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If a person was absent from the workplace for less than 4 hours, this is not legally considered absenteeism and cannot be punished by dismissal. However, even a short-term absence can lead to undesirable and even fatal consequences. Therefore, the head of the department or the employer has the right to draw up a report on such absence and subject the culprit to disciplinary action. Repeated repetition of such incidents may well become a reason for parting with an employee. The most common occurrences are lateness, leaving work earlier and returning late from lunch break.

For the correct legislative registration of such situations, it is necessary to require an explanatory note from the employee who was absent from his workplace. After all, it may turn out that the reasons for absence were completely valid, and there is nothing to punish the employee for. In any case, it is necessary to write this document.

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Absence from work without good reason

Absence from work, that is, truancy, will be considered absence of work time lasting more than four hours in a row. That is, if an employee, for example, missed two hours, then showed up, and at the end of the day missed another three, this, of course, can still serve as a reason for investigation, but not in connection with absenteeism.

However, if absenteeism does occur, what reasons will be considered valid? Much depends on the attitude of the management towards the employee, on his track record. If this is not the first time he has violated discipline, then the attitude will be completely different from that of someone who has been working in the company for a long time and has previously shown himself to be exclusively positive. But what is best to write in the explanatory note for absenteeism? The following reasons, which are usually considered valid, can be distinguished:

• caring for a sick child;
• summons to court;
• temporary disability;
• emergency circumstances such as a fire or flood in the house.

Of course, it is highly advisable to confirm everything with certificates, especially if they are of the kind that can be easily confirmed by them, such as missing a day of work due to illness.

In addition to those listed, of course, there may be many other circumstances, but most of them, for example, preparation for exams, you can warn your boss in advance. In any case, whatever the reason for absenteeism, it is worth reflecting it as clearly and accurately as possible in the explanatory note.

Sometimes, of course, the explanations can be the most comical, and you need to be prepared for the fact that if the reason for absenteeism was the birth of a dog or the desire to participate in a rally, then the reason will not be considered valid, and appropriate measures may follow. After all, if no valid reasons for absenteeism are found, then this can even lead to dismissal from the position, since it is a gross violation of labor discipline (Article 81, Part 6 of the Labor Code), and dismissal is allowed even for a single absence.

https://youtu.be/SqgREI3Vr5M

Valid reasons for an employee’s absence from the workplace

There are many reasons why a manager may require a subordinate to describe an incident in an explanatory note. Among the most common:

• late
• no-show
• absence from work
• unauthorized leaving before the end of the working day (shift)
• refusal to perform duties
• errors in work
• failure to fulfill official duties
• detection of violations by commission, inspection
• violation of labor discipline

You should not immediately take hostility to the manager’s proposal to write an explanatory note. A written explanatory note is a statement by the employee of his own vision of the situation. This document will not allow superiors to interpret everything in their own way and punish an innocent subordinate.

If the manager has not received an explanation 48 hours after the employee was asked to provide it, he has the right to apply disciplinary punishment.

How is an explanatory note drawn up for absenteeism at work in 2020?

Form and structure of the document

How to write correctly? The explanatory note for failure to appear is written in free form and by hand. The presentation style should be businesslike.

The document structure should contain the following elements:

• in the upper right corner the first line indicates the name of the enterprise, its organizational and legal form, on the next line the position and full name of the manager to whom an explanation is provided;
• the name of the document is written in the middle - an explanatory note about absence from work;
• then follows the explanation of the reasons in any form of presentation;
• after - date and signature
• if there is documentary evidence that the reasons for absence are valid, they are referred to in the text, making an appendix and adding them to the document.

What and how to write correctly?

Drawing up an explanatory note for absenteeism has certain recommendations in order to protect the rights and interests of the employee himself:

• the style of presentation should be businesslike, concise and not have any emotional overtones;
• a prerequisite is the presence of the header of the document, the correct name of the enterprise, position, surname, first name, patronymic of the person to whom the explanation is addressed;
• indicate the name of the document correctly;
• outgoing number and registration date;
• position, full name, signature.

Reasons that are not valid:

• absence from work for a day or 4 hours;
• failure to appear without reason and failure to notify management about it;
• the fact of omission is recorded and has documentary evidence.

Correction: if the absence lasted exactly 4 hours, without a single extra minute, this is not absenteeism; if an employee does not have a personal workplace, but was on the territory of the enterprise, this is also not absenteeism; in the case where a subordinate, for objective reasons, was unable to report his absence on time, then such circumstances can be considered valid.

