We’ve all played hooky every now and then, but most of us have actually made an attempt to tell our boss we’re not coming in. In India, two completely different people played hooky and have finally been caught—after missing work for over 20 years!
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A government worker was recently fired for not showing up to work for 24 years. In 1990, an executive engineer at the Central Public Works Department went on leave for undisclosed reasons. He continued to file extensions for leave, but the extensions were not sanctioned and they were ultimately denied. In 1992, an inquiry found him guilty of “willful absence from duty,” but it took the Indian government 22 years to finally remove him from his position.
In a similar event, a biology teacher last reported for work in 1990. After her first year of teaching, she took a 3-year leave of absence and was later transferred to a different school in 1994. Once transferred, she immediately applied for maternity leave and was never seen again.
Officials say they do not know of the last paycheck she has received, but that she is still listed as an employee of the school. In fact, the woman’s whereabouts remain unknown, and she has yet to comment on these claims.
Unlike American labor laws, India’s laws are very restrictive. The government has established laws making it easier to fire someone for something other than criminal misconduct. In both instances, each position was a government-held job; therefore, the government had to step in and do the firing. There is no explanation as to why it took so long for both of these employees to be terminated.
Is it just me, or is it coincidental that they were absent from work for the same amount of time?
I wonder if any move will be made to recoup some of that pay.