DFRS

POLICES & PROCEDURES
Department Of Fire & Rescue Services
Montgomery County, MD

ABSENT WITHOUT OFFICIAL LEAVE


 
 
No. 514
April 25, 1995

PURPOSE
1.0 To establish procedures for reporting, investigating, and initiating disciplinary action (where appropriate), when employees are suspected of being Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL).

APPLICABILITY
2.0 All DFRS personnel in the Fire Protection Occupational Series.

DEFINITIONS
3.0 Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) - Personnel are considered AWOL when they fail to report for duty to the work site at the scheduled reporting time or leave the work site prior to the end of the shift without a Supervisor's approval.
3.1 Stand-by - A Supervisor approved, short term period where one employee works for another. The period of stand-by time must not exceed two hours without permission of the District Captain.
3.2 Work Site - An employee's duty assignment for all or part of a shift as indicated by the lineup.

POLICY
4.0 Personnel employed by the Department of Fire and Rescue Services are required to report for duty as outlined in DFRS Policy #520, "Work Schedules," Section 3.1.
4.1 Employees must notify their on-duty work site Supervisor as soon as possible when they determine they will be late reporting for duty.
4.2 Personnel may arrange for a stand-by by an equally qualified employee for up to two hours under the following conditions:

  1. Arrangements must be approved by the on-duty Supervisor at least thirty minutes prior to the beginning of a shift.
  1. The employee must arrange the stand-by.
  1. The stand-by must not require overtime to be paid.
  1. Personnel standing-by must report for duty on time and participate in all activities.
4.3 Personnel who are excused from being AWOL may be charged leave for the period of time they were absent. Such instances of excused AWOL's may include:

  1. lending assistance at an emergency scene while enroute to work. The employee may be required to provide documentation from the police or fire officer-in-charge.
  1. emergency illness where the employee or a family member must be taken to an emergency room or physician. The employee may be required to provide a note from the attending physician verifying the emergency and time of treatment.
  1. unforseen circumstances which are verifyable at the supervisor's discretion.
4.4 Personnel are considered Absent Without Official Leave when they:

  1. fail to report for duty at their assigned work site at the scheduled reporting time; or
  1. leave a duty assignment prior to the end of the shift without a Supervisor's approval.
4.5 Personnel who are AWOL will be placed in a non-pay status for the period of time they were absent and may be subject to disciplinary action consistent with the appropriate Personnel Regulations.
4.6 AWOL incidents and related disciplinary actions will remain in an employee's files consistent with applicable Personnel Regulations and the Bargaining Agreement.
4.7 An employee who fails to report for duty for three consecutive work shifts may be subject to termination consistent with the applicable section of the Personnel Regulations.

RESPONSIBILITY
5.0 Employees are responsible for:

  1. reporting for duty on time, in proper uniform and at the appropriate work site;
  1. notifying the on-duty Supervisor as soon as possible when the employee anticipates reporting for duty late; and
  1. completing an AWOL Report (Attachment 7.0) within one hour after reporting for work, and forwarding it to his/her Supervisor.
5.1 Immediate Supervisors are responsible for;

  1. making an entry in the station log book when an employee is AWOL (e.g.: "Firefighter Doe AWOL. Attempts to contact him/her unsuccessful");
  1. notifying the Division Scheduler and the on-duty Shift Captain, or appropriate Supervisor when an employee is late for duty and cannot be found;
  1. providing the employee with an AWOL Report when the employee reports for duty;
  1. ensuring the report is properly filled out and contains appropriate documentation; and
  1. signing the AWOL Report and forwarding it with comments to the employee's Captain before the completion of the Supervisor's shift.
  1. assuring that adequate personnel are available to meet normal station staffing.
5.2 The Captain is responsible for;

  1. reviewing documentation submitted by the Supervisor;
  1. initiating appropriate disciplinary action for unexcused AWOLS via the chain-of-command;
  1. maintaining all AWOL Reports in the employee's supervisory file for a period of twelve months; and;
  1. ensuring that all appropriate pay notations are recorded on the employee's time and attendance sheet.

PROCEDURE
6.0 Employees must notify the on-duty Supervisor as soon as possible when they suspect they will be late reporting for duty.
6.1 Supervisors must make an attempt to locate employees suspected of being AWOL.
6.2 When an employee calls in and advises the on-duty Supervisor that he/she will be late for duty, the Supervisor must hold-over a member of the off-going shift, unless an approved standby exists, until the arrival of the employee.
6.3 When an employee is AWOL and has not called in nor been contacted to determine his/her work status, the Supervisor must:

  1. notify the on-duty Captain, and the Division Scheduler requesting a replacement;
  1. make an entry in the Station Log Book and note on the Daily Activity Report that an employee is AWOL (e.g.: "Firefighter Doe AWOL. Attempt to contact him/her unsuccessful"); and
  1. forward an AWOL Report to the Captain advising him or her of the incident before the completion of the Supervisor's shift.
6.4 Employees who are AWOL and report late for duty shall:

  1. report in proper uniform, ready for duty;
  1. report to the immediate Supervisor prior to signing the station log; and
  1. complete an AWOL Report and forward it to the on-duty Supervisor within one hour of reporting for duty.
6.5 The Captain will;

  1. review, complete, and if appropriate forward all information necessary to initiate a Disciplinary Action to the Bureau Chief, Program Support Services via the chain-of-command; and
  1. ensure that all appropriate pay notations are recorded on the employee's time and attendance sheet.
  1. notify the employee of the AWOL status in a timely fashion.

ATTACHMENTS
7.0 AWOL Report

CANCELLATION
8.0 This policy cancels #514, Tardiness, dated 01/16/88 and #524, AWOL, dated 05/17/90.