Legitimate reasons:

• temporary disability;
• performing government duties (for example, a member of a polling station in an election);
• blood donation;
• detention by police officers, arrest;
• difficult weather conditions and transport problems;
• in case of delay in salary for more than two weeks (the employee must notify the boss of absence in writing);
• summons to court.

As a result of absence for a valid objective reason, documentary evidence must be provided (sick leave, subpoena, certificate).

Where do you register?

After writing the explanatory note, it is registered in the office or in the personnel department and given to the manager’s secretary or directly to him.

Compilation deadlines

According to labor legislation, the employee must write and provide an explanatory note about the absence within 2 working days.

Sample (examples and options)

Taking into account the circumstances and reasons for failure to appear, the law recommends drawing up an explanatory note with specific content. Below are examples of explanatory notes about absence from work.

For family reasons:

An example of an explanatory note related to family circumstances

For health:

Example of an explanatory note related to health status

Without good reason:

An example of an explanatory note not supported by any valid reasons

For other reasons:

You will find a sample notice of dismissal for absenteeism in our article.

Does absenteeism entail responsibility or not? Find out here.

You can download the employee absenteeism report form here.

Is it possible to fire someone for absenteeism without an explanation according to the law?

Do not forget that this prank threatens with dismissal, which is also stated in the Labor Code of the Russian Federation. And lawyers call an explanatory note a document in which an employee writes and explains the reasons for his absence from work (in the case of absenteeism).

If an employee has written an explanatory note for his absenteeism, he can be punished only on the basis of the document he wrote (dismissal, deprivation of a bonus, salary cut). If the employee did not write a document and did not explain the reasons for his action, then there is a high probability that he will be fired.

Two situations can be considered:

• The first is when an employee systematically does not go to work. Then the employer has the right to dismiss him with the reason “systematic absenteeism.” The day of dismissal of an employee is the last day of his official work activity. On the same day, the employer is obliged to send a letter to his employee notifying him of his dismissal;
• The second situation is when an employee still shows up, but there is no documented explanation. Then the director of the organization has the right to notify him of the upcoming dismissal.

Valid reasons for absence from work

Most often, “truants” have good reasons, which include:

• Absenteeism due to illness or injury;
• Passing an urgent medical examination;
• Caring for a sick child or close relative;
• Being late due to an unforeseen situation (stuck in an elevator, bus breaking down, etc.);
• Delay of wages by the employer.

In such cases, along with an explanatory note, you must provide documents that prove the employee is right. For example, in the case of illness, provide a doctor’s note.

Is it necessary to write an explanatory note if there is no good reason?

In any situation, the employee has the right not to write an explanatory note regarding the violation. Only refusal to write can negatively affect his work, and may even serve as a reason for his dismissal.

Statistics show that in 85% of cases when workers do not write a paper regarding failure to appear, everything ends in dismissal (in other cases, a warning is issued). Therefore, it is better for the worker to write it and describe his situation in as much detail as possible and do not forget to apologize.

Is the employee required to write an explanatory note?

The law does not contain a mandatory norm that would oblige an employee to write an explanatory note. It doesn’t matter what the duration of the offense is: a week of absenteeism or less. It is better for the employee to write an explanation. This is especially true if the person was unable to warn the employer that he would not come to work due to valid reasons. It cannot be said that an employer is always ready to fire its employees. Usually the truant is given another chance. But if we are talking about systematic absenteeism, the employee is fired.

When identifying absenteeism, the employer must strictly follow a certain algorithm. In particular, the employer creates a commission. She should consider the fact of absenteeism as an accomplished fact. Further, the employer is obliged to check the provided papers as evidence. The end of the employee check should be considered the issuance of an order, which will state what disciplinary measure will be applied to the person.

IMPORTANT: The employer may choose the form of punishment for the employee at his discretion. But only within the framework of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation. In addition, the employer, at his own discretion and inner conviction, can make an entry about the application of a disciplinary sanction in the work book, but may not do so.

For health

Anyone can feel ill, especially if we are talking about people at risk in terms of health - working pensioners, pregnant women, employees with disabilities.
If the reason for missing work was a deterioration in health, this should be written in the explanatory note. Unfortunately, if a person simply felt unwell, left work or did not show up to his workplace at all, and there was no request for medical help (there is no documentary evidence of a temporary deterioration in health), the employer has the right to apply disciplinary action to such an employee up to and including dismissal.

Important! Based on Article 261 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, dismissal cannot be applied to pregnant women as a disciplinary measure.

