Absconding Employee Policy: What Steps Should HR Take and How Long Does It Take?

Hi,

Please let me know the standard process along with timelines for HR's action for an absconding employee. I am making a policy for our company.

Hi Priyanka,

Anyways, an employee who has absconded will not be putting in his 100% effort even if you find him and file a suit against him to ask him to work. So, it's better to leave him as he wishes. Let's come to the point.

For retention, HR can include some special clauses in the appointment letter itself when appointing an employee. For example:

"You are liable to inform HR or your reporting authority properly when deciding to resign and quit the services. Uninformed absence from work will be considered as abscondism. Therefore, no relieving letter will be issued if you fail to resign properly and serve the notice period."

"The company is liable to pay 9000 Indian Rupees on completion of every six months of your tenure. If you happen to get relieved within the duration of six months, the company shall not be liable to pay Rs 9000."

The first clause aims to make the employee serve the notice period and get relieved, while the second option is to encourage the employee to stay with the company by offering a retention bonus based on their cadre and designation. It is implied that Rs. 1500 will be retained as the retention bonus every month, and at the end of every six months, it will be given as a total sum of Rs. 9000.

You can also find a way similar to this, get it approved by your boss, and implement the same.

Thanks and Regards,

Prasannasundhar N

Thank you, Prasanna.

In case we need to take action, such as sending an email to his personal ID or issuing a warning letter, are there any standard timelines defined for it?

Hi,

Just an intimation letter followed by a termination letter can be sent to his residential address through courier or speed post. That too, an employee who is not reporting to work consecutively exceeding the casual leave limits should be intimated through telephonic calls, messages, emails, etc. If no response is received, then you can send an intimation letter. After a week's time, you can send him a termination letter. It is again up to the company as the time limits may vary. But sending a warning letter or termination after one year will not show sensibility. So take action immediately once the absence exceeds the casual leave limits for the month.

All the Best, Prasannasundhar N

Hi Priyanka,

Please send the termination letter via registered post with a certificate of posting.

Sree

Hi, Priyanka,

We follow the following process while an employee is absconding.

After 3 days of an employee not reporting to work, a letter will be sent to his address through registered post asking him to report back to work.

After 6 days of an employee not reporting to work, giving the reference to the first letter, we will be sending a second letter asking him/her to report on an immediate basis; otherwise, action will be initiated.

After 10 days of an employee not reporting to work, giving the reference to the first and second letter, a final termination letter will be sent.

The employee may come with the first or second letter, which can be considered on a case-to-case basis.

Regards

Dear Priyanka,

Absconding from duty is an act of misconduct and should be treated as such. The advice given by Mr. Sita Prakash is quite right.

Send a letter by Registered AD Post and UPC at the address furnished by him and available on his personal file. You will advise him that he has been absenting himself from duty without prior information or permission of his superiors from...(date) and that he continues to do so till date...(date of sending the letter).

Advise him that in case he persists in his unlawful absence from duty, it would be inferred that he is no longer interested in continuing his employment with the company and that he has abandoned his position of his own free will. After three such letters (wording is important), send him a final letter treating it as abandonment of duty and remove his name from the rolls of the company.

Vasant Nair

Dear Sir,

If the employee refuses to receive the termination letter that is sent to his residence and it is returned to the sender company's address, what should we do?

AMAR THAKUR

Hi Amar,

Please tell him that, as per the company policy, you cannot revoke the issued letter. If it is a genuine case, you can consider it.

Thank you.