Struggling to Get a Relieving Letter After Being Marked AWOL: Any Legal Advice?

I worked with a multinational company for 6 years. Due to certain unexpected family conditions, I couldn't report to work after 15 days of leave. As a result, my manager marked me as absconding. After a year, I requested a relieving letter from them, but they informed me that they cannot provide it as I was considered absconding and did not serve the notice period.

Even after paying the full and final settlement amount of 41,000 INR, they are still refusing to issue the relieving letter, citing company policy for absconded employees. Instead, they have given me an AWOL (Absent Without Leave) letter stating that I was terminated and absconding. This poses a challenge for me in presenting this letter to any prospective employer. They have also not provided me with a copy of the company policy.

Seeking Legal Support

Is there any law that can support my challenge against this decision? Please advise on what steps can be taken to obtain the required letter.

Thank you.

There is no labor law regarding a relieving letter. It all depends on the company's policy.

Regards,
Varghese Mathew

Consult a Labor Condition Attorney

Consult a Labor Condition Attorney, and they will handle it for you in a goodwill manner. No company aims to ruin others' careers unless provoked. If you did not reach out to them for a year, that is your mistake.

Warning Letter and Company Policies

Did you receive a warning letter at your residence or via email? (Note: An email warning is not considered valid by law.) If no warning letter was issued, MNC policies state that uninformed absence for more than 15 days is considered absconding. However, the experience letter will mention that the employee was relieved due to their own absence, without any harmful language, as using such words could have legal implications under ethics and labor law conditions.