8.23.24
By Jennifer Jacobus, PHRca, SDEA CEO 
In the past week alone, SDEA has helped four different members with questions regarding employees that are a no-call, no-show to work. This prompted us to share some tips for other companies that may find themselves in similar situations. Many employers who are reading this know that this phenomenon is not new and for others, this should not come as a surprise. Afterall, employees are quiet quitting, quiet vacationing, and this might just be quietly setting their own schedule.
So, what is the best way to handle employees who don’t show up to work and don’t call in to let you know that they will not be reporting?
- Start with a well-written policy; employers should be specific on the expectations such as how long before the start of their shift they should notify the company that they will not be reporting to work or that they will be late
- Specify on whether or not it is acceptable to leave a voice mail, send a text message or send an email. If they need to speak to someone directly, be clear on that point
- When the employee does not show up for their shift, whether it’s a random Tuesday, the first day back from a scheduled vacation or their planned return to work date after a leave of absence, call the employee
- On the second day they don’t show up, call the employee again. Leave specific “instructions”, i.e., we need to hear from you by end of day today
- Third day, guess what, call the employee again. At this point you are letting them know that they have failed to notify the company as to the reason for their absences in accordance with company policy and that the company is accepting this as their voluntary resignation. Of course, it should go without saying that you are documenting your attempts to reach out to the employee
- At this point summarize your attempts to get ahold of the employee, site company policy, prepare the employee’s final check and send via certified mail (or some other method where you can confirm receipt)
We’ve heard, “they know the policy, why do I need to reach out”, “they’re adults…”; “I’ve already had this conversation with them”. We get it. But SDEA is here to provide our members with advice to protect themselves and in some, probably minimal cases, there is a legitimate mis-understanding or worse yet, there could be something medically or mentally occurring with the employee.
For businesses, enforcing these policies consistently is key to maintaining a fair work environment. When employees understand the consequences of a no-call, no-show violation, it encourages them to communicate promptly if they need to miss a shift.
Questions? Call SDEA at 858-505-0024.