I would like to know if anyone has advice on or experience in the following:
I have an employee who unfortunately has a difficult family situation abroad which now means they have been absent for approx 3 months. Initially we allowed them to take holiday and then unpaid leave, but the family situation is unresolved and our employee cannot tell us when they are likely to return.
We have been very supportive to the employee but cannot continue with this situation indefinitely, as a business we need the role fulfilled. The employee has just over one year’s service. Would it now be appropriate to give them a return deadline and state that if this is not met we will proceed with a formal disciplinary?