Is It Fair to Deduct a Day's Salary for Being Late? Let's Discuss Grace Periods and Policies

Clarifying the Policy on Late Coming

Regarding late coming or three instances of lateness resulting in a one-day salary deduction, it is important to clarify the policy on grace periods. Typically, there should be a grace period of at least 10 to 15 minutes for employees to arrive without being considered late. If an individual exceeds this grace period, then it would be classified as late coming.

For a more effective response, it is advisable to communicate the policy clearly to all employees to avoid any misunderstandings or confusion.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Dear Employees,

Employees are expected to adhere to office timings. A grace time of 15 minutes is permitted, after which it will be treated as “Late – Coming.” This is limited to 3 late marks every month. For every late coming thereafter, an employee's attendance will be considered as 'half working day,' i.e., ½ day Leave Without Pay (LWP).

If an employee reports for duty 2 hours after the commencement of business hours, it will be treated as a half day. If an employee leaves the office more than two hours before closing time, it will be treated as a half day, and it should not exceed more than three occasions in a month. A leave application form needs to be filled out while availing of such occasions.

Regards,
Jitendra Dorle

Dear Jitendra, thanks a ton! Could you please clarify whether a grace period should be provided or not? Or is it something that depends on the company's discretion?

Thank you.

Rules and Consequences for Late Coming

Rules are rules after all, and everyone who needs to work in the organization should follow the prescribed rules. Late coming can be considered acceptable only once or twice a month if there is a valid reason. However, if it occurs more than twice, it may become a habit on the part of the employee. Therefore, habitual misconduct of this nature should not be tolerated under any circumstances.

A grace period of up to 10 minutes should be allowed. However, this does not mean that one should aim to arrive within the grace period every day. If an individual is late more than three times, a written warning should be issued. If the behavior continues even after the warning, a show-cause notice should be given, followed by the appropriate disciplinary action.

Regards,
KIRAN KALE

Aarti, as per my thoughts, there should be a grace period for employee login and logout timings. As a company, everyone should focus more on the total number of working hours (daily/weekly) rather than counting minute/second details. The company can initiate action on an employee when they notice a pattern/trend over a period of time; in your case, 3 days is too short for any observations.

The company/HR should not get rude to employees by immediately adopting the last measure as their first course of action. In the first place, any impact/changes have to be proactively communicated to the employees and should not come as a surprise. In your case, I am not sure if this was informed to you beforehand or if it came as a surprise.

Thanks,
Nisha

Dear Aarti, our office timing is from 9 am to 6 pm. The office allows a 1/2 hour grace period, so all staff is expected to arrive by 9:30 am. After 9:30 am, there is no grace period or exceptions. If someone arrives at 9:31 am, it is considered a half-day absence. We have raised this issue with our boss, but there have been no changes made since we already have a half-hour grace period. However, late sitting in the evening for work is not taken into account in the calculation. This results in us losing half a day's salary for being just 1 or 5 minutes late. Additionally, holidays are also affected. Unfortunately, it seems that the rules cannot be altered.

Thank you.

Regards

It depends on the company. Some companies do provide a 15-minute grace period for the whole month without limitations like three days. It is totally inhumane if a company deducts half a day's leave for a single minute. There is no hard and fast rule like this. A company can provide this grace period if it chooses to do so.

Dear Friends working in HR and other fields, with my experience to date, let me guide you regarding late coming and grace period etiquette.

Importance of Punctuality in the Workplace

As a company, we need to present ourselves on time to customers and strictly adhere to office timings as specified. We cannot know if a person is waiting for the clock to strike 9 to call our office and discuss something with Mr. X or if someone is waiting at reception to be guided.

When a company like CITEHR LTD gives official timing as 09:00 AM to 06:00 PM, it is understood unofficially that every employee needs to be present at the workplace and ready at 09:00 AM. It is not just about punching the time/attendance card at 09:00. I have seen employees punching the card at 08:55, then going to the restroom to comb hair, apply lipstick, makeup, visit the pantry, and chat with colleagues, finally ending up ready at the workplace around 09:20. Does this make sense? No. The time at which you are ready at the workplace really does make a big impression of your punctuality trait, which portrays you as a successful candidate for promotions.

Unofficial Expectations for Arrival Time

Unofficially, you are expected to reach CITEHR LTD around 08:40 or 08:50, dispose of any accessories, dresses like overcoat, helmet, go to the restroom to comb, apply makeup, tuck in your shirt, etc., and be ready by 9. Now you understand why we feel frustrated when the EB/TELEPHONE BILL COUNTER does not open promptly at 9. The delay affects the service, leading to dissatisfied customers waiting outside the counter, potentially resulting in a loss of clients.

Unofficially, you are expected to arrive at 08:40 AM and depending on your preparation, be ready at your workplace at 09:00 sharp. While some companies explicitly state the readiness time as 09:00, in my career, I have always arrived well in advance and been ready well before time.

