Balancing Trust and Accountability: How Should We Handle Emergency Leave Requests?

Hi,

I have been coming across this situation very often: We have 2 types of leaves - medical and earned/casual leaves. In case of an emergency, we approve casual leaves without asking for many reasons. Generally, if someone has to take a leave, they should apply for it at least one day in advance. The problem is that if some casualty happens in anybody's family, like death/accident/sudden illness of family members, we trust people and approve their leaves. However, people are behaving very smartly. They lie because they know that no one is going to cross-check who is dead or ill. In good faith, we will approve their leaves. We don't know whether the person is going for interviews or any other work. If we implement strict rules, then the people who are responsible and honest will also suffer. If we don't, some people will always take advantage of the doubt. What should be the rationale? Please guide.

Gunjan

Hi Gunjan,

Leaves are meant for an employee to be availed, whether the reason for which he takes the leave is genuine or not is not of our concern. However, note that the prerogative of approving the leave still lies with his line supervisor or, in some cases, HR. Leaves should ideally not be disapproved because an employee may be going for an interview or you think is citing false reasons (unless you know the reason is false). Leaves should be disapproved if the employee's absence is going to hamper the organization's work/requirement.

1. If there is a need to control leaves, review if the number of CLs given to an employee is on the higher side and can be lowered.
2. Do not allow LWPs (unless the reason is genuine), so employees will retain CLs for future use.

Regards,
Neeraj K. Singh

You must distinguish these types of leaves:

Casual Leave: For unforeseen events without prior notice.
Medical Leave: To address an employee's medical problems.
Earned Leave: Annual leave entitlement for vacation or short personal breaks.

When an employee attends an interview or provides false information, you should not investigate their personal life.

Regards,
Partho

As long as the absence of the employee does not affect the working of the organization, the employer need not be concerned about when and for what reason leave is taken.

Regards,
Madhav

Hi,

For a one-day leave, you really do not need to control or find out the genuineness unless the person is a frequent leave taker. In such cases, you can check the genuineness of the leave. In the case of a long leave, either prior approval should be obtained, or if it's a medical leave, a medical certificate should be provided, or there should be a justifiable reason for taking a long leave without approval.

Regards,
Harshad

Hi,

I work alongside Mr. Neeraj. You could revise the number of CLs a year, but checking for the genuineness of the reasons is very difficult. Also, if an employee strongly decides to look for another job to leave a company, it's a typical challenge for any HR to retain them.

Regards,
Vidhya

Hi Gunjan,

I don't think it is our area of concern. We should not question them for taking the leaves if his supervisor is permitting his leave; then, our role is just to make a note of it. Only in the case where the employee is extending the leaves allotted to him and going on Leave Without Pay (LWP), or if he is taking the leaves without informing anybody, then I think we should interfere to find out why he is taking leaves. Instead, we should concentrate on other areas.

Regards,
Sonali

Thank you all for looking into the matter.

The problem is that the person is not very reliable. He says he has some urgent work, and we grant him leave, but then he comes to the office on the day of leave and asks us to cancel it.

He also takes so many unplanned leaves. As he is in a senior position and pretty old in the organization, we can't give advice to him time and again. However, as he works in a channel, his sudden leaves disturb the flow of work.

He gives out-of-the-mind excuses, and we have no option but to distrust him.

He has been told that he is setting a wrong example for new people, but we can't change anyone's basic nature.

Though he has earned and sick leave account balance, he asks us not to adjust those leaves but rather cut his salary as then he can save tax. He also says that anyone can make a forged medical for 50rs.!!!

It's really difficult to maintain a conducive environment where such people work and misuse the system. We are not in favor of creating yet another strict rule because of one or two people.

Hi Gunjan,

I saw your reply. If that is the case happening, then I think you should raise this issue to Management. It depends on you and your manager how you present it to them so that they will also understand the seriousness of this issue.

Hi Gunjan

No doubt your problem is a little serious but I would like to suggest that sometimes you need to perform under Circle of Control. The whole matter which you are discussing comes in Circle of Concern.

We all attached to this thread accept that this is a problem but to deal with this you need to look in a different way

1) Please be liberal at the time of giving leaves as you don't have much to do or control in this matter
2) You can always set a clause that while attaining sick leave (for a long period more that 2 days) a person had to submit following documents
· Medical Certificate
· Prescription note of the doctor
· Bill of the medicine

The idea behind is to make the availability if leaves a little difficult, as an employee will have to gather these documents as a proof.

You can always draw a clause saying failing to submit these documents will lead to a LWP.

3) In rest of the leaves you can always ask an employee that in his / her absence who will be handling the work load. This clause also brings a little consciousness in the employees as their work load will increase and they will be accountable for the task.

After some point of time repetitive leaves from the same person will not be appreciated among their colleagues itself.


Last but not the least asks the management to highlight absenteeism as a point to be discussed when they are reviewing the performance of the subordinate.

There are various companies which follow such clause in order to check the punctuality and commitment of employees towards their responsibilities

According to me such changes should be inculcated with a very positive note in the mind of employees and they should get a clear picture at the same time the management is capable enough to watch the employees performance in every aspect.

Last but not the leat you have to ba a little tought with your employees in terms of policy enforcement.