Example of an explanatory letter about absence from work due to health reasons

When to write an explanatory note

In case of absence from the workplace for more than 4 hours, an employee of the enterprise is obliged to write an explanatory note. This is a written explanation of what happened to him, the reasons for the action. Labor legislation clearly distinguishes between two types of reasons, which are divided into valid and disrespectful. Depending on which of the reasons is reflected in the document written by the employee, the algorithm for the employer’s subsequent actions depends.

Respectful:

• registration of sick leave due to the illness of the employee himself, children, or to care for disabled family members;
• funeral;
• participation in court hearings and operational activities;
• liquidation of an emergency at the employee’s place of residence;
• elimination of emergency consequences;
• Accidents on city highways.

Valid reasons must be documented. In particular, the documents may be:

• sick leave;
• certificate from a medical institution;
• agenda;
• traffic police certificate;
• document from the housing department.

If the head of the company was warned in advance that the employee would not come to work, this cannot be considered absenteeism.

Unexcused reasons: failure to provide supporting documents of absence from work for more than 4 hours.

The explanation given by the employee in writing serves as an official document, redirected from the employee to the personnel department. In this document, the employee explains his actions. If the employee has documents that could justify him, they should definitely be attached to the note. The Labor Code of the Russian Federation provides only a clear distinction between valid and disrespectful reasons. But no understanding is given of what can be considered valid reasons and what cannot be considered. It follows from this that only the employer will evaluate the totality of reasons. Thus, it turns out that his assessment will be subjective, which cannot but cause concern if the personal relationship between these two people is quite strained.

It is not the employee's responsibility to write this note. The Labor Code of the Russian Federation does not contain a mandatory rule regarding the writing of an explanation. But failure to draw up this document in practice is regarded as an admission by the employee of his guilt.

Can they be fired without an explanation?

Dismissal for absenteeism is a penalty specified in Article 81 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation. The algorithm for applying such penalties is determined by Article 193 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation. According to this rule, in the event of dismissal due to absenteeism, the manager is obliged to require the employee to explain the situation. But the failure of an unscrupulous employee to provide this document cannot create an obstacle to his dismissal.

Typically, the employer's problems arise when a person's absenteeism is long-term. The employer, when complying with the provision that the day of termination of the employment contract is the last day of work, risked delaying the issuance of the work book to the employee. Article 84.1 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation established that the employer is exempt from material liability for the delay in issuing a work book. But if there is a discrepancy between the last day of work and the day of registration of dismissal for absenteeism. Thus, the law allows that the date of issuance of the order that the employee is resigning may be later than the date of dismissal contained in the document.

According to the provisions of Article 84.1 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, a disciplinary sanction that is due to an employee for absenteeism can be applied no later than a month from the date of discovery of the offense. This does not include the period a person is on sick leave or on vacation.

IMPORTANT: An employee’s absence from work is reflected in the time sheet at work. The immediate supervisor of an unscrupulous employee is obliged to inform higher management that the employee did not show up for work through a memo.

In the process of registering dismissal, it is necessary to understand that long absences must be recorded no more than one month ago.

What the law requires

According to current legislation, only the employer can demand an explanatory statement from an employee. This is either the manager himself or a person authorized by order for a specific period.

Thanks to the explanatory note, it becomes possible to clarify all the circumstances due to which the offense was committed and what the fault of the employee was.

At the same time, the employee may refuse to write an explanatory note. Especially if she confirms his guilt, directly or indirectly. After all, no one is obliged to testify against himself, as the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation states.

But sometimes it’s better to write it anyway in order to avoid dismissal from work or other serious penalties.

Document preparation

Document execution Please note: An employee who has committed absenteeism must write an explanatory note and bear responsibility only if the fact of absenteeism is correctly documented.
For information on how absenteeism is formalized and what nuances there are in various situations, read this article. Writing a document should begin with the “header”, where it is indicated who it is addressed to and who is drawing up the document. The explanatory note is written addressed to the director of the enterprise of which the person is an employee. It is necessary to indicate the full name and correct title of the director’s position, as well as the full name and position of the document’s author.

Then in the middle of the sheet the title of the document “Explanatory Note” is written and you can move on to the main text. The exact date on which the working day was missed should be mentioned, as well as the reason for the absence. Additionally, you can emphasize your serious attitude to work by also indicating the reason why the employer was not warned about absenteeism in advance or during the period. If it is difficult to formulate such a reason, you can simply mention that it was not possible to warn the employer.

