Resigning Without Notice: Is Deducting a Month's Salary Fair or Unjust?

If someone resigns without a notice period, one month's salary is deducted by their head of the department. Is this reasonable or not?

HOD being reasonable or not is the issue.

What does your appointment order say? Are you following the clauses of the offer letter?

On what grounds will you deduct salary from the HOD because one of his subordinates left without notice? Is this a prison that the HOD has the ability to prevent someone from absconding? Or was your question worded wrong?

It's not reasonable to deduct salary on these grounds. However, variable pay can be deducted and should be communicated as a policy in advance.

It's not reasonable. You can affect his Variable pay (if any) or Incentives provided it's already a part of policy.

In the labor act, the Human Resources Department (HR) will not be responsible because employees who have left are appointed by management, not by the head of department (HoD).

Salary deduction is kind of a punishment, or I can say, according to the carrot theory of motivation, it means not to do it again, which helps avoid any mistakes from the employees. Therefore, it is good to update your HR manual; this will make it easier for you to apply.

Thanks,
Abdiqani Abdilahi

One of our store in charge left to our service without giving notice period. Hence the general manager says that he doesn’t give notice period, and hence one month period salary is deducted from his HOD (Finance Manager) and HR manager because they allowed him to go.

I don't understand why people post messages in a cryptic form, hiding all details, and then expect that they will get a valid answer.

If an employee at a store absconded, how does it amount to the finance head and HR manager "letting him go"? Did they give him a relieving certificate? Did they waive his notice period? As per the SOP of your company, who has the authority to waive the notice period? Was this done in spite of the GM saying he is not to be relieved?

If the terms of appointment mention the financial aspect of the notice period, then only payment in lieu of short notice period can be deducted. As per Maharashtra Standing Orders rules, no deduction for the shortfall of notice pay can be made from F&F; only legal proceedings can be initiated against the employee. Please check your Standing Orders rules.