Bradford Factor Calculator

How the Bradford Factor calculator works

1. 1

   Count the separate absence spells

   A spell is one continuous stretch of absence, however long. Two consecutive days out is a single spell, while two separate single days in different weeks counts as two spells and has a much larger effect on the score.

2. 2

   Add up the total days absent

   Total the working days missed across all spells in the review period. The days figure scales the score linearly, so it matters far less than the number of spells.

3. 3

   Set the review period

   Most policies score absence over a rolling 12-month window. A shorter window produces lower scores from the same pattern, so the period needs to be consistent for the score to mean anything across a team.

4. 4

   Read the score against the trigger bands

   The calculator shows the score and the example band it falls into. Trigger points are set entirely by each employer's own attendance policy, so treat the bands as illustrative rather than as any kind of legal standard.

The Bradford Factor formula

Bradford Factor = S squared x D S = number of separate absence spells in the review period D = total days absent in the review period

• •Squaring the number of spells is what makes the measure sensitive to frequent short absences rather than to total time lost.
• •Ten single days out produce a score of 1,000, while one continuous ten-day absence produces a score of 10, from exactly the same number of days lost.
• •The formula has no basis in US federal or state law. Any trigger points, bands and consequences come entirely from an employer's own attendance policy.
• •A score on its own explains nothing about why someone was absent, which is why it should never be applied mechanically.

Worked example: three absences totaling six days

An employee has had three separate absences in the last twelve months, totaling six working days: two days in March, one day in June and three days in November.

Separate absence spells (S)

3

Total days absent (D)

6

S squared

9

Bradford Factor score

54

Example band

Review (50 to 199)

The score is 54, which falls into the example Review band and would typically prompt a supportive conversation rather than formal action.

What a Bradford Factor score does and does not mean

The thresholds are employer policy, not law

There is no federal or state Bradford Factor requirement and no legally defined trigger point. The bands shown here are illustrative, and the only thresholds that apply to you are the ones written into your employer's own attendance policy.

Disability and FMLA-protected absence need care

Applying a score mechanically to absence connected to a disability, or to leave protected under the Family and Medical Leave Act, risks a discrimination or retaliation claim under the ADA or FMLA. Employers are generally expected to exclude or separately adjust for such absence before any trigger applies.

Some absence should usually be excluded entirely

Pregnancy-related absence and other legally protected leave are normally kept outside absenteeism scoring. Check the policy for what it excludes before relying on a score.

A score is a prompt to look, not a decision

The measure only counts spells and days. It knows nothing about the cause, the employee's circumstances, or whether the pattern is already being managed, so it should trigger a conversation rather than an outcome.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good or bad Bradford Factor score?

There is no universal answer because trigger points are set by each employer. Many policies start paying attention somewhere between 50 and 100, treat scores in the low hundreds as a formal review point, and reserve several hundred or more for the most serious cases. Because the number is so sensitive to the number of spells, comparing scores across organizations with different policies is not meaningful.

Is the Bradford Factor required by US employment law?

No. It is an HR management tool with no basis in federal or state law, and no statute requires an employer to use it or sets the thresholds it should apply. Employers that do use it typically document the formula, the review period and the trigger points in a written attendance policy, and remain bound by the ADA, FMLA and applicable state leave laws regardless of how they score absence.

Why does the Bradford Factor penalize short frequent absences?

Because the number of spells is squared before being multiplied by the days. The design assumes frequent short absences are more disruptive to an employer than one longer planned absence, since each spell causes fresh coverage and handover costs. Ten separate single days score 1,000 while one ten-day absence scores 10, which shows how strongly the weighting works.

Should FMLA leave count towards the score?

Counting FMLA-protected leave, or absence connected to a disability under the ADA, in an attendance score without exclusion carries real legal risk, including retaliation and discrimination claims. Most employers exclude legally protected leave from absenteeism scoring entirely rather than trying to adjust for it after the fact.

What review period should I use?

A rolling twelve-month window is the most common choice and is the default in this calculator. Shorter windows produce lower scores from the same behavior and make the measure more volatile, while longer windows keep old absence in play for a long time. Whichever you choose, it needs to be applied consistently across everyone for the scores to be comparable.