After the main text of the note, you need to write the date the document was compiled and sign, after which the document is provided to the HR employee. If the reason for which a working day was missed is considered disrespectful, disciplinary action may be taken against the employee, a reprimand may be issued, or the truant may even be fired “under the article.” However, in relation to one explanatory note, only one preventive measure can be chosen, and if the employer has issued a reprimand, the employee can no longer be fired due to the designated absenteeism. By the way, under what article can one be fired? Read here

explanatory note about truancy

What are the dangers of absenteeism?

If a person leaves the workplace without the consent of his supervisor, this is considered a violation of discipline. In any case, the employee faces liability for absenteeism. The method of dealing with an undisciplined employee depends on many factors. For example, this could be the frequency of violations, length of service, professionalism, morale, working relationships with the team. Having weighed all the situations and analyzed them, the manager comes to a certain decision.

Absenteeism is different. For example, there may be a single case of absenteeism for more than 4 hours. In this case, the employee will focus on the reasons for the misconduct that happened to him. He will write that this phenomenon was an exception to the rule. And when deciding what to do with such an employee, management takes into account the employee's behavior prior to the situation.

If previously the employee worked conscientiously, was not noticed in violations, and performed tasks in accordance with what is set out in his job description, the manager can verbally warn the employee. This is called a warning.

Long-term absenteeism means absence from work for more than 4 hours in a row. It is necessary to register absenteeism in a timely manner. The employee’s absence report must be drawn up no later than one month from the date of the violation. An administrative form of punishment can be used against an employee from the moment documentation of the fact of absenteeism appears.

Sometimes unscrupulous employees systematically skip work. Therefore, employers lose hope that the employee will come to his senses. In this situation, in practice, managers resort to an exceptional form of disciplinary action on a person. This is dismissal under Article 81 of the Labor Code. A record of this is recorded in the work book.

You can work on holidays and weekends, but only by agreement between the parties: the employee and his manager. The fact that the employee agrees to work on such days must be documented. If there is no document confirming that a person goes to work on a day off, it is illegal to prosecute him for absenteeism.

How to write correctly

The explanation is written by hand, in a free format. The presentation must be in business form. The structure of the document contains the following details:

• the first line in the upper right corner must indicate the name of the enterprise, its organizational and legal form, then the last name, first name, patronymic of the manager to whom an explanation is given;
• in the middle of the sheet the name is written - an explanatory note about absence from work;
• followed by an explanation of the reasons for non-appearance, they are written in free form;
• At the bottom is the date the document was written with the signature of the originator;
• if there are good reasons for failure to appear, they are indicated in the text of the explanatory note; documents are attached to the note.

Rules for drawing up an explanatory note:

1. The presentation style should be businesslike, concise, but at the same time as clear as possible.
2. All details must be met in the document, in particular, the correct name of the enterprise or company must be indicated in the header;
3. The title of the document must be in the middle of the sheet; a prerequisite is its correct indication.
4. The document must have an originating number and registration date.
5. The document must bear the signature of the originator and position in the organization.

Unexcused reasons:

1. The person is absent from work for more than 4 hours in a row.
2. The management of the enterprise was not notified that the employee would not be at work.
3. The fact of absenteeism was recorded and documented.

IMPORTANT: If the absence lasted 3 hours 59 minutes, this is not absenteeism; if the employee was on the territory of the enterprise, but he does not have a workplace, this is also not absenteeism.

If a person was unable to inform the employer that he would not come to work for good reasons, this is not considered absenteeism.

Valid reasons:

• sick leave;
• fulfillment of duties given by the state;
• donation;
• arrest;
• detention;
• unfavorable climatic conditions;
• problems with transport accessibility;
• summons to court;
• wages are delayed for more than two weeks.

After drawing up an explanation, the document is registered in the management office. You can give the document to the manager himself or to the secretariat. The employee is required to provide an explanation for failure to show up for work within 2 days (workers).

Example

To understand how to correctly draw up the act in question, it is necessary to give a specific example.

Vehicle repair shop For the head of the repair shop

Ivanov Sergei Nikolaevich

from master Sidorova Olga Petrovna

OFFICIAL NOTE No. 12 dated September 12, 2019

ABOUT THE ABSENCE OF AN EMPLOYEE AT THE WORKPLACE

I would like to bring to your attention that the workshop repairman Arkady Semenovich Zhilin was not present at the workplace on September 10, 2019 throughout the entire day, that is, from 08.00 to 18.00. When I tried to contact him, Zhilin A.S. didn't answer calls. On September 11, Zhilin went to work on time, presented a certificate issued by the traffic police officers stating that he had been in an accident in which he was at fault. He was detained until all the circumstances were clarified, that is, until 14.00. Due to the fact that there was little time left for work later, Zhilin decided not to go on shift.

