Most employers have policies in place reserving the right to terminate employment if the employee does not report to work or notify the employer of his absence. Two or three unexplained absences is usually cause for termination due to job abandonment.
Absenteeism Policy
Employers must adopt an absenteeism policy and distribute this and all company policies to new employees. Such policies must outline what the company expects of its employees. The absenteeism policy must clearly explain what constitutes proper notification, attendance requirements and the consequences of not reporting to work.
Proper Notification
If an employee is unable to report to work due to illness or circumstances outside of her control, she must notify the appropriate person with a phone call. This individual is often an immediate supervisor, general manager or human resources manager. During training, the employer must let the employee know who her point person is.
Terminating an Employee
If any employee does not call the employer or report for work for two or three consecutive days, the employer generally considers this job abandonment and terminates employment. The employer can call the employee, send a letter describing the company’s absenteeism policy or simply remove the employee from the payroll.