Arriving and Leaving

Most jobs have specific work hours set by the employer – if so, it is important to arrive on time.  There are many reasons why it is important to be on time.  Being on time means you are at your assigned place and ready to work, not just walking into the building. 

• First, you need to be on time so that you have enough time to finish your job duties.  If you are late, then you might not have enough time to complete your tasks.  This could make you feel very stressed.
  
  
• Secondly, many people get paid by the hour or are paid to be at their job for a certain amount of time.  If you are late, you are either short-changing your employer or you will not get paid your full amount. 
  
  
• It is also important to be on time so that your supervisors and co-workers know that you are a responsible and valuable employee. 
  
  
• Finally, if you are late to work a number of times, this could cause you to get fired.

Here are some tips to make sure you get to work on time:

Write down what time you need to be at work in a daily planner, calendar, or a post-it note on your refrigerator. To make sure you arrive at work on time, you may want to set an alarm for at least an hour beforehand (depending on how long it takes to get ready for your job and to get there) to wake yourself up or remind yourself that it’s time to go soon. Aim to be at work 10 minutes early so that you are ready to work on time.  Arriving early gives you time to put your personal belongings away, use the bathroom, and clock in. Use this checklist to help you arrive for work on time each day! Use the Starting a New Job Worksheet to make sure you are ready for the first day of work.

Leaving at the End of the Work Day

There are certain expectations around leaving a job at the end of the day.  You should not leave work before the designated time.   When you are done with your assigned work, you should ask your supervisor what else you can do. 

Sometimes your supervisor may suggest that you go home early if you have finished all your duties.  But most often, they will give you more work to do.  You are being paid to work a specific number of hours and sometimes a supervisor might expect you to stay in the work place even when you do not have any work.

Some supervisors do not mind if employees work extra time at the end of the day to complete an assignment, but other supervisors do not want employees to do this.   You should always ask your supervisor for permission to work longer than your assigned work day.  You should also clarify if you get paid to work overtime or not.  Most places can only pay you a certain amount so you might not get paid to work extra time on a job.  

If you do work late, here are some guidelines:

• Make sure you are safe.  Make sure doors are locked if you are in the work place alone.  You should probably not work alone once it is dark outside for safety reasons. 
  
  
• Make sure you know how to lock up when you leave if you are the last one there.  Again, there may be an alarm system you need to set.  Write down the steps involved.  However, for security reasons, do not write the pass code in the same place as the steps for operating the alarm system. 

Arriving: Ask your supervisor what time you are expected to arrive at work each day. Write it down. Aim to be at work 5 to 10 minutes before your start time. Ask your supervisor where to park if you are driving. Ask your supervisor if you need keys and/or an identification card. Leaving: Do not leave a job early without first asking your supervisor if there is more work for you to do. You might have to stay at work until your scheduled time ends, even when you don’t have anything to do.  That is the supervisor’s decision. You might not be allowed to work longer than your scheduled hours.  That is the supervisor’s decision. If you do stay late, make sure you are safe. Make sure you know how to lock up and operate the alarm system if necessary.