All Courses Training Packages Enterprise Request a Quote
Industries
Construction Manufacturing Municipal & Utilities Oil & Gas Transportation Healthcare Office & Corporate
Course Categories
Safety Training Construction Safety HR Compliance HAZMAT & HAZWOPER Driver & Fleet Safety Workplace Culture & Soft Skills Healthcare & Patient Safety Environmental Compliance
Sign In
1-800-287-5942 Start Today Request a Quote
Create Your Employer Account
Home›Courses›Safety Training›Absenteeism and Tardiness

Absenteeism and Tardiness

16 minutesENSafety TrainingFMLA (29 USC 2601), ADA (42 USC 12101) - best practice for attendance management
Quick Answer

Absenteeism and Tardiness is a 16-minute online course that trains supervisors and managers on strategies for reducing unscheduled absences and chronic lateness in the workplace. It covers policy enforcement, documentation best practices, and effective communication techniques, and includes a downloadable certificate of completion.

Course Overview

Unscheduled absences cost U.S. employers an estimated $3,600 per hourly worker and $2,650 per salaried worker annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Beyond direct payroll costs, absenteeism disrupts production schedules, increases overtime expenses, and places additional burden on the employees who do show up. For employers with 25 to 500 workers, even a modest reduction in unplanned absences can translate to significant savings.

This course prepares your supervisors and managers to address absenteeism and tardiness through clear policy communication, consistent documentation, and constructive corrective conversations. Your team will learn to distinguish between excused and unexcused absences, apply attendance policies fairly, and use progressive discipline when necessary - all while maintaining positive working relationships with employees.

What You'll Learn

  • Defining excused vs. unexcused absences and establishing clear attendance expectations
  • Calculating the true cost of absenteeism including overtime, temporary staffing, and lost productivity
  • Documenting attendance issues consistently to support fair and defensible disciplinary actions
  • Applying progressive discipline for attendance violations while maintaining employee morale
  • Conducting effective return-to-work and corrective action conversations with employees
  • Recognizing when absences may be protected under FMLA, ADA, or state leave laws
  • Implementing proactive strategies to reduce unscheduled absences and improve workplace attendance

Who Needs This Training

  • Supervisors and team leads responsible for attendance tracking and shift coverage
  • HR managers developing or revising attendance and punctuality policies
  • Department managers dealing with chronic tardiness or pattern absenteeism
  • Operations managers in manufacturing, warehousing, or production environments where attendance directly impacts output
  • New supervisors transitioning from individual contributor roles who need guidance on managing attendance issues
  • Compliance officers ensuring attendance policies align with FMLA, ADA, and state leave requirements

Regulatory Background

While no single federal standard mandates absenteeism training specifically, employers must navigate a complex web of leave protections when managing attendance. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) may require reasonable accommodations including modified schedules or additional leave. Employers who discipline employees for absences protected under these laws face significant liability - the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division investigated over 1,000 FMLA complaints in fiscal year 2024, and EEOC charges alleging ADA violations related to leave and attendance policies remain among the most common disability discrimination claims. Penalties for FMLA violations include back pay, liquidated damages equal to the back pay amount, and attorney fees. Training supervisors to recognize protected leave situations before taking disciplinary action is one of the most effective ways employers can reduce legal exposure while still maintaining accountability for genuine attendance problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Employers cannot count FMLA-protected absences against an employee under an attendance policy. However, absences that do not qualify for FMLA protection can still be subject to the employer's standard attendance and disciplinary policies. The key is maintaining clear documentation that distinguishes between protected and unprotected absences and applying the policy consistently across all employees.
Under the ADA, employers may need to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, which can include modified work schedules, additional unpaid leave, or adjusted start times. However, the ADA does not require employers to eliminate essential attendance requirements or tolerate excessive absences beyond what constitutes a reasonable accommodation. Employers should engage in an interactive process with the employee to determine if an accommodation is feasible.
Supervisors should document every instance of tardiness or unscheduled absence, including the date, duration, reason given by the employee, and any supporting documentation such as medical notes. Written records of all verbal and written warnings, corrective action meetings, and the employee's response should also be maintained. Consistent documentation protects the employer if a termination decision is later challenged through litigation or an unemployment claim.
Yes. Many states and municipalities have enacted paid sick leave laws, paid family leave programs, and expanded disability protections that go beyond federal requirements. For example, California, New York, and Washington have paid family leave programs, and over 20 states plus Washington D.C. have mandatory paid sick leave laws. Employers must comply with whichever law - federal, state, or local - provides the greatest employee protection.
Progressive discipline uses escalating consequences - verbal warning, written warning, suspension, termination - based on the frequency and severity of attendance violations. A no-fault or point-based system assigns points for each absence regardless of reason, with automatic consequences at defined thresholds. Both approaches are legal if they properly exclude FMLA-protected leave and ADA-accommodated absences from their calculations. The best approach depends on your industry, workforce size, and organizational culture.

Related Courses

Employers building a comprehensive attendance management program often pair this course with Stress Management: Reducing Stress in the Workplace to address one of the leading causes of unscheduled absences, and Workplace Ethics Made Simple to reinforce expectations around professionalism and accountability.

Safety Training

A Few More Back Injury Techniques (short refresher)

6 min - EN

$24.95View Course
Safety Training

Abrasive Wheels Grinder Safety (Gory) Interactive Training

7 min - EN

$24.95View Course
Safety Training

Accident Investigation (short refresher)

6 min - EN

$24.95View Course
$24.95
per person
Volume Pricing
Team Size Price per Person
1 - 9$24.95
10 - 24$19.95
25 - 49$17.95
50 - 99$17.50
Subtotal $24.95

Certificate of completion included. Downloadable upon passing the final assessment.

Need Help?
1-800-287-5942 Request a Custom Quote
$24.95
per person