Due to the fact that Zhilin A.S. did not answer the call and did not inform the company that he would not appear and did not voice the reason, I ask that he be punished in the form of a reprimand.

Master Sidorova O.P.

What are the risks for the employee?

Absenteeism is a type of disciplinary offense for which penalties are imposed in the form of a reprimand or reprimand, and for such a gross violation as long-term absenteeism, an employee may even be fired under the article.

The employer is obliged to document absenteeism as soon as possible. It is necessary to record the employee’s absence from the workplace so that the next violation the employer has grounds for imposing an appropriate penalty on the violator.

What are the consequences for an employee on a probationary period when absenteeism for more than 4 hours, how is it formalized? An example of a dismissal order for long absence

Is it possible to register absenteeism without giving an explanation?

To bring an employee to justice, management does not have the right to force an employee to write an explanatory note. If he refuses to explain the reason for his absence, management will consider his legal right and the consequences of making a decision on this fact unilaterally. Exculpatory oral reasons from the violator will not be relevant. In this case, the offender cannot count on a loyal attitude towards himself after the offense and there will hardly be any talk of pardon. It will be almost impossible to challenge the imposed punishment.

There is another side, if the employee actually committed absenteeism for good reasons, for which there is relevant documentary evidence, they must also be attached to the note. In this case, management must indicate the absence for a valid reason on the report card, and this will avoid dismissal or other punishment.

This type of document, such as an explanatory note, is a personnel document in which the absentee gives a detailed explanation of his absence during working hours.

The procedure for assessing misconduct usually causes great disagreement between the subordinate and the boss.

How can an employer request an explanation for absenteeism?

Absenteeism is the absence of an employee from the workplace for more than 4 hours. It is important to distinguish this from forced absenteeism, when absence from work is due to the actions of the manager.

Before receiving an explanatory note from an employee, you should prepare an absenteeism report, which includes testimony:

• immediate superior;
• at least two witnesses confirming the failure to appear.

Internal investigations into violations of discipline of any type can be carried out no later than within a month from the date of the commission of the offense.

Is it possible to be fired for absenteeism?

The current legislation establishes that the manager has the right to apply disciplinary measures to an employee who has committed a violation of labor duties - reprimand, reprimand, dismissal. The decision on the type of punishment is made by the boss solely based on the specifics of the circumstances. In practice, if the violation was committed for the first time, then instead of dismissal, a more lenient sanction is applied.

The law defines situations when dismissal from office can occur immediately, without warning or reprimand. This also happens in the event of a one-time gross violation of duties by an employee. This also includes absenteeism without a good reason. That is, in case of absence from work for more than four hours, the manager has every right to dismiss the person without applying other measures of influence to him.

The place and meaning of the explanatory note when registering truancy

Absenteeism will be the absence of an employee from his place for the entire working day or 4 hours in a row. The document flow and procedure for registering absenteeism are determined by the Labor Code of the Russian Federation and include:

1. Recording of misconduct. In connection with the absence of an employee, a report is drawn up indicating the date and time of absence. The act is signed by the truant’s supervisor and at least two colleagues. When the employee appears, he is introduced to the act for signature or a note is made about his refusal to sign.
2. Failure to appear due to unknown circumstances is indicated on the report card.
3. Management will request written explanations from the employee regarding the violation of discipline. 2 working days are given for preparation.
4. If an explanatory note is not provided, a corresponding act is drawn up.
5. Regardless of whether an explanatory note is presented or not, management decides whether to hold the person accountable or recognize the reasons for non-appearance as valid.
6. When held accountable, a corresponding order is issued and announced to the employee. When dismissal for absenteeism, the necessary documents are drawn up and an entry is made in the work book.
7. Corrections are made to the report card. In case of absence for a reason recognized as valid, the corresponding mark is given on the report card (for example, B - sick, OZ - leave without salary). When confirming absenteeism, the PR is indicated.

An explanatory note is the only and fundamental document that can save the situation and save the employee from a reprimand or even dismissal. A single absence is sufficient grounds for termination of the employment relationship. There is no reason to expect that the administration will incorrectly document the violation. Management treats documents drawn up upon dismissal due to the fault of an employee with increased attention.

