If you’ve ever left your shift at work without notifying your manager or simply didn’t show up for consecutive days in a row, then it’s known as job abandonment. Companies require you to hand in a two-week notice if you want to quit, failing to do this means you’ve committed job abandonment and it can have an impactful effect on future employment.
Job abandonment will go on your record. It’s shown on your ROE (Record of Employment) and means future employers will see it while doing a background check on you. There can be numerous different reasons why you abandoned your job but regardless it’ll go on your record.
It’s not illegal to commit job abandonment and there’s no criminal punishment for it, you receive punishment by struggling to get a job in the future, which we’ll explain below.
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Impact of Job Abandonment on Employment Records
Job abandonment can have a serious long-lasting effect on your employment record.
It’s considered an extremely unprofessional thing to do and it’ll no doubt hinder your chances at finding work in the future. Potential employers will see it as a bright red flag because they don’t want to employ someone that has a history of just walking out of a job.
The biggest impact of job abandonment will be the references from your old employer. They won’t be able to vouch for you when it comes to applying for a new job, in fact they will do the opposite and actually limit your chances of getting the job because they can say you left your old job without notice or any reasoning.
There’s also a financial burden that comes with job abandonment. Anyone who leaves their job without giving notice isn’t likely to qualify for unemployment benefits. This is when unemployment insurance pays you money if you lose your job because of something that was out of your control.
Therefore not only does job abandonment make it harder for you to find work in the future but it can also create financial stress as you’re not working or eligible for unemployment benefits.
What is the difference between abandonment and quitting?
Job abandonment and quitting can look like the same thing but the key difference is that when quitting your employer is aware of this. If you decide to quit then you’ll likely have told your boss in advance, which gives them adequate time to find a replacement so they aren’t left short-staffed.
Job abandonment on the other hand is different because you don’t make any contact with your employer to let them know you’re leaving. While your manager might be dissatisfied with you quitting it’s not as bad as abandonment because you leave your co-workers struggling to pick up the slack and everyone suffers as a result.
What is the difference between abandonment and getting fired?
Job abandonment means you leave a job voluntarily on your own terms. It can be because you simply can’t work another day for that company or because you’re facing some personal problems. Whatever the reasoning is, you’re leaving because you want to.
Getting fired is different because it means the company has decided to cut ties and no longer wants you as their employee. This can be because you’re underperforming, breaking HR regulations, or generally not respecting the job.
Job abandonment is you leaving the company without notice, getting fired means the company no longer wants you to work there.
Can Job Abandonment Affect Future Job Prospects?
Job abandonment can absolutely affect future job prospects. When applying for a new job your employer will usually want a reference from someone in your old job. If you abandoned your old workplace then the job you’re applying for will be less likely to hire you.
Companies want someone that’s reliable, abandoning your job is the opposite of this and it’ll make life harder when you’re on the hunt for a new job.
However, you might have special circumstances that forced you to abandon your old job. You should explain this to the new company you’re applying for as they may be able to take your side and look past it.
Can you remove job abandonment from your record?
This is a tricky one and it really depends on a few different factors such as the reason why you abandoned your job, along with how forgiving your previous is going to be as you need to contact them to get it removed.
You’ll need to have a good reason for leaving without notice as just ‘not feeling it, disliking the job, or feeling unwell won’t go down well with your previous employer. There has to be a genuine reason so that your employer is empathetic and can look past you leaving them short-staffed.
It’s not something that should be done via phone call or text message either. If allowed, you should ask to visit your previous workplace and explain things face to face. This will give you more credibility and increases your chances of getting it removed from your record.
As you didn’t face them when you initially left, they might appreciate the fact you were willing to provide an explanation in person. Once this is done it’s completely out of your hands and up to them whether or not they want to alter your record.
Conclusion
Job abandonment is seen as incredibly unprofessional and all employers will see it as a red flag upon doing a background check on you. Of course, there are times when your reason for abandoning your job is going to be valid.
If you experienced a bad episode of mental health or went through another major crisis you should explain this to your previous employer if you want any chance of having job abandonment removed from your record.
