How should I handle an employee who abuses sick time and spends excessive time away from the office? This is a new nonexempt employee who has used all her paid time off.

Counsel this person immediately regarding the excessive use of sick time, and remind her that she was hired to perform a full-time job that requires regular attendance.

At the first sign of an attendance problem, you should explain how absenteeism can have a negative impact on the quality of the employee's work, the morale of coworkers, and the economic success and continued life of your company. If absenteeism continues, document in a warning letter the dates and times of the absences and the dates you've previously counseled this person. Inform the employee that continued abuse might lead to further disciplinary action, up to and including termination. Set specific consequences for future violations.

You need to let the employee know in advance when they've utilized all paid sick time to date, and that they'll be docked for any sick time taken in the future. If the employee has any paid vacation time left, it's permissible to use that for medical appointments scheduled in advance.

Be aware when you sit down to counsel this troublesome employee, that you might learn they have a disability protecting them under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If your company employs 15 or more people and your employee is protected under the ADA, you might need to explore reasonable accommodations. Refer to the ADA guidelines on the Department of Labor Web site to learn what questions you may ask, and how to go about discussing reasonable accommodations.

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