Make-up time: Overview, definition, and example
What is make-up time?
Make-up time refers to the time that an employee is allowed to work outside of their regular schedule to make up for time missed due to an absence. This could occur if an employee misses work due to illness, personal reasons, or another unforeseen event, and is given the opportunity to work additional hours or on different days to compensate for the time lost. Make-up time is often agreed upon in advance and must align with company policies and local labor laws.
In simpler terms, make-up time is when an employee works extra hours to "make up" for time they missed.
Why is make-up time important?
Make-up time is important because it allows businesses to maintain productivity even when employees are absent. Instead of losing the work hours due to an absence, the employee can adjust their schedule and complete the required work. This helps businesses avoid disruptions and ensures that employees can meet their performance targets while maintaining flexibility in their work schedules. It also benefits employees by allowing them to recover lost time without affecting their pay.
For SMB owners, offering make-up time can improve employee satisfaction and keep operations running smoothly without requiring drastic changes to employee schedules or compensation.
Understanding make-up time through an example
Imagine one of your employees is unable to come to work for a few hours because of a personal appointment. Instead of losing those hours, the employee requests to make up the time by staying late the following day. They work an extra two hours to ensure that their workload is completed. In this case, the two hours they worked late would be considered make-up time, allowing them to meet their required hours without any issues.
In this example, make-up time helps both the employee and the employer maintain productivity and avoid loss of work hours.
Example of a make-up time clause
Here’s an example of what a make-up time clause might look like in an employee handbook or contract:
“Employees who miss work due to illness or personal reasons may be allowed to make up the missed time by working additional hours or on alternative days, subject to approval by their manager. Make-up time should be completed within [X] days of the absence and must comply with company policies and local labor regulations.”
Conclusion
Make-up time is a flexible and useful practice for ensuring that lost work hours are compensated and productivity is maintained. For SMB owners, offering make-up time can help manage employee absences without disrupting operations, while also keeping employees happy by allowing them to make up missed time. By having clear policies in place, businesses can use make-up time effectively to handle absences and keep things running smoothly.
This article contains general legal information and does not contain legal advice. Cobrief is not a law firm or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. The law is complex and changes often. For legal advice, please ask a lawyer.