HR-100 Employee Handbook: Attendance and Time Off
Revision 5 · Effective 2026-01-01
1 Purpose
This section of the Employee Handbook explains what Tallgrass Precision Components expects for attendance and how paid time off (PTO), bereavement leave and jury duty leave work. Reliable attendance keeps both shifts staffed and customer delivery dates met.
2 Scope
Applies to all regular full-time employees at the Wichita plant and the Overland Park sales office. Contractors follow the attendance rules of their own employer and the instructions of their Tallgrass sponsor. Holidays and pay practices are covered in HR-110.
3 Definitions
- PTO: Paid time off used for vacation, illness, appointments or personal business. Tallgrass does not keep separate sick and vacation banks.
- Years of service: Completed years of continuous employment, measured from the date of hire.
- No-call/no-show: Missing a scheduled shift without notifying the supervisor as required in section 5.2.
- Immediate family: Spouse, child, stepchild, parent, stepparent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, and parent-in-law.
4 Responsibilities
- Employees report to work on time, follow the call-in rule and request PTO through the HR portal.
- Supervisors approve or deny PTO requests, record call-ins and notify HR of attendance problems.
- HR (ext. 2230) maintains PTO balances, answers questions on eligibility and administers bereavement and jury duty leave.
5 Attendance
5.1 Shifts and punctuality
1st shift runs 6:00-14:30 and 2nd shift runs 14:30-23:00. Employees are expected to be at their work area, in required PPE (EHS-02), at the start of the shift. Time is recorded at the badge clocks as described in HR-110.
5.2 Call-in rule
An employee who will be absent or late must phone their supervisor directly at least 1 hour before the start of the shift. Text messages, email, Teams messages and messages left with co-workers do not satisfy the call-in rule. If the supervisor cannot be reached, leave a voicemail and also call HR at ext. 2230 when HR is open.
5.3 No-call/no-show
A single no-call/no-show is addressed under HR-200 Progressive Discipline. Three (3) consecutive no-call/no-show shifts are treated as a voluntary resignation, effective the last day worked. HR will attempt to contact the employee before processing the separation.
5.4 Attendance problems
Repeated tardiness or unplanned absences that are not covered by PTO or approved leave are handled through HR-200.
6 Paid Time Off
6.1 Accrual
PTO accrues each pay period based on hours paid (up to 80 hours per pay period), at the following rates:
| Years of service | PTO per year | Accrual per hour paid | Approx. per biweekly pay period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 years | 120 hours | 0.0577 hours | 4.62 hours |
| 3-6 years | 160 hours | 0.0769 hours | 6.15 hours |
| 7+ years | 200 hours | 0.0962 hours | 7.69 hours |
The higher rate starts with the first full pay period after the employee's service anniversary. Overtime hours do not earn additional PTO beyond the 80-hour cap per pay period.
6.2 Using PTO
New employees accrue PTO from their first day and may use it after completing 90 days of employment. PTO may be used in increments of 1 hour. PTO hours are paid at the employee's base rate and do not count as hours worked for overtime (see HR-110).
6.3 Requesting PTO
- Requests for 3 or more consecutive days must be submitted in the HR portal at least 2 weeks in advance.
- Requests for 1-2 days should be submitted as early as possible.
- Supervisors respond in the HR portal within 3 business days. Requests are generally approved in the order received, subject to staffing needs.
- Unplanned absences for illness are covered by PTO when the call-in rule in 5.2 is followed.
6.4 Carryover
Up to 40 hours of unused PTO carries over into the new calendar year. Hours above 40 are forfeited at the end of the last pay period of the year. Accrued, unused PTO is paid out at separation.
7 Other Paid Leave
7.1 Bereavement leave
Employees receive up to 3 paid days of bereavement leave for the death of an immediate family member, and up to 5 paid days for the death of a spouse or child. Days are normally taken within 30 days of the death. Notify your supervisor and HR; additional time may be taken as PTO.
7.2 Jury duty
Employees summoned for jury duty are paid their base rate for scheduled hours missed, for up to 10 working days per summons. Give HR a copy of the summons as soon as it is received, and provide proof of attendance from the court. Employees released early on a scheduled workday are expected to call their supervisor about returning for the rest of the shift.
8 Records
PTO requests and balances are kept in the HR portal. Leave documentation (court summons, attendance proof) is filed in the personnel file and retained per HR-230.
9 Revision history
| Rev | Date | Change | Approved by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2022-01-03 | Combined sick and vacation into a single PTO bank. | Janelle Cooper |
| 4 | 2024-01-02 | Added 7+ years tier; moved PTO requests into the HR portal. | Janelle Cooper |
| 5 | 2026-01-01 | Raised 7+ years accrual to 200 hours; carryover cap set at 40 hours; clarified that text messages do not satisfy the call-in rule; jury duty pay extended to 10 days. | Margaret Lindqvist |