expected Work Schedule"
While salaried employees often work varying hours, define the expected core working period (e.g., "Employees are expected to be available and present, either in the office or remotely and available by standard communication channels, between the hours of 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM, Monday through Friday, unless otherwise approved.") This establishes the minimum expectation for synchronous availability.
2. Communication and Reporting Procedures
Clarity is paramount. Specify who must be notified of an unplanned absence, how (e.g., phone call to manager and email to team, not just a text message), and when (e.g., "Employees must contact their direct supervisor at least one hour before their scheduled start time"). This professional reporting procedure is a key differentiator in any functional attendance policy for salaried employees.
3. Planned vs. Unplanned Absences
Distinguish clearly between planned time off (PTO, vacation) which requires advance approval (e.g., two weeks’ notice), and unplanned absence (sick days). Emphasize that PTO is contingent upon business needs and requires managerial authorization.
4. Defining "Excessive" Absence
Unlike hourly policies that might track tardiness in minutes, define excessive absence based on cumulative days missed or chronic pattern issues that affect output. For example: "More than X unscheduled absences within a rolling 12-month period may be considered excessive and subject to disciplinary action."
5. Linking Attendance to Performance
Reinforce that adherence to the attendance policy for salaried employees is a component of overall job performance. Failure to meet these standards will be addressed through the standard performance management process, up to and including termination.
Sample Attendance Policy for Salaried Employees
This sample provides a template that you can adapt to the specifics of your organization. It is designed to foster accountability while respecting the professional status of exempt staff.
Policy Title: Exempt Employee Attendance and Professional Availability Policy
Scope: This policy applies to all employees classified as Exempt (Salaried) under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
I. Core Principle and Professional Responsibility
As salaried professionals, employees are responsible for managing their time to ensure all job duties and responsibilities are met, including maintaining required levels of professional presence, communication, and availability. The focus of this attendance policy for salaried employees is accountability and results, not mere duration of presence.
II. Work Location and Availability
Salaried staff are expected to establish a professional work environment, whether in the office or through an approved remote work arrangement. Employees must maintain reliable internet and phone access during defined business hours.
Expected Availability: While work hours are flexible to meet business needs, all employees are expected to be available for communication (phone, video conferencing, email) during the core hours of [Insert Core Hours, e.g., 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM] local time, unless scheduled otherwise or on approved leave. Failure to maintain professional availability during core hours without prior approval is a violation of this attendance policy for salaried employees.
III. Reporting Absences (Unplanned Leave)
Unplanned absence includes any unscheduled use of sick time or personal emergency closure.
Notification Requirement: Employees must personally notify their direct manager via phone call (messaging apps or email/text are insufficient unless the manager is unreachable) no later than [Insert Time, e.g., one hour] before the employee’s expected start time or the mandatory start of core hours.
Information Required: The employee must clearly state the reason for the absence (per legal guidelines), the expected duration, and confirm that critical work items have been handed off or postponed.
Extended Absence: If an absence exceeds three consecutive workdays, the employee must contact the HR department to discuss requirements for medical documentation and/or leave under FMLA or other applicable laws. Adherence to this portion of the attendance policy for salaried employees is non-negotiable.
IV. Planned Leave (Paid Time Off)
All planned time off (vacations, appointments, scheduled personal days) must be requested via the company’s HRIS system [Insert System Name] and approved by the direct supervisor in advance.
Advance Notice: A minimum of [Insert Time, e.g., 10 business days] advance notice is required for planned leave exceeding one day. Last-minute requests will be denied unless due to verifiable emergency.
Coverage: The employee is responsible for ensuring adequate coverage for their duties during their absence.
Unauthorized Leave: Taking planned leave without prior managerial approval will be treated as an unauthorized absence and may result in disciplinary action under this attendance policy for salaried employees.
V. Policy Violations and Corrective Action
Management recognizes that salaried employees may need minor flexibility to manage personal appointments; however, chronic shortfalls in fulfilling professional presence requirements will be addressed.
The following are defined as examples of violations of this attendance policy for salaried employees:
Failure to follow the proper notification procedures for unplanned absence.
Chronic unavailability during defined core business hours.
Accumulating more than [Insert Number, e.g., six (6)] unscheduled absences in a rolling 12-month period.
Taking unauthorized planned leave.
Violations of this attendance policy for salaried employees will be addressed using the company’s standard progressive disciplinary actions, including:
Verbal Counseling
Written Warning
Final Written Warning/Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)
Termination of Employment
Adherence to this attendance policy for salaried employees is a condition of continued employment. Management reserves the right to review and adjust this attendance policy for salaried employees as business needs evolve. Implementing this attendance policy for salaried employees ensures fairness across the organization.
Conclusion
Creating a specific attendance policy for salaried employees is a crucial step in formalizing the expectations you hold for your professional workforce. It respects their exempt status by focusing on outputs and communication, rather than time-clock logging, while simultaneously holding them accountable for maintaining professional availability. By embedding this detailed policy within your Company Policy and Procedures Manual, you provide managers with the tools for consistent enforcement and protect your organization against potential legal challenges related to inconsistent application of standards. Take the time now to refine your approach, solidify your standards, and ensure that your most valued employees understand the professional obligations that accompany their exempt status.