Unauthorised Absence & Gratuity Eligibility

Can an employee be denied gratuity because he was unauthorisedly absent for one year? An interesting question often arises in gratuity matters: If an employee has completed 5 years of service, but remained unauthorisedly absent for a substantial period—say one year—can the employer exclude that period and deny gratuity? The answer: Not automatically. Mere unauthorised absence from duty does not by itself constitute a…