Job Abandonment – What Is It & How to Handle It at Your Small Business

Job abandonment occurs when an employee does not report to work as scheduled and has no intention of returning to the job but does not notify the employer of his or her intention to quit.

1. Develop and train on your policy:

Employers should develop a policy defining how many days of no-call/no-show will be considered job abandonment. Two to three full business days is common with small businesses and provides employers with enough time to investigate the absence.

2. NEVER Assume

We are taught in all areas of our lives to never assume, this is one of those areas! Never assume that all no-call/no-show absences are automatic job-abandonment cases. Sometimes, extenuating circumstances exist, such as a serious illness or injury, or possibly even jail. Employers should develop investigation procedures alongside their HR team, including attempting to contact the employee as well as sending a termination of employment letter explaining the employer’s position and asking the employee to contact the employer if there are circumstances that could potentially change the employer’s action.

3. Follow established termination Standard Operating Procedure (SOP):

When working with small businesses, a termination SOP is one of the first tasks on our to-do list! It is so important to have a process in place and to be sure all managers are trained on that process. Keep in mind, an employee’s termination date may not be the same as the last day worked and will depend on the employer’s job-abandonment policy. A solid policy will provide clarity to ensure that these situations are handled consistently.

You can download your own free copy of our Job Abandonment Termination Letter by clicking HERE!

We would love to chat with you and help you build out your policies. Give us a call! 🙂