Purpose

The Metropolitan Library System (“Library System) is committed to providing favorable working conditions for its employees.  To provide the highest quality service to our customers, the Library System considers punctual and regular attendance an essential function of each employee’s job.  The purpose of the Attendance and Tardiness policy is to provide employees with the Library System’s expectations for work attendance.

Policy

The Library System recognizes that employees get sick from time to time or experience unforeseen emergencies, however, habitual absenteeism and/or tardiness can seriously disrupt operations and be detrimental to staff morale.  Employees are expected to report to work as scheduled, on time and prepared to start work.  Late arrival, early departure or other absences from scheduled hours are disruptive and must be avoided.  The Library System reserves the right to identify what constitutes excessive absenteeism/tardiness and to give consideration to employees with special circumstances in accordance with federal and state laws.

The Library System keeps accurate attendance and tardiness records which are reviewed regularly to determine the frequency of absence and tardiness.  Excessive absenteeism or habitual tardiness are grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.  The Library System at its discretion, reserves the right to require documentation from a healthcare provider to determine an employee’s fitness to return to work.

Work time for non-exempt employee’s is tracked using a biometric attendance system.  Non-exempt employees are not allowed to do any work when not punched in to the time clock.   Non-exempt employees should not start work early, finish work late, work during a meal break or perform any other extra or overtime work, including answering emails from home or logging into the system, unless the non-exempt employee is authorized to do so and that time is recorded on that employee’s time card.  Working off the clock is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated.   "Off-the-clock" work means work employees may perform but fail to report on the employee’s time record.  Employees cannot volunteer to work “off-the-clock” under any circumstances.  If a non-exempt employee is ever asked to work “off-the-clock,” that direction is to be reported to the Human Resources Department.

Federal and state laws require employers to keep an accurate record of time worked to calculate employee pay and benefits.  Falsification or omission, alterations or tampering with an employee’s time entry may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Occasionally, non-exempt employees may be required to work additional hours (overtime) on an “as needed” basis.

In accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), exempt employees are not required to utilize a time clock or keep track of hours worked.