# Late marks, half-days and grace time, applied automatically

> Set grace time, half-day and absent thresholds, and monthly late deductions like 3 late marks = 1 day cut. Staff Khata applies them to every punch automatically.

In Staff Khata you write your office time policy once: how many minutes late staff may arrive without a late mark (for example 15), how early they may leave, the working hours below which a day is a half-day (for example 7) or absent (for example 4), and monthly late deductions such as every 3 late arrivals cutting one day from attendance or casual leave. Every punch is then marked present, late, half-day or absent by those rules, and payroll uses the result.

## What you get

- **Grace time**: Permitted late arrival and early departure in minutes, per policy or per shift.
- **Half-day and absent thresholds**: Working hours below which a day counts as a half-day or absent.
- **Monthly late deductions**: For example 3 late marks = 1 day cut, from attendance days or from casual leave balance.
- **Absent day penalty**: Choose how many days of salary an unexcused absence costs, from 0 to 30.
- **Auto punch-out**: Forgotten punch-outs are closed at 11:59 PM so the day still counts.
- **Different policies for different teams**: Create more than one office time policy and assign the right one to each group.

## How it works

1. Open Organization → Office Time Policy and create your policy.
2. Set permitted late arrival, early departure, half-day and absent thresholds.
3. Switch on monthly late deductions and choose the late count and days cut.
4. Staff Khata marks each day from the punches; check it in the daily and monthly reports.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is it legal to cut salary for coming late?

Deductions for absence from duty are allowed under the Payment of Wages Act and Code on Wages, in proportion to the time absent, and the rule should be written in your standing orders or appointment letter and applied to everyone equally.

### What is a common late coming rule in India?

Many employers allow 10–15 minutes of grace and cut half a day or one day for every 3 late marks in a month. Whatever you choose, tell staff in writing before applying it.

### Can late marks cut casual leave instead of salary?

Yes. In Staff Khata the monthly late deduction can take days from attendance or from the casual leave balance.

Page: https://staffkhata.com/features/late-coming-rules