How to Handle an Absconding Experience Certificate When You Resigned Properly?

Hi All,

I was given an absconding experience certificate, even though I had submitted a proper resignation letter the day before I stopped going to work. I was unable to serve my notice period due to health reasons, which I clearly mentioned in my handwritten resignation letter. When I inquired with the HR person at my former company, they mentioned that I had submitted my medical documents after 3 weeks and did not return to work. Additionally, they had lost my initial resignation letter and had me write a new one during the exit formalities, which took place 4 weeks after my initial resignation submission. I am concerned about how this certificate may affect my career. Please provide me with some suggestions.

Thank you.

Hi,

It's very painful to read all these things. But one thing I would like to say... I have learned in this corporate world to keep everything in written format, that too through mail. That's a proof which you can show whenever it is needed.

In response to your query, if you are joining a company with a very strong reference check, then yes, it will have an effect. But one thing is going through my mind... why did you accept that absconding experience certificate?

Hi Kumar,

As rightly said by Anupama, it would affect if the hiring company is going for a reference check, and you should not have accepted an Absconding Experience certificate, which means you are accepting you have made a mistake. (I am saying this hoping that you really had a health issue and your company lost your first resignation letter.)

If you have good relations with your boss, speak to them and ask the HR to provide a new Experience letter. Alternatively, when you join your next company, give them your previous offer letter and last month's payslip. Tell them openly that you did not serve the notice period due to health reasons; hence, you don't have an experience letter.

Regards,

Tamil - Chennai - 5 yrs of Recruitment and Employee Retention Team

Hello Kumar,

Anupama has said it right.

But I have a few queries.

Sorry to say this, but your wording in this posting doesn't give any confidence that you were really sick.

You seem to have taken 'for granted' that you 'will' be relieved.

If you were really sick, you would have at least informed the new company you were to join - as things/problems were unfolding here.

Another point - a medical certificate that one is sick doesn't take 3 weeks. I am sure you must have taken medications based on some prescription of the doctor. And no company would refuse to accept it as 'not valid'. The plain fact seems to be: you didn't make any such effort - again a pointer to 'your not being really sick'.

I am not saying here that there aren't companies who ignore employees (especially those who resigned). But unless you have documentary proof, there's no way you can be heard. And such proof must also adhere to some semblance of timing. And in these days of the internet, informing others (in your case your employer) isn't much of a hassle like it used to be earlier - when letters have to be sent by registered post/courier, etc. And today even high school children have their email IDs. And what about the mobiles everyone has today - couldn't you have informed your boss? Again a pointer to: you didn't make any such effort.

Coming to what to do now:

If your relationship with your boss was good while you were working there, I suggest you speak to him and request if you can give his name for reference checking, if that situation arises in the future. Basically, he should be able to cover your performance at least & give some independent view of what happened. But if your relationship with your boss wasn't good, frankly you have a tough time ahead.

The worst-case scenario is: look for companies that don't do any reference/background checks.

Rgds,

TS

Hi TS,

I did give my medical certificate a few days ago, but they wanted me to undergo medical testing because just the medical certificate was not enough. So, I underwent all the necessary testing, which is why it took 2 weeks for me. Tajsateesh, you may think I'm making stories, but the fact is, I worked in a BPO industry. Due to back-to-back calls, I developed a problem with my throat. Because of attrition, my team leader wasn't ready to grant me early relief. Today, I spoke with my TL to obtain a proper experience certificate, and he mentioned that he will speak to the HR manager offline to make changes in my certificate.

I resigned from my job on November 21, 2009, and completed the exit formalities on December 28. After that, I joined the ITIS Domain in a different company on January 4th on a contract basis. In my certificate, they have mentioned the years of experience, but it also stated that I was absconding, leading to my release from the organization's services. According to the company policy, an employee has to serve a 30-day notice period; however, I served zero days, so they made me pay the shortfall during the exit formalities. I received this certificate only this week.

Please let me know if changing the mention of absconding due to health reasons and hence releasing me from the organization's services will be sufficient to resolve my certificate problem.