Unexcused Absence from Work: What You Need to Know
This article applies only to the Czech Republic.
An unexcused absence ā seemingly a small “oops!” ā can quickly escalate into significant problems. Not only can such situations damage workplace relationships, but in extreme cases, they may even cost you your job. Whether you’re an employee who forgot to pick up the phone to call in, or an HR specialist dealing with this issue daily, this article will explain what an unexcused absence means, the potential consequences, and how to address the situation effectively.
What Does Unexcused Absence Mean?
An unexcused absence occurs when an employee fails to show up for work without notifying their employer in advance or providing proof of the reason for their absence. In other words, it is an absence that is not “excused” in any way.
According to labor laws, employees are required to inform their employer of the reason for their absence without undue delay. Failure to do so falls under the category of unexcused absence, which can lead to various penalties.
What Are the Consequences of Unexcused Absence?
Warning Letter ā Unexcused Absence
The employerās first response to an unexcused absence is typically a warning letter. This serves as formal feedback to the employee that they have violated their obligations. If the unexcused absence is repeated, additional penalties, including termination, may follow. In other words, take the warning letter seriouslyāit could be your first and last chance to rectify the situation.
Unexcused Absence ā Termination
A single forgotten excuse (with some tolerance) likely wonāt cost you your job. However, repeated unexcused absences can put you at serious risk. According to labor laws, employers can terminate your contract if violations of workplace discipline become recurring. So be cautious, or you might earn yourself a “red card”!
Immediate Dismissal ā Unexcused Absence
In severe cases, where an employee significantly breaches their dutiesāfor example, by not showing up to work and not communicating for an extended periodāthe employer may resort to immediate dismissal. And no apology can fix thatāitās game over!
Unexcused Absence ā Vacation Reduction
If you accumulate multiple unexcused absences, it may affect your vacation days. According to vacation laws, these absences can lead to a reduction in your well-deserved time off. The more unexcused days you rack up, the less time youāll have to relax on the beach!
Unexcused Absence ā Employment Record
If youāre terminated due to unexcused absences, this information may appear on your employment record. This can significantly complicate your search for a new job, as potential employers often scrutinize past infractions at previous workplaces.
Unexcused Absence and Health Insurance
When you fail to report your absence and skip work, your employer is not obligated to pay your health insurance. This responsibility falls directly on the employee. Yet another reason why notifying your employer is betterāfor the sake of both your nerves and your wallet!
Unexcused Absence During Probationary Period
The requirement to explain your absences applies during the probationary period as well. Additionally, during this period, employers can terminate the employment relationship immediately without providing any reason.
How to Proceed as an HR Specialist?
Set Clear Rules and Respond Immediately
The best prevention is clear communication. As HR managers, you should ensure that everyone on the team understands the rules for reporting absences and knows what will happen if they break them. Establish clear boundariesāspecify how and how far in advance an absence must be reported. Keep it simple, transparent, and free of confusion.
If an employee is absent without notice, respond as quickly as possible, ideally immediately. Ask what happened, and if the situation recurs, follow formal procedures (e.g., issuing a warning letter or notice). Swift action helps prevent more significant problems.
Adopt a personal approach. Sometimes, the issue runs deeper than simply āforgetting to report an absence.ā Talk to the employee to understand what prevented them from regular attendance. It may be a health or personal issue that needs addressing.
Record Absences and Prepare a Warning Letter Template
Always document every unexcused absence, even if itās only for a short period. This record can be useful if the situation worsens and you need to consider termination or other measures. Log each absence and keep all communication between the employer and employee.
Prepare a warning letter template that clearly outlines how the employee violated their duties. The document should specify the exact dates of the absences and the consequences of such behavior.
Be Flexible and Train Managers
When possible, consider a flexible approach for initial absencesāfor example, temporarily relaxing the rules or offering alternative communication methods. However, if the problem persists, stricter measures should be applied.
Ensure that your managers are also equipped to handle absences within their teams effectively. They should be well-informed about the rules and able to communicate attendance issues with employees efficiently.
If repeated absences occur and the employee is warned or even terminated, make sure everything is transparent and thoroughly documented to ensure legal protection for both parties.
Final Tip! Use Technology
Sloneek offers employees a streamlined way to submit absence requests through a user-friendly team calendar, which also displays the absences of their colleagues. This calendar allows for absence approvals, adding comments, and attaching various documents.
Additionally, Sloneek tracks available leave balances and prevents overuse. All essential statistics are easily accessible through fully customizable reports, where you can define your own views, create pivot tables, and export data to Excel.
Employees can submit leave requests directly through a mobile app, and managers can approve them just as easilyāright on their phones. Simple and convenient!