The need to draw up an explanatory note

Regardless of whether the reasons were valid, if the employer’s consent to miss work time was not obtained in advance, then it will be necessary to write an explanatory note about the absence and explain what caused it. However, the need to write an explanatory note may not arise after every absence. It appears only if the employee’s absence was recorded in documents, and he was ordered to write an explanatory note about this. There is no need to do this on your own initiative - sometimes such issues are resolved simply in a personal conversation with your superiors.

If an explanation was requested but not given by the employee, the employer has the full right to dismiss him.

Archival storage periods for explanatory notes

Explanatory notes are placed in the employee’s personal file and are therefore stored with him for 75 years.

What would you like to say in conclusion? No matter how much pressure the manager puts, before you start writing a memo, it is important to calm down and, in a calm atmosphere, after analyzing all the facts, draw up this document.

Writing an explanatory note allows the employee to express his vision of the situation, does not allow management to interpret everything at their own discretion and impose an unreasonable penalty.

Is it necessary to demand an explanation from an employee when absenteeism?

An explanatory note is a document that reflects the offending employee’s justification for his action. The employer has the right to require the employee to provide the specified type of paper.

It is important to take into account that the final decision on the preparation of the explanatory note is made by the employee. He can either agree to draw it up or refuse to perform this action.

In order for the investigation regarding the establishment of the fact of the employee’s absence from the workplace to give the most accurate result, the employee is recommended to draw up an explanatory note under any circumstances.

This is especially important if the citizen who violated labor discipline believes that the offense was committed for a good reason.

Explanations must be provided within 2 days from the date of the employer’s request. An explanatory note is attached to the report of the head of the unit.

The procedure for issuing a reprimand for absenteeism.

conclusions

When committing a disciplinary offense, including absence from work without a good reason, the employee must provide an explanatory document. It reflects information about the reason why the need for absenteeism arose.

Requiring this paper is the responsibility of the employer. In turn, the employee decides for himself whether to draw up a note of this sample or not.

If, within 2 days after sending the request, the employed citizen does not provide documentary explanations of what was done, the management of the company draws up a corresponding act of refusal. The absence of a document is equivalent to the admission of guilt by the violator of labor discipline.

Refusal to give explanations

Recognition of the fact of absenteeism in the explanatory note is important, since it is on the basis of the employee’s admission that a penalty is imposed on him. But what if an explanatory note about absenteeism was not drawn up by the employee after the corresponding request was sent to him?

Of course, this does not mean that he cannot be punished. In this case, it will be necessary to draw up an act of refusal to give explanations, which must be certified by the drafter and at least two witnesses. The report is drawn up in the absence of explanations within two working days after the request or immediately after the employee’s categorical refusal to give them. After drawing up this act, a disciplinary sanction may be imposed on the employee.

Explanatory note from the employee

In accordance with the requirements of current standards, before making a decision, the manager is obliged to invite the employee to write an explanation about the reasons for the misconduct. Such a document is drawn up in compliance with established rules.

Form and content

The explanation must be in writing. You can use regular office paper for this. Some companies produce forms for such purposes.

The text of the document must indicate:

1. Name of the organization.
2. Information about its leader.
3. Information about the employee - name, position.
4. Date of the incident.
5. All the circumstances of the incident.
6. The reasons behind this.
7. Whether or not a person admits his guilt.
8. The employee’s signature and the date the document was issued.

The completed explanation is submitted to the head of the company for consideration. A man writes a paper on his own. It is not allowed to tell him what the content of the explanation should be.

Is it possible to refuse to give explanations?

The general rules define the obligation of the head of the company to request an explanatory note from the employee.

In turn, for the worker this is a right. That is, a person can refuse a boss. This fact must be documented. This is realized by writing an act.

The content should reflect:

1. Date and place of document preparation.
2. Information about the compiler and the employees present.
3. Fact of refusal to give explanations.
4. Signatures of those who took part in the procedure.

The drawn up act is attached to the inspection materials and transferred to the head of the company. The lack of explanations is not an obstacle to applying disciplinary measures to the violator.

Deadline for receiving the document

The current regulations stipulate that an explanatory statement must be submitted by the employee within two days from the receipt of the request from the manager. In this case, only working days are taken into account. Accordingly, the presence of required days off or general non-working time during such a period extends the period.

Rules for drawing up a document

In order not to lose your job, you need to approach writing an explanatory note correctly. Especially if the employee does not have a completely valid reason that prevents the employer from dismissing him, and is seriously afraid for his job. In this case, a lot will depend on the presentation of the reasons for missing a working day in the explanatory note, and on how weighty the arguments seem to the authorities.

