This document establishes policies for employee absences and reporting responsibilities. It outlines that employees must notify their supervisor if they will be absent from their scheduled shift and all absences must be approved except for breaks and lunch. It provides the process for requesting pre-approved time off for vacations, leaves of absence, and compensatory time. The document also specifies that employees calling in sick must personally notify their supervisor no later than 30 minutes after the start of their scheduled shift.

1. Number: 200.09
SUBJECT: ABSENT EMPLOYEES’ REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES Page: 1
Date: 11//23/05
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised: 12/14/11
I. PURPOSE
To establish a uniform method of accounting for and reporting absent employees to the parent
organization (OC Community Resources).
II. POLICY
Employees are responsible for being at their assigned work location at the beginning of their
work shift and remaining in their work location until the end of that shift, with the exception of
approved breaks and lunch times. All other absences are to be reported to and approved by a
supervisor. It is at the supervisor’s discretion to determine whether absences are authorized,
how absent time shall be charged (using the applicable Memorandum of Understanding [MOU]
definitions), and to request documentation for time-off.
This document provides employees a definitive guide for requesting approved time-off. It
provides information upon which management may base routine and emergency staffing.
Extenuating circumstances may be considered, but violations of this instruction may result in
disciplinary action.
III. SCOPE
Applicable to all personnel.
IV. FORMS
Bi-Weekly Time Sheet
Employee Request for Paid Absence Authorization
Leave of Absence Form
V. REFERENCES
County of Orange Memorandum of Understanding
VI. DEFINITIONS
Not applicable.
VII. PROCEDURE

2. Number: 200.09
SUBJECT: ABSENT EMPLOYEES’ REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES Page: 2
Date: 11//23/05
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised: 12/14/11
A. Leave of Absence
The criteria for requests for leaves of absence for which approval is mandatory and
those for which approval is discretionary are covered in the County of Orange MOU.
This type of leave is normally used for furthering educational development, military
duties, or extended medical leave. Requests shall be made to supervision with
applicable documentation attached.
B. Vacation and Compensatory Time
Vacation and compensatory time for employees shall be scheduled by management
consistent with expected or anticipated workloads. Approved time-off will generally not
be cancelled except in emergency cases. Requests are to be submitted on the Employee
Request for Paid Absence Authorization form as soon as the employee is aware of his or
her vacation plans or wishes to request the use of compensatory time. Requests must
have the approval of each employee’s supervisor. Supervision is not responsible for
money spent on vacation plans when the time off has not been approved in advance
according to policy.
The department is not able to make a decision based on an assumed accrual as there are
various factors that may affect the annual leave hours accumulated throughout the
year. The options available are,
• Department can approve the request up to what has been accrued.
• Once enough time has been accumulated to cover the rest of the intended time
off, submit another request for the additional time.
• If there are not enough annual leave hours accrued, the assumption is that the
time off will be taken without pay. Requests for time off without pay fall under
departmental leave. A request for a departmental leave without pay can be
submitted by filling out the Leave of Absence form. A request can be submitted
for up to 15 days. Please note that approval of this type of leave is at the
discretion of the agency/department.
1. Field Operations
November 1st
through November 30th
of each calendar year, all employees are
advised to submit a “first choice” and “alternative choice” of vacation dates for
the upcoming calendar year. Such choices will be indicated on the Employee

3. Number: 200.09
SUBJECT: ABSENT EMPLOYEES’ REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES Page: 3
Date: 11//23/05
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised: 12/14/11
Request for Paid Absence Authorization form and submitted to the employee’s
supervisor. Vacation dates for the succeeding calendar year will then be
scheduled by supervision. In cases when two or more employees request the
same time period, the employee possessing the most County seniority shall have
priority.
All other requests for vacation and/or compensatory time off submitted after the
November 30th deadline shall require the submission of the request 14 calendar
days prior to the requested day(s) of leave. The Employee Request Paid Absence
Authorization form must be date stamped and initialed by the watch
commander/supervision on the day the form is submitted. Consideration of
approval will be based upon the work to be performed by the section and the
availability of personnel to perform the work and other staffing factors. In cases
when two or more employees request the same time period off, the earliest date
stamp will be taken into consideration. However, it is not a guarantee of
approval.
2. Shelter Services
Vacations (Annual Leave) shall be scheduled on a seniority basis for the accrued
time earned in two thousand eighty hours. Vacation requests for the
calendar year must be submitted by March 1st to receive consideration on a
seniority basis.
Compensatory, PIP, and other Annual Leave time off request will require a
seven (7) day notice prior to the requested day(s) of leave. Unforeseen absences
such as illness or personal emergency will be charged against Annual Leave
Unplanned.
3. Customer Services
November 1st
through November 30th
of each calendar year, all employees are
advised to submit a “first choice” and “alternative choice” of vacation dates for
the upcoming calendar year. Such choices will be indicated on the Employee
Request for Paid Absence Authorization form and submitted to the employee’s
supervisor. Vacation dates for the succeeding calendar year will then be
scheduled by supervision. In cases when two or more employees request the
same time period, the employee possessing the most County seniority shall have
priority.

