AWOL or absent without leave is applied for absences without prior notice and approval.
Here’s another email inquiry, this time about AWOL. Sharing my response to this Q because non observance of 30 days notice in employee resignation is a general HR concern.
Dear sir Sonnie,
Good morning. I just want to ask your opinion about our employee who submitted a resignation letter dated last June 30, 2019 and his last day will be effective July 31, 2019. However, he is not reporting since June 19 until now and mentioned his consent to our Finance Manager that he will not anymore get his claims and last pay and will just go AWOL.
In this case, shall we still need to send an official AWOL Letter to him or we will just let it be? By the way he is a Probationary employee who was hired April 15, 2019. Thank you for your advice.
My response:
First and foremost, 1 month notice notice is a requirement of the law. In some companies who offer gratuity benefit, 30 days is counted as “working days”. In the absence of a policy, 30 days is counted as “calendar days”.
Non observance of 30 days (unless those exempted by law) gives management the prerogative to run after the offending employee and collect financial damages.
G.R. No. 202961 February 4, 2015
“The Civil Code provides that the employer is authorized to withhold wages for debts due:
Article 1706. Withholding of the wages, except for a debt due, shall not be made by the employer.
“Debt” in this case refers to any obligation due from the employee to the employer. It includes any accountability that the employee may have to the employer. There is no reason to limit its scope to uniforms and equipment, as petitioners would argue.”
Going back to the question, how do we handle AWOL in connection with employee resignation:
Case 1: Resignation letter states 30 days notice and resignation was duly accepted
Case 2: Resignation letter states 30 days notice, document received but resignation not yet accepted because of a pending case.
Case 3: Resignation letter do not comply with the 30 days notice and resignation is not yet accepted
Case 4: Resignation letter do not comply with 30 days notice but resignation was accepted
Case 1: Resignation letter states 30 days notice and resignation was duly accepted
If employee suddenly stopped reporting for work without approved leave, management can proceed with sending two AWOL letters in a period of of 10 days, 3rd letter will be abandonment of work. Treatment of authorized leaves depends on company policy.
Case 2: Resignation letter states 30 days notice, document received but resignation not yet accepted because of a pending case.
If employee is under administrative investigation, management has the prerogative to withhold acceptance of resignation pending result of the investigation.
Same AWOL application as above if employee stopped reporting for work within the rendering period. After the investigation, management may either accept the resignation or proceed with termination if that is the result of the investigation. Acceptance of resignation, however, do not absolve the employee on his accountabilities.
If without a case and employee absents himself after the rendering period, company do not have the right to force employee to stay or extend his employment, Any extension is subject to the concurrence of the employee. Forcing employee to extend is tantamount to involuntary servitude.
Case 3: Resignation letter do not comply with the 30 days notice and resignation is not yet accepted.
Option 1: State/write on the RL that the notice is not accepted unless 30 days notice is complied. If employee insisted that he will proceed with the original schedule of resignation, then issue an NTE, re: why an *amount of _______ will not be collected from employee for non compliance to article 300 of the labor code.
[better option] Option 2: Respond in writing that the resignation notice is non compliant to Art 300 of the labor code, and if employee pushes thru, then financial damages in the *amount of ________ will be collected. Let employee sign and acknowledge.
*amount representing damages should have basis, stated in the policy or stipulated in the contract and discussed during new employee orientation.
On the computation of the final pay, such amount should be included on employee accountability. Clearance depends on full settlement or as agreed upon.
But management cannot withhold certificate of employment.
Case 4: Resignation letter do not comply with 30 days notice but resignation was accepted
With the acceptance, it may be assumed that the employer waived its right to the 30 days rendering period. It frees employee from financial damages resulting from the non compliance to the 1 month notice rule. AWOL is not also applicable in this instance.
Founder of LODI Inc. (Learning and Organization Development Institute, Inc.) and Co-Founder of Blogwatch. Mentor and Dad of 2 Gen Z Professionals.
