Classify Time Working at Home

Della

If an exempt salaried employee takes a day or two every so often to stay home due to a child or other family member's illness, day care provider problem or whatever the reason and because the employee states he did work while at home so fails to see the need to turn in an absence form how then do you classify/handle the time out of the office and this situation. I feel we have a very generous leave and vacation benefit and the employee should utilize his sick or vacation time to take care of such matters even if he does do some work at home which might be checking email and voice mail messages etc. The employee would not be docked pay so as to maintain his exempt status unless the time off qualified for FMLA. What is your take on this situation?

dixied

We have some employees that have remote to access our computer system. We instituted a policy to ensure they are aware that if they stay home for illness for themselves or a family member, we do not expect them to perform any work. If they make an independent choice to perform work at home will it will not replace use of paid sick time or vacation.

lrobb

Time worked is time worked. I am not sure I would accept their independent decision to do work at home. If they work at home I think it counts. If you don't wont them to work from home I would state so in policy. Working from home is only permitted with approval or working at home is not permitted at all.

Catbert46

lrobb is correct. Our CEO is adement about people not working from home for just this reason. They stay at home and half heartedly attempt some work so they don't have to use their vacation time. We just say no one not even Executives are allowed to work from home and that eliminates the problem.

Except when managers decide to take it upon themselves to allow it against policy. I digress.