Legally, no action can be taken against them. As already pointed out, this is what is called risk in selection. Just take it in another way (as I have experienced during my short, indeed very short span with an IT company). We hire one person thinking that we will get a project (perhaps the Marketing person would have mentioned in their meeting that a project, which would yield the company a handsome profit, is in the pipeline. Consequently, HR would have been tasked with recruiting a person possessing the required competencies. HR, in turn, would have conducted a headhunt and eventually extended an offer).

After four or five months, we realize that the project will never materialize (as it is in the hands of others located in the US or UK). In such circumstances, what will happen? We will inform the person to leave. We might even state that they are on probation, and during this period, we are not obliged to provide any notice or notice pay, offering only a month's salary. The chapter is closed. In this scenario, the employee loses their job, possibly affecting their career as well. Hence, I would suggest considering it as a selection risk or recruitment error and moving on. Also, consider that the employee may have left due to not liking us or our company, with reasons behind his dislike.

Madhu.T.K

From India, Kannur
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Please carefully examine what prompted the employee to abscond after being trained for the project. Identify whether it is related to salary, the work environment, lack of confidence, or other factors. Remember, you cannot force the employee to work for you; instead, seek their perspective to comprehend the situation.
From India, Ahmadabad
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Hello Sangeetha,

Madhu.T.K has provided you with the choices/options you have post-absconding of the employee.

However, as Saji mentioned, have you done any exercise to check the possible reasons for this situation?

Also, is this a one-off situation OR is this happening with many employees? Based on your clarifications, this seems more likely.

Don't you think your line "employee has been trained for a particular project for 3 to 4 months and when the project is about to start they have absconded without any prior information" POSSIBLY is a giveaway of some deeper cause/malaise? One possibility that I can see is: the employee must have gathered some info during the training that he/she MAY have thought to be EITHER contrary to what may have been told to him/her earlier OR MAY have felt a situation developing that Madhu TK mentioned [project being canceled].

Unless you go to the root of the problem, chances are more likely that you will end up resolving the problem through trial and error rather than a focused solution-oriented approach.

All the best.

Regards,

TS

From India, Hyderabad
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Dear All,

I have recently joined a new company that is undergoing a transition phase as the company was established in May 2016. Since the company came into existence several months ago, the management has not yet decided on appraisals for the current year. Employees are now inquiring about the status of their appraisals, and we have informed them that the management is still considering the appraisal process for the current year.

I am unsure if this is the right practice. Could you please advise if this situation could lead to any legal issues?

Regards,
Pravin - HR Associate

From India, Pune
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There is no legal issue. Even the employees cannot ask why they have not been appraised. In fact, the apprehensions of your employees are not due to their enthusiasm to know what their shortcomings are or the areas where they should improve, but it is all about how much they will get as a salary increment. If you declare that since we have not set any individual goals and made any parameters for deciding what should be the salary hike, all of you will get a flat 10% or 20% salary hike, then the situation would change. There would then be individuals coming and asking for the hike to which they are entitled. This is a common scenario, and you need not go into it very deeply.

It is also true that for a good performer, non-appraisal and not giving him a salary hike may be irritating and that may even lead him to look for a change. Therefore, in case you have not done any formal appraisal, you can have an informal appraisal considering factors like attendance, late coming, timely reporting, completion of work/tasks, attitude, etc., and announce a salary increment. This would serve the purpose for the time being.

Madhu.T.K

From India, Kannur
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