Employers who decide to implement a "no-show" policy in their employee handbook do so in order to deter employees from not showing up to work without prior notice. Below is an overview
Employee No-Show Policy
Essentially, if an employee does not show up to work for a specified period of time without submitting a proper notice, they are considered to have quit. Often times these sections of employee handbooks may read something like this:
“An employee who is absent from work for three consecutive days without giving proper notice to the Company will be considered to have voluntarily abandoned their position and resigned from employment with the Company.”
Why Do Employers Need a No-Show Policy
A recent Michigan state appellate court decision illustrates one reason why employers should have a no-call/no-show policy disseminated to all employees.
In the case of the Michigan court, an employee had been terminated after being absent for three consecutive days without calling in to report his absences. He was also denied unemployment benefits because he was considered to have voluntarily left his employment as a matter of law.
Michigan law essentially has a no-call/no-show policy written into the state’s unemployment statute - but decisions from around the country make clear that terminations under a no-call/no-show policy are likely to disqualify employees from unemployment benefits in many states other than Michigan.
To be clear, unemployment statutes and case law differ from state to state, so terminations under a no-call/no-show policy will not always be a basis to deny unemployment benefits in every state. Professionals from an HR and payroll company may be able to help determine whether or not you can deny these benefits under a no-show policy.
Final Thoughts on Employee No-Show Policy
Payday HCM encourages employers who have not recently updated their employee handbooks to make sure the handbook has a no-call/no-show policy.
Employers can also reach out to our HR Coaching Division to ensure that all other policies and provisions in the handbook are up-to-date and in proper order.
To learn more about how Payday's HR Consulting Services are helping businesses around the country stay compliant and create detailed and effective employee handbooks, contact us today.
