Attendance & punctuality policy template
A free, ready-to-edit attendance and punctuality policy template for Australian workplaces. Set clear work-hours expectations, an absence-notification procedure and fair, progressive disciplinary steps so you can manage lateness and unplanned absence consistently — no signup required.
Attendance & punctuality policy
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By downloading, you agree to our template disclaimer
This attendance and punctuality policy template reflects Australian workplace standards under the Fair Work Act and the National Employment Standards at the time of publication, and is provided as a general guide to adapt for your business. It does not constitute legal, HR, or professional advice and should not be relied on as a substitute for advice specific to your business, workforce, or circumstances.
Why your workplace needs an attendance policy
Consistent attendance and punctuality keep a workplace running. When employees regularly arrive late or are absent without notice, shifts go uncovered, colleagues pick up the slack, and resentment builds. A clear attendance policy sets the expectation from day one and gives managers a fair, consistent way to address problems before they escalate.
A documented policy also protects your business. Without one, managing lateness and absence becomes subjective and legally risky — any disciplinary action must still meet unfair dismissal and procedural-fairness requirements. A written framework treats every employee the same and creates the paper trail you need if a matter is ever challenged. It pairs naturally with your absence notification policy and your broader leave policy.
The policy applies to all employees, including part-time, casual and fixed-term staff. Distribute it at onboarding and capture acknowledgements in your HR software so you can show every worker has read and understood it, then record actual hours with time and attendance tracking.
What an attendance policy should cover
The essentials of a clear attendance & punctuality framework
Attendance expectations
When employees are expected to be at work and ready to perform their duties.
Punctuality standards
Requirements for arriving on time and commencing work at scheduled start times.
Recording attendance
How employees clock in and out and how accurate time records are kept.
Notification procedure
Who to tell, how and by when when running late or unable to attend.
Consequences
Fair, progressive disciplinary steps for repeated lateness or unexplained absence.
Manager responsibilities
How managers monitor attendance, address issues and keep records.
What's included in this template
A complete framework for managing attendance and punctuality
Purpose & scope
Why the policy exists and who it applies to, including part-time and casual staff.
Policy statement
The organisation's expectations for attendance and punctuality.
Work hours & punctuality
Standard hours and the requirement to be ready to work at the start time.
Recording attendance
Clock-in and clock-out methods and keeping accurate time records.
Types of absence
The difference between planned, excused and unexcused absence and lateness.
Absence notification
How and when to notify a manager of absence or lateness, and evidence required.
Patterns of absence
How frequent lateness or absence is monitored and reviewed.
Consequences
Progressive disciplinary action for repeated breaches.
Manager responsibilities
Manager duties for monitoring, supporting and addressing attendance issues.
Review & acknowledgement
Policy maintenance and employee sign-off.
Building a fair attendance policy in Australia
Set clear expectations while staying compliant with Australian workplace law
Pay employees only for time worked
You can pay employees only for the hours they actually work, so a late start can reduce pay accordingly. But check the applicable modern award or enterprise agreement first — many set minimum engagement periods and rounding rules, and deductions must follow the Fair Work Act. See our guide to tracking employee hours.
Distinguish genuine reasons from patterns
Absences covered by personal/carer’s leave or other protected entitlements are not misconduct. Address genuine circumstances with support, and reserve the disciplinary process for unexplained or unauthorised lateness and absence — not for someone exercising a lawful right.
A clear absence-notification procedure
Notify early
Tell the manager as far ahead as possible — e.g. at least 2 hours before the shift.
Use the right channel
Contact the nominated person by the agreed method, not a text to a colleague.
Provide evidence
Supply a medical certificate or statutory declaration where required.
Record it
The manager logs the absence and reason so records stay accurate and consistent.
Any disciplinary action for attendance must follow a fair, consistent process — an informal conversation first, then verbal, written and final warnings, documented at each stage. See our employment law guide before acting on repeated breaches.
An attendance policy works best when it sits alongside reliable record-keeping. Use digital clock-in and clock-out to capture accurate start, finish and break times automatically, so attendance and lateness are evidenced rather than disputed. The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes guidance on hours of work, record-keeping and the National Employment Standards that you should reference when tailoring this template to your business.
Who should use this template?
Essential for shift-based and time-sensitive workplaces
Especially useful for managers and supervisors, who are usually first to notice and address attendance issues.
Compliance resources
Official Australian guidance on hours of work, attendance and record-keeping.
Track attendance automatically with RosterElf
RosterElf records clock-ins, breaks and hours worked, flags lateness against the roster, and stores your policies with employee acknowledgements — all in one place.
Related guides
Put your attendance policy into practice
Related templates
Build a complete attendance management system
Absence notification policy
A clear process for notifying managers of absence or lateness.
View templateTime & attendance policy
Set the rules for recording hours, breaks and timesheets.
View templateTimekeeping policy
Requirements for accurate time recording and approving timesheets.
View templateAttendance compliance policy
Manage attendance expectations and address ongoing absenteeism fairly.
View templateAttendance policy FAQ
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An attendance and punctuality policy is a document that sets out an organisation’s expectations for being at work and on time. It defines standard work hours, the difference between excused and unexcused absence, the procedure for notifying a manager of lateness or absence, and the progressive disciplinary steps that apply when those expectations are repeatedly not met.
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A complete attendance policy should include its purpose and scope, a policy statement, standard work hours and punctuality expectations, how attendance is recorded, the types of absence (excused, unexcused and lateness), an absence-notification procedure with documentation requirements, how patterns of absence are monitored, progressive disciplinary consequences, manager responsibilities, and an employee acknowledgement.
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Yes. The template is a solid, NES-aligned starting point, but you should tailor it to your workplace, any applicable modern award or enterprise agreement, and your actual hours, shifts and notification arrangements. Adjust the disciplinary steps to match your existing process so it stays consistent with how you manage other conduct issues.
Before you download
General information only — not legal advice
This document is a general HR template provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice and may not reflect the latest changes in legislation or apply to every workplace situation. RosterElf Pty Ltd and the template provider accept no liability for any loss arising from reliance on this document. Users should seek independent legal advice and customise the template to ensure it complies with all relevant laws, awards and workplace requirements.