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Good afternoon po Sir, Ask ko lang umalis po ako sa work ko before last August 2019 due to personal reason. Tapos po pinapadalhan po nila kong letter questioning regarding sa mga naiwanan ko. Nasagot ko naman na po lahat, pero up to now hinaharass pa din nila ko. Hanggang kailan po ba nila ko pwedeng ganyanin. Thank you po.
papaano pong hinararass?
Good morning po Sir Sonnie, ang gusto po kasi ay pumunta ko dun sa office para kausapin pa, pag di daw po aki pumunta susugod daw po sila sa bahay. Hindi po ba pwede naman akong tumanggi. Kasi po ay may gingawa at trabaho pa po ako. Tama po ba na kung kailan nila ko gustong mang istorbo ay ok na lang, kahit 5 months na po na mahigit na wala ko sa kanila.
ang tanung ko muna, nag render ka ba ng 30 days? kasi kung panu mo sila i-handle naka depende yan dun.
hindi po kasi nga AWOL nga po ako dahil di ako naka sweldo nung isang cut-off after 5 days nun di na ko pumasok
pag nag awol ka, may prerogative sila na habulin ka sa financial damages pag hindi ka nag render ng 30 days at di ka nag properly turn over
Sir you mean po ba mag penalty ako sa kanila?
yes… kasi may responsibility tayo na mag render ng 30 days. hindi ka na nila pede pwersahin na pumasok at mag turn over kung ayaw mo na.
pero pede ka nila habulin sa cost ng damages dahil sa pag AWOL
Thank you po Sir, pinipilit pa po nila kong pumunta dun taz nagbabanta pa po. Pwede po bang sa DOLE na lang kami mag settle?
yes naman. nag complain ka na ba ng non payment sa DOLE?
Hindi pa po isa pang gusto kong complain na wala kong copy ng contract namin, taz ung first six months ko po walang hulog ung SSS, PHIC at HDMF ko sabi nila ganun daw po practice nila. Taz after 6 months dun nila ko pinasok sa isang company nila pero ung basic salary ko po bumaba, nilagay po nila sa allowance. And yung work ko po ay sa ibang company nila bukod dun sa company na pinagpasukan nila saken. Ayoko na nga pong mag complain kaso sila pa po ung may ganang manakot.
if you have proof on that, and you are determined. Then you can file a complaint at DOLE, SSS and Pag-ibig.
Good day, ask ko lang po kasi pumirma ako ng 10 days training sa isang company at may training allowance ako worth 537 pesos, sa contract na ito ay nakalagay na if mag back out ako during or after my training ay need ko daw magbayad as my sanction, (ako po ay nagtraining sa isang normal na supermarket area na para na akong nag tatrabaho ), ask ko po kung need ko bang magbayad kasi nag back out ako after my training dahil sa layo ng trabaho. wala pa po akong pinirmahang Kontrata after my ten days training . yung… Read more »
kung may pinirmhan ka na dapat kang magbayad, that means nag agree ka at dapat mung tuparin
Good evening Po sir , magtanong Lang Po ako. Nagtatrabaho Po ako SA isang gasoline station pero under Po ako NG agency.Ngayon Po may nangyari nakawan SA Amin at nung time na Yun ako daw Yung nakaduty as cashier nun.Inaamin ko o may kapabayaan din ako pero Wala akong kaalam Alam SA ginawa nilang pagiimbestiga SA Amin.. Pagpasok ko nalng Po hndi na ako pinagduty at pinauwe na ako.. pinagreport Po ako SA agency ko.. nung nagreport Po ako Wala pong kaalam Alam Ang agency ko. Balik daw ako SA isang araw. Tapos pinilit ko na Po sila n magreresign… Read more »
dapat may Supervisor ang agency na nag handle ng investigation ninyo. Dahil di kayo employee ng gasoline station, maaring yun ang dahilan kaya di nyo alam na may imbestigasyon pala.
kanino ka nag resign, sa gasoline station or sa agency?