Free restaurant template · Policy
Restaurant attendance and no-call, no-show policy template
Free to use and edit. These are starting drafts, not legal advice: have an employment attorney review any policy before you rely on it.
The template
[Restaurant name]
Attendance and Call-Out Policy
Why this matters
A restaurant shift is built around everyone being there. When one person is missing without warning, guests wait and coworkers carry the load.
Being on time
- Be clocked in, in uniform and ready to work at your scheduled start time.
- If you will be late, call the manager on duty at [phone number] as soon as you know.
- Do not clock in more than [__] minutes early without a manager's approval.
Calling out
- Call the manager on duty at least [__] hours before your shift, or as soon as you reasonably can if the reason is sudden. A text or a message through a coworker does not count unless a manager confirms it.
- Say whether the absence is for a reason covered by earned sick time. You do not have to describe a medical condition.
- You may offer to swap a shift, and a manager may ask, but you are not required to find your own cover when you are using sick time.
Earned sick time
You earn and may use sick time as described in our earned sick time notice. Absences covered by earned sick time are not counted as occurrences under this policy and will not lead to discipline.
Time-off requests and shift swaps
- Request time off at least [__] days before the schedule is posted.
- Shift swaps need a manager's approval before the shift. Until approved, the shift is yours.
Occurrences
| Event | Counts as |
|---|---|
| Late by more than [__] minutes without calling | [½] occurrence |
| Absence without the required notice (not covered by sick time) | [1] occurrence |
| No call, no show | [2] occurrences and a written warning |
In any rolling [__]-day period: [3] occurrences lead to a documented verbal warning, [4] to a written warning, [5] to a final written warning, and [6] may lead to termination.
No call, no show
Missing a shift without contacting a manager before it starts is a no call, no show. We will try to reach you. If you miss [two] consecutive scheduled shifts without contact, we will treat it as a resignation unless there was an emergency that kept you from calling.
I have read this policy and had the chance to ask questions about it.
Employee:Date:
Manager:Date:
Starting draft from Back of House Ops (backhousehr.com). Edit it to fit your restaurant. It is not legal advice.
Massachusetts rules
The rules that apply to this document
What can Massachusetts sick time be used for?
The employee's own illness, injury, medical condition or preventive care; the same needs for a child, spouse, parent or spouse's parent; routine medical appointments; and dealing with domestic violence. Since November 21, 2024, it also covers the employee's or spouse's health needs after a pregnancy loss or a failed adoption, surrogacy or assisted reproduction.
Full answer and official sourceHow much notice can we require, and when can we ask for a doctor's note?
For foreseeable absences, a written policy can require up to seven days' notice; for sudden illness, only reasonable notice. You can ask for documentation when the absence runs more than 24 consecutive scheduled hours or three consecutive scheduled workdays, falls in the two weeks before someone's last day, or follows four unforeseeable, undocumented absences within three months.
Full answer and official sourceCan an employee swap a shift instead of using sick time? Can we make them find cover?
A shift swap or make-up shift in the same or next pay period is allowed only if both of you agree. You can never require the employee to make up the hours or to find their own replacement.
Full answer and official sourceHow much sick time do Massachusetts restaurant employees earn?
At least one hour for every 30 hours worked, overtime included, up to 40 hours a year. Part-time, seasonal and temporary staff earn it too. Up to 40 unused hours carry over, but nobody can use more than 40 hours in a year.
Full answer and official sourceWhen is the final paycheck due in Massachusetts?
If you fire or lay someone off, you pay them in full on their last day. If they quit, you pay them in full on the next regular payday. An employee cannot agree to waive these deadlines.
Full answer and official source
Rules checked against official sources on . General information, not legal or tax advice.
Where restaurants go wrong
- Counting a protected sick day as a point toward termination.
- Requiring a doctor's note for every single absence. The law limits when you can ask.
- A "find your own cover or you're written up" rule applied to someone who is sick.
- Treating job abandonment as a reason to delay the final paycheck.
Your restaurant remains the employer of record and approves payroll and employment decisions. BOHO is not a PEO, a staffing agency, or legal counsel. This template is a starting draft for you to edit. It does not decide how the rules apply to your restaurant, so have counsel review any policy or separation before you rely on it.
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Your restaurant remains the employer of record and approves payroll and employment decisions. BOHO is not a PEO, a staffing agency, or legal counsel.