Handling the Tragic Case of an Absent Employee's Suicide: What Steps Should We Take?

Since the suicide took place outside the office premises, the employer has no role in it. Being a case of suicide, you can attribute his long absence without intimation and his act of not reporting or responding to your letters as genuine and due to his mental stress. Therefore, you may make a full and final settlement of any unpaid salary, encashment of unavailed leave, and other payments, including gratuity, to his dependents. Under normal circumstances, the spouse is legally entitled to receive the amounts. If you have collected his nomination for gratuity (it is, in fact, the duty of the employer to obtain nominations from employees in Form F of the Payment of Gratuity Act once an employee completes one year of service), you can pay the amount to the person named in that form. Similarly, you can forward the relevant EPF forms so that whatever amount is due to his dependents from the fund will also be paid to them.

Regards,
Madhu.T.K