Job Abandonment: Causes and Solutions

Job abandonment occurs when employees leave their jobs without notice, causing significant disruption to workflow and productivity. This article explains its causes, consequences, and provides strategies for implementing a clear job abandonment policy to protect your organization.

By Douglas Wade, Attorney

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Table of Contents

1. What is job abandonment?

2. The consequences of job abandonment

3. The typical causes of job abandonment

4. Six essential components of a job abandonment policy

5. The best methods to avoid job abandonment

6. In conclusion

What is job abandonment?

When an employee abruptly leaves their position, both their team and the company suffer the consequences that follow. When people leave their jobs without notice, it leaves a hole that impacts production as others try to take their place. This is no easy task. To prevent such disruptions to workflow, HR should remain vigilant regarding the issue of job abandonment.

This article provides a summary of job abandonment, including its causes, potential preventions, and how to develop a successful job abandonment policy.

A worker is considered to have abandoned their job if they miss a predetermined number of days or shifts in a row without providing notice of their departure or a return date.

Even though the employee hasn’t formally announced their decision to leave, these persistent no-call, no-show circumstances are typically regarded as a voluntary resignation.

Despite the fact that both job desertion and absenteeism include unscheduled time off from scheduled employment, they are not the same. Absenteeism is the practice of workers missing work but returning. Employees who have no intention of going back to work are said to be in situations of job abandonment.

There’s no single definition of what exactly qualifies as job abandonment. Every organization needs to create its own policy and specify what constitutes a job abandonment in the event of an absence.

However, there are a few common signs that a worker has given up on their job. Among them are:

Employee skips multiple (usually three) days or shifts in a row without providing an excuse.
Within 72 hours of contact, the employee does not return calls, emails, or other correspondence.
Personal items were taken out of the employee’s workspace.

The consequences of job abandonment

Every absence from work interferes with daily operations, which costs money and time. However, because of the uncertainty surrounding the employee’s return, instances involving work abandonment exacerbate this further.

The following are some consequences of an employee abandoning a job:

A no-show worker leaves you shortstaffed, which affects how well work is done and how well clients are treated. This causes disruption to operations. Aside from taking time away from their regular duties, managers also need to cope with redistributing and changing the workload.

Productivity loss: When tasks are rescheduled or postponed, it becomes more difficult to produce the desired results. An average of 36.6% is the productivity loss associated with unscheduled absences, according to a report on the financial impact of staff absences.

Costs of replacing the employee: There are expenses associated with filling the position for an unknown period of time while you work through a job abandonment scenario. For instance, there can be premium compensation for callbacks or overtime pay. In addition, the company needs to spend money on hiring to cover the vacant position. A Gallup study on the expense of voluntary turnover for US organizations revealed that replacing an employee might cost anywhere between half and two times their compensation.

Reduced morale among employees: Managers and the team as a whole are under increased strain when unexpected staff departures occur. Colleagues who have to cover for an absentee employee will get angry and start speculating about what went wrong, including whether the workplace played a role. This fosters an environment that is negative and depressing.

Possible legal repercussions: Despite the lack of laws specifically addressing job abandonment, there might be legal consequences. You will need to handle this if the missing employee has an employment contract. Furthermore, if the circumstance involves medical concerns, there may be laws or policies in the US that you must abide with to safeguard employee rights, such as the FMLA or ADA.

For all of these reasons, HR professionals need to be aware of and responsive to the problem of employee job abandonment.

The typical causes of job abandonment

Job abandonment can happen in any kind of company and for a number of reasons. However, it is more likely in industries with a reputation for high employee turnover.

People occasionally work one or two shifts and then leave. Other situations involve employees failing to return after using their paid leave.

The following are typical justifications for why individuals deceive their employers:

Securing better employment while neglecting to communicate their decision.
Avoiding the work or finding it difficult, and taking the easy route out.
Being too shy or self-conscious to talk about their departure.
Not being aware of the possibilities for family, personal, or medical leave.

There are times when workers experience serious circumstances that keep them from getting in touch with their employer. For instance, in the event of a natural disaster, a medical emergency, or a family emergency. These situations need to be examined individually before being labeled as job abandonment.

Six essential components of a job abandonment policy

Having a job abandonment policy simplifies and improves consistency in managing these situations. Managers and HR can deal with the issue right away if they know what to do when an employee doesn’t show up. It cuts down on the time lost keeping a position open for a truant employee and eliminates uncertainty and guesswork about what to do in these circumstances.

