P-017 Reporting of Absences

Issued By:      Fire Chief Ken Stuebing    
Approved By:    Fire Chief Ken Stuebing
Date of Issue: 1997/02/03
Revision Date:  2021/11/24

PURPOSE: 
To provide clear and consistent direction for HRFE employees when reporting a short or long-term absence. 

OBJECTIVE:
To improve operational efficiency and minimize impacts to service delivery when employees are unable to report to work due to an absence.  

SCOPE:
All HRFE employees  

DEFINITIONS:

Short Term Absence – any short duration absence which prevents an employee from reporting for their next scheduled duty day (e.g., sick, compassionate, OJI) 

Long Term Absence- any absence which prevents an employee from reporting for their next scheduled duty day and the absence is expected to be more than one week. (e.g., OJI, LTD, surgical recovery, maternity leave, ordered quarantine)  

POLICY:

All HRFE employees are required to provide advanced notification of any absence by calling the Attendance Reporting Line (902-490-7094) and notifying their manager as outlined in this policy.  
 
Reporting a Short-Term Absence:  

  • Employees of the Operations Division may call the attendance reporting line in advance of their scheduled shift if practical, but are required to report an absence as follows:
  1. Platoon E by 0600 am the day of their scheduled shift.
  2. Platoons ABCD by 0630 am the day of their scheduled shift. 
  3. Any members developing symptoms after their scheduled reporting time shall notify their supervisor and Duty District/Division Chief. 
  4. Operations members shall call the attendance line to report an absence before each scheduled shift unless directed otherwise by their District Chief. 
  • Employees of the Support and Administration Divisions may call the attendance reporting line in advance of their scheduled work day if practical but are required to call the attendance reporting line and notify their respective manager a minimum of one hour before each scheduled work day.   
  • Only in extenuating circumstances, such as hospitalization or incapacitation, is it acceptable for someone other than the employee to make these notifications.
  • Messages left on the attendance reporting line must include the following minimum information:
  1. Name, Platoon or Division 
  2. Reason for absence (sickness, injury, LTD)  
  3. Contact telephone number
  • When possible, the Support Division Chief will notify the Duty District Chief(s) and On-Call Chief Officer should a person who is scheduled on-call become unavailable due to an absence and provide a replacement. (e.g., On-call Fire Investigator, On-call Logistics Member).  

Reporting a Long-term Absence: 

  • All employees reporting a long-term absence are required to call the attendance reporting line and contact their respective manager or designate.
  • Employees are expected to keep their manager apprised of changes to their expected date of return to work.    
  • Once an estimated return date is known, the manager may direct the employee that they no longer need to call the attendance reporting line each day:   
  1. Operational employees will be booked off in the Roster until the shift before their scheduled return date by the Roster Coordinator or District Chief.  
  2. If the employee is unable to report to work on the estimated day of return, they must report their absence to the attendance reporting line and manager. 

Reporting Bereavement Leave:     

  • Operational members shall call the on-Duty District Chief to advise them of the family relationship to the deceased.  The Duty District Chief will book them off in the roster. 
  • Support and Administration members will contact their manager 
  • The Duty District Chief or regular Division/District Chief or manager will call the Attendance reporting line on behalf of the employee and send an email to FireAttendanceStatus@halifax.ca 

ATTENDANCE SUPPORT POLICY:

  • the Corporate Attendance Support Policy applies to all HRFE employees. 

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Employees:

  • Report absences as outlined in this policy
  • Notify appropriate manager as required
  • Keep manager apprised of their anticipated date for return to work.

Duty District Chief(s):

  • Check messages left on the attendance reporting line and submit as required: 
  1. Record absences
  2. Delete messages after recording information. 
  3. Record returning employees from both ABCD and E (call as necessary)
  4. Submit form as required 
  • Ensure the status of the operational employee is accurate in FDM.  Book members off to the shift before the anticipated return date for long-term absences.  
  • Check-in with employees who are off more than one shift and have not called 
  • Record employees returning from an absence on the attendance reporting sheet 
  • Submit the attendance sheet to HRMFire@halifax.ca by 0800 am daily
  • For Bereavement/Compassionate Leave:
  1. Advise employees of bereavement leave entitlements
  2. Phone the Attendance Reporting Line on behalf of the employee
  3. Ensure operations employees are booked off in the Roster
  4. Send email to Attendance Status FireAttendanceStatus@halifax.ca for the death of an employee’s family member.

Division Chiefs/Managers: 

  • Ensure absences are recorded appropriately on employee’s time sheets
  • Advise employees of bereavement leave entitlements or requests for additional compassionate leave
  • Re-schedule work or replace on-call employees as appropriate 
  • Send email to Attendance Status FireAttendanceStatus@halifax.ca for the death of an employee’s family member 

Operation’s Administrative Assistant or cover:

  • Update and submit Daily Attendance Report to appropriate managers and supervisors 
  • Save voice to email messages for 30 days  

RELATED POLICIES/ OPERATING GUIDELINES:

  • Corporate Attendance Support Policy 
  • P-022 Workplace Rehabilitation
  • P-024 On the Job Injury
  • P-014 Accident Reporting & Investigation 
  • Rescind P-017 Attendance Management


POLICY REVIEW:

This policy shall be reviewed periodically or when changes/amendments are made to attendance reporting procedures or to the Corporate Attendance Support Policy.