No matter how large or small a business is, it always faces a critical problem with employees absconding from the workplace.
Was the employee absent due to illness or other circumstances beyond his control, or did he find another job?
Employers can’t know for sure and cannot, therefore, assume that an employee will not return to work.
It is the employer’s responsibility to determine whether the employee will return to work before considering termination of employment.
According to the Oxford dictionary, absconding means to leave hurriedly and secretly.
The act of absconding therefore indicates that one has no intention of returning to work.
Employers who do not know whether the employee will return to work must establish this fact before dismissing the employee.
The common practice is to treat uncommunicated absences for a period of more than 3 days as absconding in the majority of disciplinary codes.
The employer should then:
- Inform the employee to report to work and explain the consequences of failing to do so by phoning and sending messages, for at least a week or two;
- Enquire with the employee’s friends and/or family on the employee’s whereabouts;
- Instruct the employee to return to work by registered mail or have it delivered to the last known address of the employee, and indicate the consequences of failing to do so;
- Note the dates and times when friends and family contact the employee. It is called a desertion diary.
Desertion Diaries – What are they and when should they be used?
Desertion Diaries can be used as a checklist to ensure that the Employer contacted the Employee, asked fellow Colleagues for help, and visited the Employee’s last known address.
Employee Failed to Return:
The employer should send a disciplinary hearing notice to the employee’s last known address by registered mail or hand deliver it after attempting to return the employee to work and not succeeding.
A charge of abscondment apply to the period during which the employee absconded from work.
There must be a statement on the notice of the disciplinary hearing regarding the consequences of the employee not attending.
The employer must send registered mail or deliver the letter to the employee’s last known address if the employee does not attend the hearing.
An employee should be informed of his/her right to appeal the outcome of any disciplinary hearing conducted in the absence of the employee.
A valid explanation must always be provided by the employee upon returning to work after his/her period of absence has ended.