Understanding the Grace Period

Companies do provide a grace period for unexpected circumstances like traffic jams, punctures, train delays, etc. However, this grace period is for rare cases and not for daily occurrences. In the case of Cynthia, not all staff need to arrive by 09:30; they should be present at 09:00. Only some staff who encounter unexpected circumstances can utilize the grace period. The half-hour grace period is there, and if someone consistently disregards it, appropriate actions need to be taken. Rules are rules; just like you wouldn't argue with the police for not wearing a helmet, one must understand the importance of time and the grace period provided.

It is essential to understand that rules are in place to ensure everyone follows them, even if not all employees comprehend this concept.

Regards,

Addressing Late Coming in Industrial Standing Orders

The issue of late coming must be addressed in the industrial standing order. The following points should be included:

- Clarification on the number of instances an employee is allowed to arrive late, as stipulated in the standing order.
- Consequences for those who exceed the allowed number of late arrivals, such as a deduction of half-day's salary.
- Specification that late arrival is considered within the range of 10 to 15 minutes only.

Thank you.

Dear All,

It is surprising to note that all of us are expected to report to the office promptly at 9:00 am, yet we are not allowed to leave at 5:30 pm as scheduled. We are consistently instructed to complete our work and then leave, regardless of whether it is 5:30 pm or later. In this case, why is the designated departure time not being adhered to?

Thank you.

I completely agree with you on this. Most of the employees keep blaming the management for being strict, and they do not delve into the reasons why these rules are made.

Thanks,
Shweta :)

Managing Employee Tardiness

Three instances of being up to 10 minutes late are typically allowed in most organizations, as any misconduct beyond three times is considered habitual. Ultimately, we need to ensure productivity from our employees. Implementing strict actions for such misconduct may lead to unrest among the employees. To address and control this issue, gather information from employees about the reasons for their tardiness. These reasons could vary, so work on understanding them and identify solutions that will make employees feel more comfortable. This initiative will demonstrate your caring nature and yield positive results for the organization. It will also enable you to counsel employees who may be causing disruptions within the organization.

If the reasons provided are not genuine, consider posting a notice on the notice board stating that half a day's salary will be deducted for each instance of lateness exceeding three times. Many organizations employ this practice to manage employee punctuality. Additionally, issue advisory memos and warning letters to employees who exhibit misconduct.

Your actions towards one employee can serve as a lesson for the entire group of employees.

Regards,
PRAMOD.

Thank you so much for helping me understand the concept of coming late. I agree that even a minute can make a significant difference in life.

Thank you so much.

Regards

To my knowledge, and to sum up, it is better to define "the rules for late coming/reporting in the office" in the HR manual/guidelines that the company has established for its employees. This will help provide clear direction to all those who arrive late and prevent HR personnel from relying on situational judgment.

But my question is, if an employee has been working until late hours, should we allow them to come in late?

Hello All, Can anybody help me with the below issue?

Office Timing Policy Concerns

In my organization, office timing is from 10 AM to 7 PM. We have a policy that states if any employee arrives after 10 AM, even at 10:01, it will be considered as a half-day. Due to this stringent policy, my salary has been deducted several times. I fail to comprehend how one can evaluate an employee's productivity based on such a rigid rule. I often work until 7:30, but being a minute or two late results in being marked as half a day absent.

Please assist me in drafting a letter to the Assistant Vice President of Human Resources to request a change in this policy.

Regards,
Nirav Shah
Ahmedabad

Human beings are not machines. As an HR person, we must implement timing policies, but at the same time, we must have empathy for others. We need to help them understand the importance and necessity of timekeeping. Simply deducting an employee's salary will not achieve anything positive. It can instill fear in employees towards HR, causing them to avoid seeking help and hesitate to come forward for anything. This, in turn, can lead to a decrease in their confidence in management, ultimately resulting in reduced job satisfaction and decreased productivity.

The Importance of Empathy in Timekeeping Policies

It is crucial to implement work time policies and ensure that employees understand the rules and regulations. Our goal should be to encourage employees to work with the company rather than just for the company.

Thank you.

An employer cannot deduct salary retrospectively, such as deducting from July's salary for latecomings from January to June.

Office Timings and Late Coming Policy

Employees are expected to adhere to office timings. Recently, it has been found that employees have started taking office timings lightly, resulting in an increase in latecomers. Every now and then, the company finds people coming late to the office.

The management has decided to take strict action against employees who are late for duty. There will be no grace time, and for every late-coming employee, attendance will be considered as a 'half working day.'

The management has always accepted genuine reasons for being late, but when employees start taking privileges for granted, it becomes the company's responsibility to take the required action. From now onwards, no late-coming requests will be accepted. Please take note of this policy.

