What is Absconding? | Definition & Meaning
When an employee doesn’t feel good in a job, it causes job dissatisfaction, which is problematic. The reason is that in many organizations, it is often looked at as an issue with the employee’s salary. So, if an employee tries to resign, the employer offers a raise to retain the employee.
However, when the employee feels that the employer does not understand the problem or is ignoring it, it may lead to actions like absconding. It’s an informal way of leaving work, which an employee should not choose.
But many situations make the employees go with it. In this blog, you’ll learn about what’s absconding, why employees abscond, and how organizations can prevent it. Additionally, you’ll learn how to write a staff absconding mail to HR if you are a manager or supervisor and an employee is absconding.
What is absconding?
Absconding refers to the act of an employee where he/she tries to leave a job by not appearing for the work consecutively. In the case of absconding, the employee doesn’t inform about the absence and also doesn’t take any authorization for the absence.
Formally, absconding is defined as absence from work for more than three consecutive days. So, if an employee is not attending work for more than three days and has also not given any notice or informal information about his/her absence, then it’s considered absconding.
In the corporate world, employers mostly address the issue by defining policies about how an employee can resign. So, the employee must follow the routine to get a resignation, which includes serving the notice period. Not serving the notice period and leaving without any notice can land the employee in serious trouble, like huge fines and even imprisonment.
However, in many cases, the company may use its power to expel such employees from work without any formal notice or paperwork. However, in any way, absconding may not be a great way to leave a job. But what can be the reasons for an employee to choose absconding instead of formally resigning? Let’s understand it.
Why would an employee choose to abscond?
Now the question is, if absconding is not an ethical practice, then why would an employee choose to abscond? There can be multiple reasons to abscond for an employee, but let’s talk about the common ones.
Firstly, getting a better opportunity is one of the most common reasons for an employee to abscond. Companies nowadays mention urgent requirements in job openings, so candidates must join immediately. However, on the other hand, the formal resignation process of most companies doesn’t allow for immediate resignation. The employee has to first go through a notice period, which can vary from company to company. That’s why employees try to abscond to go to the new company.
Moreover, job dissatisfaction is also a major reason behind absconding. When employees don’t feel satisfied with their job but fail to convey it as a reason, they try to abscond. This happens because employers try to keep the employees by giving them a raise, which doesn’t solve the problem.
How to Deal with an Employee Who’s Absconding
Dealing with an employee who’s gone missing from work, or “absconding,” can be tricky, but here’s how to handle it:
1) Try to Contact Them
First, try to get in touch with the missing employee. Call them or send an email to see if everything’s okay and why they’re not coming to work.
2) Understand the Situation
If you manage to talk to them, listen to what they have to say. Maybe they’re facing some personal problems or health issues that are stopping them from coming to work. If this is the case, then you should not count it as absconding.
3) Document Everything
Keep records of all your attempts to contact the employee and what they say. This will be important if you need to take further legal action.
4) Assess the Impact
Think about how the employee’s absence is affecting the work. Are other employees having to do extra work to cover for them? Is any important work being delayed? It is important to decide what action to take. If there’s a loss to the company due to absconding, you may take legal action. Otherwise, you can also choose to terminate the employee without any notice.
5) Consider Disciplinary Action
If the employee doesn’t have a good reason for being absent and it’s causing problems, you might need to take disciplinary action. This could involve warnings or, in serious cases, termination of their employment. As we mentioned above, you can also take legal action in many cases.
6) Seek Legal Advice if Needed
If you’re unsure about what to do legally or if the situation is complicated, it’s a good idea to seek legal advice. A lawyer can help you understand your rights and responsibilities as an employer.
But what if you are a manager and you want to inform about the absconding of an employee? It is important to inform her about it so that action can be taken. You can write a staff absconding mail to HR. Here’s how to do it.
How do you write staff absconding mail to HR?
A staff absconding mail to HR is a practice to formally inform HR about the absence of an employee for consecutive days without any notice. You must do it too, as absconding may cause interruption and delay in work. To write a staff absconding mail to HR, first try to contact the employee by mail and phone. Document the mail and phone calls to show them to HR. Now use this staff absconding mail to hr format:
Subject: Employee Absence Without Notice
Dear [HR Manager/HR Department],
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to inform you about the absence of [Employee’s Name] from work without notice.
On [date], [Employee’s Name] did not report to work and has been absent since then. Despite attempts to contact them via phone and email, we have not received any response. This unauthorized absence is causing disruptions to [mention any specific tasks or projects affected].
As per company policy, I am documenting this instance and seeking guidance on the appropriate steps to take. Could you please advise on the next steps to address [Employee’s Name]’s absence and any relevant company procedures we should follow?
I have attached a record of our attempts to contact [Employee’s Name] for your reference.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please let me know if you require any further information.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Position/Department]
[Your Contact Information]
Final Words
In conclusion, absconding is not a legal practice, and one must not follow it without a valid reason. The employer has the right to take strict action for absconding, which is why it can backfire on the employee. In many cases, it even hurts the future of the employee as he/she may face difficulty in getting a new job. Moreover, as an employer, you must have clear rules and regulations regarding resignation and termination. Otherwise, employees may take advantage of loopholes in the policy.
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