A clear policy and procedures for job abandonment are also essential for handling associated legal issues. A no-call, no-show worker could be able to support a wrongful termination claim if there is a difference in the treatment of past absences. Conducting an in-depth investigation can confirm that there was a choice to walk away from the job and not merely a misunderstanding.

Your employee handbook should have a job abandonment policy with the following six features:

A precise definition of leaving one’s employment

Workers must be aware of what constitutes leaving a job, according to your organization. You need to specify the number of absence days that, in and of themselves, qualify as job abandonment. Usually, three straight days or missing shifts are the norm, although employers are free to decide what works best for their business.

A number of potential events that would qualify as job abandonment should be listed in the policy as well. Typical instances include failing to report for work on time, skipping work after taking a leave of absence, and failing to file FMLA or short-term disability claims.

Additionally, it should be made clear that quitting one’s job is seen as voluntary resignation, meaning that one is fired and ineligible for unemployment benefits.

Notification guidelines for absences

It should be specified in your general attendance policy how, when, and to whom employees should notify in the event that they are unable to report to work. Restate this specific language in the policy regarding job abandonment to help avoid misconceptions that may result in an incorrect understanding of job abandonment.

Burd v. Tahtsa Timber Ltd. highlights the significance of job abandonment policies and investigations.

Employers cannot simply assume that an employee has resigned voluntarily, as the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Canada, pointed out.

After more than 15 years of employment with Tahtsa Timber Ltd., Donald Burd experienced a medical emergency that kept him out of the office for almost a year. Burd and his employer failed to communicate about his return after he received medical clearance to do so. Burd thought he had been fired, but his employer thought he had quit.

Burd was granted damages in the amount of $73,879.38 by the Court, citing his unjust dismissal without cause and providing him with a reasonable 15 months’ notice.

This case emphasizes how important it is for employers to confirm an employee’s departure in writing in order to guard against accusations of unfair termination.

The investigation procedure

It is the employer’s responsibility to show that they conducted a thorough investigation and established that the worker had no intention of coming back to their job. It is important to find out why the person missed work and whether they are willing to talk to you.

A representative of the company must get in contact with the person by using the procedure specified in your job abandonment policy. Along with defining acceptable communication channels (texts, emails, and phone calls), you should also specify the number of tries that must be made within a given number of working days.

This is an illustration of how to look into a job abandonment:

First contact attempt: Make use of all the usual channels to communicate with staff members to find out why they missed their shift(s) and whether or not they will be back.

Attempt number two: Give it a full day and then get in touch with the individual via every channel of communication.

Third Attempt: See if you can get in touch with the individual who is listed as their emergency contact to find out if they have any relevant details. Make another attempt to speak with the staff member directly.

Send a registered letter; in it, include information about the occasions they missed work and your earlier attempts to get in touch. It should say that the company will consider their work abandoned if they don’t reply to the letter within a week of receiving it.

Last correspondence via registered letter: Give written notice of their termination of employment if you don’t hear back from them. A template for a work abandonment letter outlining the reasons for the termination and its effective date ought to be kept on file. It should also state who they can get in touch with if they have any questions.

Adherence to formal termination rules

When you’ve determined that the employee’s departure from the company was, in fact, a voluntary separation or termination, proceed according to the guidelines outlined in your company’s termination policy.

This involves granting the ex-employee any owed compensation and, if necessary, facilitating a transfer to COBRA for health insurance.

Detailed record-keeping

The first line of defense for employers is a documented policy outlining the circumstances under which job abandonment will result in automatic termination. Nevertheless, each stage of the procedure needs to be recorded in the employee’s file.

Every absence and contact effort made by the employee should be meticulously documented by supervisors and HR personnel. In the event that a fired employee files a lawsuit for job desertion, the employer may benefit from having thorough records maintained throughout the entire process.

A case of job abandonment: Massaquoi v. American Credit Acceptance

Given that her workstation seemed to be empty of personal belongings, the employer in this situation assumed the employee had moved cities and so considered her to have quit.

The worker, who started at American Credit in 2013, reported sick on August 24, 2015, and promised to be back on August 26. But on August 24, she received a letter of termination for leaving her job. Later, she alleged that her termination was discriminatory.

