Absent without leave (AWOL) is an unauthorized leave taken by an employee without informing or seeking permission from their supervisor or manager. It is serious misconduct that could result in summary dismissal. The employer has the authority to terminate the employee immediately and even sue them in extreme cases. Even if the company does not terminate the employment, absent without leave is not good for an employee’s career since it negatively impacts their professional profile.
If an employee does not have explicit permission to take a leave for more than three days, it can be counted as AWOL. In such cases, the employee is on a temporary absence from the company, and it is regarded as an unofficial resignation from that job. The employer has the right to take legal actions against the employee in such cases.
But an employer should be mindful that failure to state the extent of absence clearly in its disciplinary policy can be deemed as gross misconduct. It can imply that an employer has failed to provide sufficient guidance as to acceptable levels of lack. This may undermine the employer’s decision to dismiss AWOL and its robustness before the employment tribunal.
AWOL stands for ‘absent without official leave.’ It refers to when an employee takes an extended leave without seeking prior approval from their place of employment.
An employer can take disciplinary action against an employee if they are absent without leave. They can even decide to termiante the concerned employee’s employment contract.
When faced with a situation where an employee is absent without leave, employers must first try contacting the employee to understand their reason for the absence. But if they’re unable to reach the employee, employers can launch disciplinary action and terminate the employment contract after a reasonable amount of time has passed.
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