Employee attendance policy template
Reviewed Sep 25, 2026 State rules cited to official sources How we verify
Not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. General information; laws vary by state. Terms of use
An attendance policy is a written rule that tells employees how to report absences and late arrivals, what counts as late, how absences are tracked and what happens when problems repeat. Free, no sign-up.
Fill in the attendance policy
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Your attendance policy is ready
Open the file, fill anything still in [brackets], and keep a signed copy in the personnel file. The next document in this process is the job abandonment letter.
About this policy
The U.S. Department of Labor notes that there are no federal legal requirements for paid sick leave; pick your state on this page to see its paid sick leave rule.
A plain attendance and tardiness policy for a small team: how to call in, what counts as late, what happens after a no call, no show, how absences are tracked, and which absences never count. Pick your state to see its paid sick leave rule.
An attendance policy tells employees how to report an absence or late arrival, what counts as late, what happens when someone misses a shift without calling, and how repeated problems are handled. Written down and applied the same way to everyone, it turns attendance conversations into facts instead of arguments.
One part needs care: some absences may be protected, such as paid sick leave under a state or local law, and should not be tracked like any other absence. Pick your state above to see the paid sick leave note, then fill in your rules and download the policy. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
The full attendance policy text
This is the whole template as it downloads, with the fields in [brackets]. State-rule notes are off by default: choose your state and tick "Include state-rule notes for you" under Options to add them to the preview and the download.
Attendance and Punctuality Policy
Purpose
[Company name] depends on everyone being at work, on time, for their scheduled shifts. This policy explains how to report an absence or late arrival, what happens after a no call, no show, and how repeated attendance problems are handled. It applies to all employees in the same way.
Reporting an absence or late arrival
- Who to contact: [Who employees contact]
- How: [How to report an absence or late arrival]
- When: [When to report]
Please give the reason for the absence in general terms and when you expect to return. You do not need to share medical details.
Late arrivals and leaving early
What counts as late: [What counts as late].
[Leaving early]
No call, no show
A no call, no show happens when an employee misses a scheduled shift without contacting [Who employees contact] before the shift starts.
[What you do the same day]
Consequence: [Consequence of a no call, no show]. The employee will be asked to explain the absence, and an emergency that made contact impossible will be taken into account.
If an employee misses [When it is treated as job abandonment], and does not respond to our attempts to reach them by phone and in writing, we will treat it as a voluntary resignation (job abandonment).
How attendance is tracked
[How absences are tracked]
When attendance problems repeat, these steps apply: [Steps when problems repeat]
Absences that do not count against you
Absences that are protected by law are not counted as occurrences and do not lead to discipline under this policy. Depending on where you work, these can include paid sick leave under a state or local law, family and medical leave, leave needed as an accommodation for a disability, jury duty and military service. If you are not sure whether an absence is protected, ask [Who employees contact]. (official source)
How to request and use leave is described in: [Where your leave rules are].
[Note for you: Choose your state above to see its rule on paid sick leave (absences that cannot count as occurrences), or check it with your state labor office before you send this.]
This policy is not a contract and may be updated. Employees will be told in writing before a change takes effect.
Acknowledgement
I have received and read the Attendance and Punctuality Policy.
______________________ Date: __________
Employee signature
How to use this template
- Pick your state and read the paid sick leave note first: the tracking rules must leave out protected absences.
- Fill in one clear way to call in and one deadline. A single phone number or app is easier to enforce than several options.
- Choose one tracking method and write the steps with numbers, so the next step is never a surprise.
- Keep the no call, no show section factual: what you do the same day, and when it becomes job abandonment.
- Give the policy to every employee, collect the signed acknowledgement, and apply it the same way to everyone.
Example wording
Examples of the level of detail that makes a document clear. Replace them with your own facts.
- Call-in rule: Call or text the store phone (555-0142) at least 2 hours before your shift starts. In an emergency, contact us as soon as you safely can. A message to a coworker does not count as calling in.
- Tardiness: Clocking in more than 5 minutes after the scheduled start counts as a late arrival. Three late arrivals in 30 days count as one occurrence.
- No call, no show: The manager calls and texts the employee within one hour of the shift start and records each attempt. A first no call, no show leads to a written warning. Three scheduled shifts in a row without contact are treated as a voluntary resignation after a written attempt to reach the employee.
Rules for this document in your state
Paid sick leave (absences that cannot count as occurrences)Choose your stateRules with official sources
Choose your state above to see the rule we have verified, or check it with your state labor office.
Every state's rule, side by side, is in the state rulebooks.
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Questions people ask
What is an attendance policy?
An attendance policy is a written rule that tells employees how to report absences and late arrivals, what counts as late, how absences are tracked and what happens when problems repeat. It usually also explains which absences do not count, such as protected leave.
What is a no-fault attendance policy?
In a no-fault policy, most absences count as occurrences whatever the reason, and discipline follows the number of occurrences. Protected absences still cannot count: for example, the EEOC's guidance on leave and the ADA says employers 'may have to modify policies that limit the amount of leave employees can take when an employee needs additional leave as a reasonable accommodation.'
How does a points-based attendance policy work?
Each type of attendance problem earns a set number of points (for example, fewer for a late arrival than for a no call, no show), points expire after a set period, and each point total triggers a disciplinary step. The numbers are your choice; write them down and apply them the same way to everyone.
Can sick days count against an employee under an attendance policy?
It depends on the state and city. Where a paid sick leave law applies, check what it says about counting that leave against the employee before you write your tracking rules. The U.S. Department of Labor notes that there are no federal legal requirements for paid sick leave, so the rule comes from your state or city: pick your state on this page to see it.
Should a tardiness policy have a grace period?
Many employers allow a few minutes before a clock-in counts as late. Whatever you choose, write the number of minutes into the policy so it is applied the same way to everyone.
Sources (4)
General information, not legal advice. Not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. This page is for general information only and isn’t legal, financial or tax advice. Laws vary by state and change; check the official source or talk to a qualified professional about your situation. Report an error