Fordham University Attendance Policy for Local 153 and Local 810 members

Effective January 1, 2025

General Policy

Fordham University depends upon every employee's regular and punctual attendance. Reliable attendance assists the University in meeting scheduled commitments and allows it to provide educational excellence in an economical and efficient manner.

Recognizing that employees may be absent from work due to illness, injury or personal obligations, the University has established the following guidelines to enable supervisors to monitor employees’ attendance in a fair and consistent manner.

I. Absences

All absences are cumulative and will be tracked from January 1, through December 31, of each calendar year.

For the purpose of this policy the term "Incident" will be defined as a partial or full day or consecutive days absent, excluding legally protected absences under Federal, State or Local laws. 

Pursuant to the University Safe and Sick Leave Policy, no employee shall be disciplined when they use their first fifty-six (56) hours of sick time for absences covered under the Safe and Sick Leave Policy, unless the supervisor has a reasonable founded suspicion of abuses or patterned absences.  

The following standards should be used to monitor an employee's attendance. Should an employee reach any of the thresholds described below, the supervisor should follow the prescribed disciplinary steps:

  • Ten (10) incidents in a calendar year will result in a Counseling Session.
  • Eleven (11) incidents in a calendar year will result in a Formal Verbal Warning.
  • Twelve (12) incidents in a calendar year will result in a Formal Written Warning.
  • Thirteen (13) incidents in a calendar year will result in a One-Day Suspension without pay.
  • Fourteen (14) incidents in a calendar year will result in a Three-Day Suspension without pay.
  • Fifteen (15) incidents in a calendar year will result in Termination.

II. Patterned Absences

Patterned absences include but are not limited to unscheduled absences the day before or after a scheduled holiday, vacation, or personal day; a desirable day off (e.g. during a busy time or pre-planned event), a specific day of the week, or a weekend; a day that was previously requested as a vacation or personal day that was denied. A supervisor, in conjunction with the Office of Human Resources Management, has the sole discretion to determine what constitutes a patterned absence.

In instances where there appears to be abuse in the form of patterned absences, the employee will be subject to the following accelerated disciplinary action guidelines:

  • Three (3) incidents which form a pattern[1] will result in a Counseling Session
  • Four (4) incidents which form a pattern will result in a Verbal Warning
  • Five (5) incidents which form a pattern will result in a Written Warning
  • Six (6) incidents which form a pattern will result in a One-Day Suspension without pay
  • Seven (7) incidents which form a pattern will result in a Three-Day Suspension without pay
  • Eight (8) incidents which form a pattern will result in a Termination without pay

[1] An employee who has a medical condition or disability, or is a caretaker for a family member with a serious medical condition (per the terms of the FMLA) requiring absences on specific days of the week must seek FMLA intermittent leave protection by contacting the Office of Human Resources Management at 718-817-4930.

III. Lateness/Tardiness (Will be tracked separately from absences)

Tardiness is cumulative and will be tracked from January 1 through December 31 of each calendar year.

Tardiness is defined as reporting to work or punching-in after the start of a scheduled shift or designated workday. Should a supervisor identify a potential attendance problem due to incidents of tardiness, in most instances, an employee will be counseled informally. The following standards should be used to monitor an employee's overall tardiness:

  • Three (3) incidents of tardiness in a twelve (12) month period will result in a Counseling Session.
  • Six (6) incidents of tardiness in a twelve (12) month period will result in a Formal Verbal Warning.
  • Seven (7) incidents of tardiness in a twelve (12) month period will result in a Formal Written Warning.
  • Eight (8) incidents of tardiness in a twelve (12) month period will result in a One-Day Suspension without pay.
  • Nine (9) incidents of tardiness in a twelve (12) month period will result in a Three-Day Suspension without pay.
  • Ten (10) incidents of tardiness in a twelve (12) month period will result in Termination.

Procedures

  • Absences and tardiness are cumulative and will be tracked over a twelve (12) month period from January 1 to December 31. At year end, employees who have reached the suspension stage due to tardiness or patterned absences under this policy will be subject to further disciplinary action for continued tardiness or patterned absences incidents during the following calendar year.
  • Scheduled and approved vacation days or personal days and any other approved leaves will not be considered as days absent for disciplinary purposes.
  • Those employees who neglect to follow the procedures outlined in the Local 810 Contract for calling in sick or requesting personal and/or vacation days, will be subject to the disciplinary process outlined under this policy.
  • Employees are required to notify their supervisor at least one (1) hour prior to the start of their regularly scheduled workday of an absence or lateness. Any employee who fails to follow the appropriate procedure may be subject to disciplinary action under this policy.
  • Employees who are absent for three consecutive workdays without notifying their supervisor, and without reasonable excuse, may be terminated for job abandonment.
  • Employees will not be charged with absences caused by work related injuries.
  • Absences meeting the criteria for the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) will not be charged against an employee's disciplinary record. However, available sick time and vacation time will be applied to those corresponding FMLA days. Fordham University will require supporting proof of FMLA claims including proper documentation prescribed by law.
  • Employees are entitled to a leave of absence in accordance with University leave policies such as FMLA, PFL, Workers Comp, or Safe and Sick Leave. Employees who use these legally protected absences pursuant to Federal, State or Local law will not be disciplined or retaliated against for receiving the benefit prescribed by those laws.
  • Employees attempting to circumvent this attendance policy by falsifying either a Worker's Compensation, Disability, FMLA claim, other University or protected leave will be terminated.

Fordham University retains the right to review this policy periodically and make changes as deemed necessary.

We provide these resources to support you in documenting corrective actions and communicating with your employee.

Notice of Corrective Action (Tardiness) For Local 153 And Local 810 Members

Notice of Corrective Action (Absences) For Local 153 And Local 810 Members

Notice of Corrective Action (Patterned Absences) For Local 153 And Local 810 Members