Final answer:
Being "Present and on duty" means an employee is available to perform their work tasks. It includes being physically present and handling responsibilities during work hours. Absence without a replacement or not following proper protocol when unable to work could compromise business operations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Not being "Present and on duty" generally means that an employee is not available to perform their expected work tasks. This could mean several different things depending on the context:
- a) Not being physically present in the pharmacy. This means the employee is not at the workplace at all, which could make it impossible to perform any on-site duties.
- b) Being absent from the pharmacy without a replacement. In this scenario, not only is the employee not there to complete their duties, but there is also no one else to cover for them, potentially impacting the operation of the business.
- c) Taking a break during working hours. While on a break, an employee is temporarily not performing their duties, but is still considered to be 'on duty' overall as the break is part of their work schedule.
- d) Having a colleague handle your responsibilities. Here, the employee might be present but has delegated their work tasks to someone else for some reason.
To maintain a reliable workforce, it is important for employees to show up on time and be present for their designated shifts. When unable to do so, following the protocol for reporting time off ensures that responsibilities are managed properly, and service or operations are not disrupted.