Paid Time-Off (PTO) -- Amount and "Unexcused" Absence

[Guest lefty411]

We are looking for some information for comparison for our PTO program.

1. How much PTO do your employees receive? Up to 5 years, our employees get 25 days (accrued per biweekly payroll period), and 30 days from 5 to 10 years. Holidays are included in the PTO time (six mandatory holidays per year: New Year, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas), so if you have these separated, please indicate how many paid holidays you have.

2. Our policy is that after seven unexcused absences in a rolling 12-month period, the employee is "written up" (i.e., receives a written warning) for attendance. An unexcused absence is any absence that is not requested and approved in advance. So, for example, if an employee calls in sick, that is an unexcused absence. Some employees want these not to be an unexcused absence if they get a doctors note. Or, have other exceptions that would reclassify an absence from unexcused to excused. My sense is that seven unexcused absences in a rolling 12-month period is more than generous and therefore our "anything not requested and approved" standard is very good. It is simple to administer and is not subject to "Well,-if-you-retroactively-approved-her-absence,-you-should-retroactively-approve-my-absence" discussions (arguments) with employees.

a. What do you think of this policy? Fair? Reasonable compared with other employers?

b. How do you define "unexcused absence?"

c. At what thresholds do you have corrective action or termination for unexcused absences?

Thanks for your help!

[K2retire]

I wouldn't want to work any place where my own or my child's illness was considered to be an unexcused absence. (And for what it's worth I typically use fewer than 3 sick days per year.)