Health Effects Show Fault in No-Fault Attendance Policies

Millions of Americans are employed by businesses that use “no-fault” attendance policies. Employers often implement no-fault attendance policies, penalizing employees for missing work, as a strategy to address employee absenteeism and the attendant decreased workplace productivity and increased costs. However, many employers that use no-fault attendance policies consider almost all absences to be unexcused,5,6 some of which may be protected by federal, state, and local laws. Such policies can jeopardize the health of workers and their families, as employees may be inclined to avoid missing work to seek medical care for themselves or family members out of fear of punishment or termination. A number of strategies, including education and advocacy efforts, as well as local, state, and federal legislation can be implemented to reduce the negative health effects created by no-fault attendance policies.