What is the difference between Leave Without Pay (LWOP) and Absence Without Approved Leave (AWOL)?
LWOP and AWOL are both non-pay leave categories. However, there is a significant difference between the two. LWOP is a temporary absence from duty in a non-pay status that is officially approved and granted at the employees request. For contract employees, an immediate supervisor can approve up to one (1) week of LWOP. AWOL is absence without leave from work for which the employee did not otherwise receive approval for leave. The employees immediate supervisor is responsible for seeing that each employee is charged as AWOL when the employee is absent from work without proper authorization. The supervisor should coordinate with his or her Business Manager/Business Technician and the Human Resources Office to determine if disciplinary action against the AWOL employee is appropriate.
LWOP and AWOL are both non-pay leave categories. However, there is a significant difference between the two. LWOP is a temporary absence from duty in a non-pay status that is officially approved and granted at the employees request. For contract employees, an immediate supervisor can approve up to one (1) week of LWOP. AWOL is absence without leave from work for which the employee did not otherwise receive approval for leave. The employees immediate supervisor is responsible for seeing that each employee is charged as AWOL when the employee is absent from work without proper authorization. The supervisor should coordinate with his or her Business Manager/Business Technician and the Human Resources Office to determine if disciplinary action against the AWOL employee is appropriate.