4. Number: 200.09
SUBJECT: ABSENT EMPLOYEES’ REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES Page: 4
Date: 11//23/05
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised: 12/14/11
All other requests for vacation and/or compensatory time off submitted after the
November 30th
deadline shall require the submission of the request 7 calendar
days prior to the requested day(s) of leave. The Employee Request for Paid
Absence Authorization form must be date stamped and initialed by your
supervisor on the day the form is submitted. Consideration of approval will be
based upon the work to be performed by the section and the availability of
personnel to perform the work and other staffing factors. In cases when two or
more employees request the same time period off, the earliest date stamp will be
taken into consideration. However, it is not a guarantee of approval.
4. Staff Specialists
November 1st
through November 30th
of each calendar year, all employees are
advised to submit a “first choice” and “alternative choice” of vacation dates for
the upcoming calendar year. Such choices will be indicated on the Employee
Request for Leave of Absence form and submitted to the employee’s supervisor.
Vacation dates for the succeeding calendar year will then be scheduled by
supervision. In cases when two or more employees request the same time period,
the employee possessing the most County seniority shall have priority.
All other requests for vacation and/or compensatory time off submitted after the
November 30th
deadline shall require the submission of the request 7 calendar
days prior to the requested day(s) of leave. The Employee Request for Leave of
Absence form must be date stamped and initialed by your supervisor on the day
the form is submitted. Consideration of approval will be based upon the work to
be performed by the section and the availability of personnel to perform the work
and other staffing factors. In cases when two or more employees request the
same time period off, the earliest date stamp will be taken into consideration.
However, it is not a guarantee of approval.
5. Community Outreach Team
November 1st
through November 30th
of each calendar year, all employees are
advised to submit a “first choice” and “alternative choice” of vacation dates for
the upcoming calendar year. Such choices will be indicated on the Employee
Request for Paid Absence Authorization form and submitted to the employee’s
supervisor. Vacation dates for the succeeding calendar year will then be
scheduled by supervision. In cases when two or more employees request the

5. Number: 200.09
SUBJECT: ABSENT EMPLOYEES’ REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES Page: 5
Date: 11//23/05
Approved: Ryan Drabek, Director Revised: 12/14/11
same time period, the employee possessing the most County seniority shall have
priority.
All other requests for vacation and/or compensatory time off submitted after the
November 30th
deadline shall require the submission of the request 7 calendar
days prior to the requested day(s) of leave. The Employee Request for Paid
Absence Authorization form must be date stamped and initialed by your
supervisor on the day the form is submitted. Consideration of approval will be
based upon the work to be performed by the section and the availability of
personnel to perform the work and other staffing factors. In cases when two or
more employees request the same time period off, the earliest date stamp will be
taken into consideration. However, it is not a guarantee of approval.
C. Sick Leave Usage for Illness or Personal Emergency
The permitted use of sick leave and the definition of “personal emergency” is addressed
in the MOU. Employees unable to report for a scheduled work assignment because of
sickness or personal emergency must personally call supervision (i.e., his/her
supervisor, the next person in the chain of command, or the watch commander) as soon
as possible. All calls must be made no later than one-half (1/2) hour after the beginning
of the work shift. It is the employee’s responsibility to make contact with a supervisor
when reporting an absence. Contact or messages left with individuals other than a
supervisor (including voice-mail) is not acceptable.