Structure and content

It is worth thinking carefully about how the explanatory note for absenteeism should be drawn up and how to build its structure, because this is an important document on which the employer’s decision regarding punishment may depend. There is no strict form for the document, and yet it must contain certain structural elements. When compiling, you can rely on the sample attached to the article. The main elements that a note should contain:

• name of company;
• Full name of the manager and the employee;
• title of the document – ​​“Explanatory” or “Explanatory Note”;
• an indication of the exact date on which (or on which) the employee was absent from the workplace;
• the reason he was absent;
• date of compilation, signature of the compiler, its transcript.

The entire content is thus divided into two parts. This:

• the factual part, which contains confirmation of the fact of absenteeism and a statement of the situation as a whole;
• an explanatory part that provides the reason for the employee’s absence from his place; in addition to it, additional explanations and justifications may be given, or it may be indicated why he did not have the opportunity to warn about his absence in advance.

Usually written by hand on a simple sheet of paper (sometimes the organization has special forms), in many companies it is customary to write an explanatory note by hand as additional confirmation that it was actually drawn up by the offending employee himself.

Indication of reasons for absence from work

The main purpose of writing a note is to indicate the reasons why the employee was absent.
Let us note that the legislation does not have a clearly defined list of grounds that are valid, so the decision on how valid they are in each specific case is made by the employer.

Therefore, you need to think through the statement of the reason, formulate it as correctly as possible, in a business style. It is advisable to state the reason clearly and concisely. In addition to the reason for absence from work, a serious attitude to the issue will emphasize the explanation of why the employee could not warn his boss about absenteeism in advance or at least during the day.

And of course, the chances that the reason will be considered valid will be much higher if it is supported by documents. After all, words remain words (which does not negate the importance of choosing wording!), and documents are much more significant. But if it is not possible to confirm the weight of the reason with documents, you can ask to register the absence as leave at your own expense - perhaps the employer will accommodate you.

Deadlines

It is permissible to issue a note on a date other than the day when the violation of the procedure established in the company occurred. Initially, this is recorded in the timesheet, which takes into account working hours. A citizen who has committed such behavior is given a couple of days so that he has the opportunity to draw up an explanatory note and indicate in it the reason why he was not at work. In addition, during this time a person has the opportunity to collect documents confirming the valid nature of the reason why he did not show up for work. As an example, this could be a certificate issued by the housing office stating that an accident occurred in the apartment and measures were taken to eliminate it.

It is important to take into account that such a certificate must reflect the time during which such work was carried out. If during the specified period the citizen does not draw up such an act, the authorized person prepares a report. It states all the facts, including the refusal to explain the reason.

Registration of an explanatory note

The explanatory note is drawn up in any form in compliance with generally established rules of office work. In the upper right corner the position and full name of the manager, the position and full name of the absentee are indicated.

Below in the center is the name of the document: explanatory note or simply explanatory note. The following are explanations for absence from work.

The explanatory note must indicate the dates of absence, and explanations are given for each day of absence.

At the end of the document, a signature and the current date are affixed, supporting documents and evidence are attached.

You can compose an explanatory note on a computer or write it yourself.

The finished document is transferred to the responsible employee of the HR department or manager in accordance with the procedure established in the company.

Explanatory notes are not made in 2 copies to mark delivery.

It is advisable to prepare a copy with a stamp on the time of reception and an indication of the employee who received it if you intend to sue about being held accountable for absenteeism.

What does the law say?

What kind of document is this?

According to legal terminology. Absenteeism is a circumstance when a member of the work team does not show up for work during the day or for more than 4 hours in a row.

These offenses are qualified as a violation of the Labor Code, since they harm the production process and entail material losses.

Although no one is immune from such a case, the employee must seriously think about the consequences of such actions and how to minimize them.

It is worth considering that such a violation of labor legislation is subject to dismissal.

The conflict of the law lies in the fact that it does not indicate what grounds for absence are considered valid. As a result, conflicts between a boss and an employee arise quite often, and each uses his own argument.

If such a situation took place and an omission occurred, the employee will have to give an explanation to his superiors in the form of an explanatory note.

An explanatory note about absenteeism is an administrative document that explains the reasons for absence, failure to fulfill one’s official duties and other points of the main documents of the enterprise regulating labor relations.

In what cases is it required?

If a failure to appear was committed, and this fact became known to management, it has the right to demand a written explanation.

The fact of non-appearance is established by confirmation of the team, shift manager or department, or by the act of non-appearance of a member of the work team, which becomes a compelling argument for obtaining a written explanation. Legally, the boss is obliged to justify that the absence was truly disrespectful.