Regards

Hi Aarti,

It depends on the company's policy. You can implement an attendance policy, and most companies provide a 10 to 15 minutes grace period for employees three times a month. However, it is according to the law, and by law, no one has the authority to deduct your salary without any warning or formal notification.

As an employee, everyone should not break the rules or policies.

Sunil Kumar

I just joined this conversation about late coming and deductions of half-day salary. In my office, the same has been implemented very recently, and I had my salary deducted for two months due to late coming. Because of this deduction, the salary we received for the month is even less than 50% of the monthly income.

I have a small child under 2 years old whom I place in a creche that opens at 9:30, which is the closest to my home and is also safe. While my office hours are from 9:30 to 5:30, I always reach the office by 10:15 or so due to this reason. My office doesn’t have any creche facility and is located on the outskirts of the city where proper residential complexes are not even established.

As a mother, I have no choice but to reach the office late. In terms of work assignments, the tasks are always completed on time, and even during odd hours, I work for my office over the phone. I submitted a request letter for relaxation on timing due to the lack of a creche facility in the office and other personal reasons. In return, my employer has started creating a harsh environment around me.

At the same time, they allowed a few other employees to come late to the office with no deduction in their salary. We also tried to ask why there is such discrimination among the employees, but instead of giving a reply, they are trying to put me in more difficult situations.

Please reply with what I should do.

Regards, Meenakshi

Dear Aarti,

Three instances of being late by up to 10 minutes are usually permitted in most organizations. Any misconduct beyond three instances is considered habitual.

Hi. I joined this discussion pretty late. I believe a company should focus more on work completion, client handling, and meeting targets. An organization that micromanages employees and imposes heavy penalties for late arrivals creates a toxic environment. On the contrary, expecting employees to voluntarily stay late and contribute extra hours is also detrimental. There is no benefit in compromising your mental health over such an organization. If you know you are a sincere worker and are not compelled to stay in the same organization, look elsewhere for a better employer who appreciates your work. Change your location if it helps you find better opportunities. Life is too short to spend complaining about double deductions and penalties.

If anyone is late up to 3 days, 1/2 day of absence will be marked. After 3 days of being late, 1 full day of absence will be marked.

Thank you.

Dear All,

Greetings. We have the following rules and regulations in our organization with a total strength of 350+ employees.

Rules for Regular and Habitual Latecomers and/or Early Goers:

Over time, management has observed that a large number of employees are misusing the leniency granted by the management and have developed a habit of either coming late, leaving early, or taking breaks during duty hours. This behavior results in delays in completing work, missing targeted deadlines, and increasing indiscipline among staff members.

Therefore, the company has installed a Biometric Face Attendance Recorder. This machine will scan the face of the employee in front of it, compare it with the stored data, and record their attendance along with the time of arrival and departure from the premises.

Each employee is required to work a minimum of 54 hours per week, including a lunch break, with punctual arrival and departure from the office.

Attendance Rules:

1. The attendance recorded in the Biometric Face Attendance Recorder will be the basis for calculating salary and wages earned by each employee for a specific month. Hence, every employee must use the recorder to record their arrival and departure times without any choice.

2. If the Biometric Face Attendance Recorder is not functioning for any reason, manual signing with arrival and departure times should be used.

3. If an employee fails to use the Biometric Face Attendance Recorder on a particular date for both arrival and departure times, they will be considered completely absent without leave.

4. If an employee uses the recorder only once on a particular date, it will be assumed they came to the office but left without working, resulting in being marked as absent.

5. If an employee is late or leaves early by up to 15 minutes on three occasions in a calendar month, they will be marked as half-day leave.

6. If an employee is late or leaves early by more than 15 minutes but up to 30 minutes on three occasions in a calendar month, they will be marked as one-day leave.

7. If an employee is late or leaves early by more than 30 minutes on any occasion, they will be marked as half-day leave for that day.

8. If an employee's total work hours for the week do not reach 54 hours due to being late, leaving early, or taking breaks, they will be marked half-day leave for every 2 hours of less work.

9. If three half-day leaves are marked in any month due to late arrival or early departure, the employee will be monitored.

10. Regular and punctual attendance will impact results, annual increments, and the performance bonus for employees.

11. Management reserves the right to modify or substitute any of the above provisions.

12. This arrangement is effective immediately.

13. Every employee must sign this circular to acknowledge that they have read and understood it thoroughly.

The purpose of these rules is to instill discipline among the staff to ensure timely completion of work assigned by customers. We operate in the service sector, which requires us to maintain a predetermined schedule to remain competitive in the market.

Suggestions are always welcome from any source.

Regards, Jawaharlal Moondra

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Dear Members, There is no rule or law that permits laxity in working hours. Yes, local rules have been established by organizations to address latecoming, and these rules may vary from one organization to another. Therefore, there is nothing inherently right or wrong in allowing for a grace period for employees to arrive at the workplace.

Regards, Col. Rathi