In a 2010 BLR webinar, “Solving PTO Problems: How to Reduce Unscheduled Absences Without Alienating Employees or Violating the Law,” attorney Catherine Moreton Gray gave solutions to these common problems employers face when dealing with paid time off:
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- Supervisors may be inconsistent when they apply company policies
- Supervisors avoid dealing with attendance problems to avoid conflict, and hope the situation will correct itself
- Lack of supervisory training
To make PTO policies succeed, Gray advises employers to:
- Review your employee handbook, and make sure your PTO policies, and those related to FMLA, Military Leave, Workers’ Compensation, etc., agree.
- Audit payroll and time-tracking systems to make sure they agree with policies and procedures.
- Think through your compensation issues for dealing with PTO, especially with exempt employees.
- Make sure procedures are in place to let employees know where they stand with their PTO allowances.
- Always require employees to call in and provide explanations for unscheduled absences.
Catherine Moreton Gray is an associate attorney in the Labor and Employment section of Robinson & Cole LLP in Hartford, Conn. She has more than 20 years of experience in human resources and employment law. Contact her at cgray@rc.com.