Many companies are developing more progressive strategies for dealing with absence; these frequently include relatively new disciplines such as health assessments or Employee Assistance Programmes. As an employer you will need to develop a series of cohesive policies that clearly establish the practices that you will follow when running your organisation.

Absenteeism policies should contain:

• Payment for work including payment for days missed before and after a holiday;
• Types of excused and unexcused absences;
• Days/hours worked on a normal work schedule before payment of overtime hours occurs within a pay period;
• Policy about calling in absences;
• Management of absenteeism; culpable absenteeism and disciplinary process

Managers should take into account the following factors in determining whether or not progressive discipline is warranted:

• Make sure absenteeism is relating to culpable absenteeism
• Make sure procedures have been communicated clearly to the employee.
• Check if absenteeism have been consistently and uniformly applied in the past
• Check How serious is the incident in question
• Analyze what is the impact of the absence on the business
• What is the nature of the employee past disciplinary record

Ensure that you follow up with your employee.

At the first sign of an absenteeism problem you should explain how it can have a negative impact on the quality of the employee's work, the morale of coworkers, and the economic success and continued life of your company. If absenteeism continues, you should process to disciplinary in a warning letter and include the dates and times of the absences and the dates you've previously counseled this person.

Inform the employee that continued abuse might lead to further disciplinary action employee should be given a second letter of concern during another formal meeting. This letter would be stronger worded in that it would warn the employee that unless attendance improves, termination may be necessary.

If the employee's absenteeism relates to a medical problem or a family member with a medical problem, you may have to consider allowing the employee to use the benefits allowed to them.