How often can an employee be absent from work in a year?

The number of times an employee can be absent in a year depends on the company's policies regarding attendance as outlined in the policies and procedures. The policies are usually delivered in the form of an employee handbook, given sometime in the hiring process.

While there are no current federal requirements for paid sick leave, the United States Office of Personnel Management states that sick leave should be accrued at a rate of 1/2 day (4 hours) per bi-weekly pay period for full-time employees. This allows full-time employees about 13 sick days a year. The Family and Medical Leave Act allows for up to 12 weeks of unpaid sick time to be taken under certain conditions.