The employee’s objections were dismissed by the court, who pointed out that she never answered the employer’s repeated attempts to contact her. The incident serves as a reminder of how crucial it is to communicate clearly and to document any suspected job abandonment.

Applying the policy consistently

Make sure that everyone in your staff is aware of and abides by the job abandonment policy as written. When an employee misses work for the predetermined amount of days, follow the guidelines and begin an investigation.

Enforcing the rules consistently creates an impression of equity and dissuades others from assuming that you don’t mind unexcused absences.

The best methods to avoid job abandonment

While it might not be possible to completely get rid of job abandonment at your company, there are actions you can do to stop it from becoming out of control.

The goal is to locate and address any underlying problems that might be causing poor employee engagement. Unreasonable demands or a poisonous work environment can lead to employee detachment and an increased tendency to quit unexpectedly.

Try implementing these strategies to see how your company might steer clear of scenarios that could lead to workers abandoning you:

Promote frequent check-ins

Supervisors and staff should arrange regular one-on-one meetings in order to address issues before they become more serious. Instead of choosing to disappear without warning, people can voice their worries and complaints and feel heard.

As an HR specialist, inform managers of the value of these gatherings and motivate them to plan frequent check-ins with their staff.

Encourage group collaboration

Plan events and team-building exercises to promote unity and a feeling of community. Organizing these events during business hours promotes involvement and shows that an organization values their workforce. People are less inclined to quit their jobs if they feel more a part of the company and connected to one another.

Provide flexible work schedules

Compressed workweeks, remote work options, and flexible work schedules can all support workers in finding a more fulfilling work-life balance. This can significantly reduce the likelihood that employees will quit suddenly and without cause and maintain their commitment to their job.

Take surveys

Provide a channel for staff members to express their opinions and voice grievances regarding the company and their working conditions. Employees will feel appreciated and valued by the organization if you respond to their issues and take action based on their recommendations.

Make sure your staff members understand that their input is anonymous so they feel free to be open and honest about problems at work.

Educate people about the attendance policies

During onboarding, you must inform every employee of your attendance policy. Give it to new hires in writing and go over it with them verbally. Go over concrete examples with them to help them understand the various kinds of absences and the procedure for reporting or requesting time off to their superiors.

Verify that they are aware of their FMLA rights and how to obtain the information and relevant documentation from their employer, if needed.

Deal with performance concerns as soon as possible

As soon as an employee exhibits a weakness in their work, it is important to remind them of the expectations and provide support.

Assist managers in putting into action a detailed strategy that outlines how the worker might improve the quality of their work.

Tension and dissatisfaction among coworkers, the management, and the employee will all disappear if these problems are promptly resolved.

Examine your leave of absence and vacation policies

Employers who offer competitive paid time off policies give their staff members time off to rest, take care of personal matters, and rejuvenate. This can keep them from burning out and encourage them to stick with the business. Even unpaid leave gives workers who might require more time off a sense of security.

Examine your leave of absence guidelines on a regular basis to identify areas for improvement. Additionally, make sure that someone maintains communication with every individual on medical leave. According to research, workers who have assistance from their company throughout their recuperation from an injury are five times more likely to go back to work.

Encourage staff to provide appropriate notice

Even though it’s polite to give two weeks’ notice when leaving a job, some people may overlook the advantages. Encouraging workers to provide enough notice could lead them to reconsider making an abrupt departure. One way to achieve this is by providing incentives, including the ability to be hired again or money back for unused sick or vacation days.

Express your willingness to explore alternative methods of terminating the job, especially in European nations where it is customary to include a notice period in the employment contract.

Honor departing staff members

Employee morale is raised when departing employees are wished well. The organization shows that it honors the success of its departing employees’ careers and cares about them as persons by throwing a farewell party or sending an email notice.

It also shows that leaving the company will not be viewed as an insult, so employees should not be afraid to resign. Respecting the departure of employees fosters a positive work environment and discourages job abandonment.

In conclusion

You can handle job abandonment situations more skillfully and steer clear of problems, like wrongful termination lawsuits, by having a comprehensive policy in place and following it. Furthermore, it’s equally critical to take proactive action to prevent job abandonment.

Cultivating a positive work environment as well as enforcing consistent attendance and leave policies are essential for protecting your company from the disruption of job abandonment.

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