Caregiver No-Call No-Show Policy (Template)
A no-call no-show is a missed visit with no contact before start time. Policy template, the first-hour response, when you can terminate, and what you must still pay.
By Caregiver Scheduling Team ·
A no-call no-show is a scheduled visit the caregiver misses without contacting the office before the start time. In home care it is a safety issue, not just an attendance issue: a client may be waiting for help getting out of bed or taking a meal. Define it in writing, respond within minutes, and apply consequences consistently. For planned and short-notice absences, see the call-out policy.
What counts as a no-call no-show?
Any missed visit, or arrival past your lateness threshold, with no contact before the start time. Write the threshold as a number of minutes, usually 15 to 30, so there is no argument later. A caregiver who calls before the start time has called out late, a lighter offense.
What should the policy say?
Keep it to one page in your policies and procedures manual that a caregiver signs at hire. Here is a template.
No-call no-show policy
A no-call no-show happens when you miss a scheduled visit, or arrive more than ____ minutes late, without notifying the office before the visit starts.
Because clients depend on you for their safety, a no-call no-show is serious. The office will try to reach you by phone and message. If we can’t reach you and are concerned for your safety, we may contact your emergency contact.
- First no-call no-show: written warning and a meeting before your next shift.
- Second within 12 months: final written warning, and may result in termination.
- Two consecutive scheduled days missed without contact may be treated as voluntary resignation.
Absences protected by law are handled under the leave policy. If an emergency prevented you from calling, tell us as soon as you can.
Signature ______ Date ______
What should the office do in the first hour?
Find out in minutes, cover the client, then document.
| Minutes after start time | Action |
|---|---|
| 0 to 10 | Check for a check-in. Call and message the caregiver |
| 10 to 15 | Call the client or family; tell them help is coming |
| 15 to 30 | Send the backup caregiver, or post an open shift to nearby qualified caregivers |
| 30 and later | Supervisor covers or escalates. Confirm the client is safe |
| Same day | Document what happened, in the caregiver’s file and the client’s record |
The key is knowing about the miss in minutes, not when the family calls. That needs check-in tracking that flags late arrivals. See how to fill open shifts.
Can you fire a caregiver for a no-call no-show?
Usually yes, if you apply your written policy consistently. Most US employment is at will, and the US Department of Labor notes that outside protected reasons, termination is governed only by any contract between employer and employee. Two exceptions matter here:
- Protected absences. An absence covered by paid sick leave, FMLA, disability accommodation or similar law cannot be counted as a no-call no-show, even if the caregiver reported it late. Ask why before you decide. See caregiver paid sick leave.
- Consistency. Firing one caregiver after a second miss while excusing another’s fourth invites a discrimination claim. Keep a log of every occurrence and what you did about it.
Montana is the main state without at-will employment for workers past a probationary period. Union contracts and your own handbook can also limit you.
What do you still have to pay?
Everything the caregiver actually worked, on time. A no-show earns nothing for the missed visit, and you cannot dock other hours as a penalty. If you terminate, final pay deadlines are set by state law, not federal law. The Department of Labor confirms that federal law does not require an immediate final paycheck, but many states do.
| State | Final pay after termination | Source |
|---|---|---|
| California | Immediately on discharge. Within 72 hours if the employee quits without notice | Labor Code 201 and 202 |
| Texas | By the sixth day after discharge. Next regular payday if the employee quits | Labor Code 61.014 |
| Federal (FLSA) | No deadline, but wages are due on the regular payday | DOL |
If you treat two missed days as a resignation, your state may apply its quit deadline rather than its discharge deadline.
How do you prevent no-call no-shows?
Confirm the week, watch the first 90 days, and make swapping shifts easier than disappearing.
- Confirm the week with each caregiver a few days ahead.
- Watch new hires. Most no-shows happen in the first weeks. See why caregivers quit in the first 90 days.
- Check the case. Repeated no-shows on one client can mean the case is too hard or too far away.
- Make swaps easy so caregivers ask instead of vanishing.
How Caregiver Scheduling handles this
The dispatch view shows who has checked in and who has not, so a late arrival is visible at minute one. A missed visit can be posted as an open shift to nearby qualified caregivers, who accept in the app. Messages between the caregiver and the office stay in one thread. $199/month for up to 10 caregivers or $299/month for up to 50, free for 30 days.
FAQ
Is a no-call no-show grounds for termination? Many agencies terminate after a second occurrence within 12 months. Apply your written policy consistently and rule out protected absences first.
How late counts as a no-show? Set a specific threshold, often 15 to 30 minutes without contact, and write it into the policy.
Should I pay a caregiver who shows up very late? Pay for all time actually worked. Discipline through the policy, not the paycheck.
Can I withhold the final paycheck after a no-show termination? No. Pay all earned wages by your state’s deadline.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Check your state’s final pay and leave rules.