2. Late employees
A consistently late employee can be very damaging
to any business. This presentation outlines simple
steps that can be taken to manage the issue.
Topics covered:
• Policy and record keeping
• Establishing the cause
• Warnings and next steps
For more information about your obligations as an
employer, call Employsure on 1300 651 415.

3. Have a policy
An employer must first ensure an employee is aware
that their lateness is a problem. Different organisations
have different policies on hours of work and flexibility,
so what may be acceptable in one workplace may not
be acceptable in another.
Before an employee starts with the company they
should be given a contract and employee handbook
which should detail:
• Expected working hours of the role
• Policies on lateness
• Penalties for non-compliance

4. Identify the problem
While occasional lateness is to be expected from time to
time, if this becomes a regular occurrence, or explanation
is not sufficient, it can become difficult to manage.
Resolving the issue starts with identifying the problem.
Ahead of discussing consistent lateness, an employer
should:
• Keep employee timesheets or written records to
identify any timekeeping issues.
• Assess whether there is a pattern, for example if
lateness is always on a particular day of the week.
• Prepare a summary to show the employee.

5. Counselling employees
Regularly being late can be symptomatic of a deeper
problem for the employee in question. The employee
could be taking longer to leave in the morning to spend
time with a relative who is sick or the employee could be
experiencing mental health issues.
Employers should:
• Discuss the issue with the employee.
• Identify any personal issues that may be a factor.
• Provide counselling if this is the case.
• Ensure personal issues are not involved in any
employment decision.

6. Informal meeting
An employer may conduct an informal meeting with
an employee to assess whether their lateness is
related to health and wellbeing or due to
misconduct.
A support person may be present with the employee
during this meeting
The meeting should primarily be to discuss the
health and welfare of the employee and understand
why they are coming to work late on a regular basis.

7. Communication
At every point in the process of rectifying the
conduct, or dismissing the employee, employers
need to be in contact.
Whether it is sending emails asking for the lateness
to be addressed or making contact (by phone or in
person) to discuss if there are any personal issues
having an impact, communication is omportant.
The more effort employers put into giving the
employee chances to change their behaviour, the
more likely a favourable outcome will be reached.

8. Employee illness and personal difficulty
If an employer is satisfied that the employee is experiencing
illness or a personal issue, adjustments should be made to
help them continue in their role. This may be to the job itself,
the location, or the method of working.
If the reason for lateness is low staff morale, there are a
number of options employers can try such as:
• Promoting flexible work arrangements to recognise an
employee’s personal life and obligations outside of work.
• Changing an employee’s role if they are unhappy.
• Recognising and rewarding employees for the work they
are doing.

9. Warning employees
If it has been determined that misconduct is causing
employee lateness, employers should consult their
employee handbook, or workplace policy to determine
next steps.
Regardless of individual policy, an employee should be
warned at least once in writing before any further steps
are considered.
The warning to the employee should be clear and include
all relevant details, explain what improved behaviour is
expected, and emphasise the severity of the misconduct.
It should also give examples of dates and times an
employee was late.

10. Warning employees
What to include in a warning letter:
• Be clear about the reason for the warning.
• Write down a timeline of events and add as much
detail as possible.
• Explain what you expect to be done differently.

11. Formal meeting
According to Australian legislation, an employee must
be given the opportunity to respond to any allegation
made against them. If an employer is unsatisfied with
the explanation, they may consider starting a formal
disciplinary process.
A formal process must be conducted as per their
contract and employee handbook.
If an employer is still dissatisfied with the explanation
following the formal meeting, employers can give a
formal warning to the employee.

12. Next steps
If the outcome of the formal meeting is not
satisfactory, an employer may start the
process of termination.
Termination is a difficult area for employers,
and much legislation exists in this area, so it
is important to follow the correct process.
Consult an Employsure workplace specialist
on 1300 651 415 for a tailored solution to
manage lateness or termination in your
workplace.