Since a violation occurred, management has every right to receive a written explanation of the reasons for absenteeism from the employee himself.

It is worth emphasizing that, according to labor legislation, management has the right to demand an explanatory note within a month after the disciplinary offense has been committed.

What are the risks for the employee?

The decision to write explanations in writing is made by the employee himself, that is, it is he who decides whether to write an explanation about his misconduct or not. If, nevertheless, the omission can be explained by reasoned reasons, then they must be indicated.

The Labor Code regulates the receipt of a written explanation as an element of the process of bringing a subordinate to punishment for failure to comply with labor discipline. Consequently, the explanatory note for absenteeism and its content serves as the legal basis for confirming the fact of violation and choosing the method of punishment.

Disciplinary action is carried out no later than a month after the offense is established, and its imposition no later than six months from the date of commission.

One penalty is imposed for one violation. If a team member has already received a reprimand for absenteeism, then deprivation of a bonus or dismissal is unacceptable.

Is it required?

An explanatory note is an official personnel document in which the employee explains the reasons for his absenteeism.

If there are documents confirming or explaining the reasons, they must be added to the note.

The legal emphasis is placed on the fact that the Labor Code does not establish reasons for absenteeism that are considered valid. Consequently, the boss will directly consider the explanation and reasons as valid or not, that is, the assessment will be purely subjective.

This procedure for assessing the reasons for absenteeism usually causes a lot of disputes between the employer and the employee.

It is worth knowing that writing an explanatory note is not the employee’s responsibility, however, without his explanation, failure to appear will be classified as such without appeal. In other words, there will be no chance to challenge the reduction.

Can they be fired without it?

If a member of the work team does not show up for work after failing to show up, he may be charged for systematic absenteeism. The day of dismissal is considered to be the final day of his employment.

If the employee shows up and continues to work, he is given a written warning about dismissal; the date of termination of the employment contract is usually considered to be the date of the payment order, after which he is required to sign a personal card on the issue of a work book in his hands.

In the case where the employee did not show up for work on the day of the payment order, a copy of it and a call to come for work are sent by registered mail to his home address.

How to register absenteeism at work? Find out from our article.

How to write a report for absenteeism? See here.

Can they be fired without explanation?

An employee can be fired for absenteeism only if he commits systematic absenteeism, which is properly documented and no sanctions are applied. A person can also be fired under the article in one day, for long absence without a good reason.

During what period can I be fired, and on what date?

• If an employee skips work without explanation and this happens systematically, and he never deigns to go to work, he may be fired for failure to appear. In this case, there is no need to wait for an explanation. The day of dismissal will be considered the violator's last working day.

The relevant department will draw up an order to dismiss and pay the employee for absenteeism. If the employee does not return to work, a letter is sent, notifying him of his dismissal and to appear for his work book and paycheck, to the address indicated in his personal file. The notification is sent by registered mail.

• If the employee continues to work after another absence, the employer gives the absentee a written notice of the imposition of a punishment such as dismissal on him. Termination of the employment contract will be considered the date of the settlement order. Then the employee, having reviewed the dismissal documents against signature, receives a work book.

How to formalize the dismissal of a pregnant woman for absenteeism during working hours, can she be fired for absence without a valid reason?

Basic rules on how to correctly write an explanatory note at work

There is no unified form in legislative documents. The form for an explanatory note about violation of official duties must be drawn up in free form, written by hand or on a computer.

When filling out an explanatory note about absenteeism from work, any person has many questions about how to spell it correctly, we will consider some of them in more detail:

1. What style of speech? The explanatory note is presented in a business style and should not contain emotional or informal phrases. There is no need to write a lot of text, everything should be very brief and clear.
2. Whose name is it written in? Any document: memo, explanatory note, explanatory note, statement, etc. must be issued in the name of the director or other senior manager.
3. How to start? Fill out the header of the document: Position and full name of the manager, position of the department and full name of the employee. In the text part of the note, you state the reason for not showing up for work. If the employee’s absence is for a valid reason, state that the necessary certificates are available to provide.
4. How to finish? The date, signature and transcript of the signature of the person explaining the reason for absenteeism are included.
5. How is it processed? After the explanatory document is written, the employee passes it to the manager, after which a resolution is put forward and a penalty is assigned if absenteeism is proven.

Video material

How can an employee be punished under the Law for a disciplinary offense committed, the scheme for applying disciplinary sanctions:

https://youtu.be/w5dyXQxEEXM

Sample of what to write in an explanatory note about absence from work for a good reason:

An example of writing an explanatory note without a valid reason: