Time & Attendance
PURPOSE
This policy aims to ensure all employees understand the importance of punctuality and attendance. It supports compliance with employment standards and human rights legislation across various provinces and aligns with our organizational values of reliability and responsibility. Retail operations depend on the interdependence of all team members. This policy should be applied alongside the organization’s policies on Hours of Work, Human Rights Commitment, Attendance and Absenteeism, and Progressive Discipline.
SCOPE
This policy applies to all Kotn employees, including full-time, part-time, casual, and temporary workers.
DEFINITIONS
To clarify expectations and procedures, the following definitions apply:
Tardiness: Arriving up to 4 minutes late for a scheduled work shift or returning up to 4 minutes late from a break.
Lateness: Arriving 5 or more minutes late after the scheduled start time or returning late from designated breaks.
Absent: Time taken off work without prior approval (e.g., notifying in the morning of being unavailable due to family plans).
Sick: Being unable to work a scheduled shift due to illness, with prior notice.
No Call, No Show: Being absent from work without prior notification, deemed unacceptable under this policy.
Innocent Absence: Absences or tardiness beyond the employee’s reasonable control, such as legitimate illness, extreme weather, or unavoidable emergencies.
Culpable/Controllable Absence: Absences or tardiness within the employee’s control, such as oversleeping, ignoring traffic, or personal plans conflicting with work hours.
Scheduled Work Shift: The time period an employee is expected to be at work, as per their employment agreement.
Breaks: The designated periods during the workday for rest, which include unpaid lunch breaks and any additional rest periods provided by the organization.
POLICY ELEMENTS
Kotn Inc. employees are responsible for arriving at their scheduled work shifts or providing as much notice as possible if they cannot arrive on time.
Working Time and Days: Employees are expected to adhere to their assigned work shifts.
To maintain operational efficiency and fairness, Kotn uses a structured lateness policy. Team members are allowed the following within a 6-month period:
Tardy: Up to 4 minutes late up to 3 times, recorded as "Tardy."
Late: 5 minutes or more late up to 3 times, recorded as "Late."
Sick: Employees may be absent due to illness up to a maximum of times as defined in the relevant employment legislation of their primary province of employment.
Exceeding the allowed number of tardy, late, or sick instances may result in further review and action, including disciplinary measures in accordance with our attendance expectations.
If an employee anticipates being late, they must notify their manager as soon as possible, before the start of their shift. Notification should be made through both phone and email, explaining the reason for the lateness and the estimated time of arrival. Failure to inform the manager may result in immediate disciplinary action.
Kotn follows a progressive disciplinary approach for handling repeated lateness. Instances beyond the accepted minimums highlighted above will be subject to disciplinary action. Based on the severity or impact on operations, more immediate disciplinary action may be taken, at the discretion of Kotn Management.
Kotn Inc. will support and accommodate employees who request accommodation (in accordance with our human rights commitment) or provide reasonable explanations (including illness) for their tardiness or absences. Such absences will not be combined with culpable tardiness or absence.
MONITORING AND DOCUMENTATION
Retail managers are responsible for monitoring employee lateness and documenting occurrences, including date, time, reason, and any actions taken. Regular reviews will identify patterns and address issues promptly. Using the lateness tracker here.
When addressing tardiness, sickness, or lateness, managers will follow outlined consequences, including verbal and written warnings and one-on-one meetings. Please cc the People Ops team for support.
REGIONAL VARIANCES
As Kotn operates across various regions, this policy will be adjusted as necessary to comply with local labor laws and cultural norms. Supervisors and HR personnel should ensure regional adaptations align with both local regulations and Kotn's policy framework.
REVIEW AND UPDATE
The policy will be reviewed annually to ensure effectiveness and compliance with employment standards and human rights legislation. Updates will be made to reflect changes in legislation or practices.
QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS
All disciplinary actions will be applied consistently and without discrimination on any of the grounds protected under the human rights legislation of the province of employment. This may include race, ancestry, place of origin, color, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, or disability, and any other protected ground not listed from the applicable province of employment. Any disciplinary measures will be fair and reasonable, ensuring no employee is disproportionately affected based on these protected grounds.
Employees are encouraged to contact the People Operations team or any Retail Management Team member with questions about this policy.