"Termination for cause" -- doesn't that usually mean something pretty serious? This is what I found when I looked it up:
"
Termination for cause is serious business.
Employers and
employees have many reasons for parting ways, but
employment termination for cause is not a desirable outcome—for either the employer or the employee. Termination for cause generally occurs when an employee makes a severe error in actions or judgment.
Termination for cause occurs when an employee's actions in the workplace, interactions with their coworkers, interaction with their manager, or ways in which they treat a customer or vendor are so egregious that
they require employment termination—sometimes immediately.
termination letter.
Termination for cause can occur for any actions that an employer considers being grave misconduct. Examples of such situations include these:
- Violation of the company code of conduct or ethics policy
- Failure to follow company policy
- Breach of contract
- Violence or threatened violence
- Threats or threatening behavior
- Stealing company money or property
- Lying
- Falsifying records
- Extreme insubordination
- Harassment
- Failing an alcohol or drug test
- A conviction for some crimes
- Watching










online
These are not the only reasons why an employer might
fire an employee for cause. Every time employers think they've seen every possible reason to
terminate an employee for cause, an employee proves them wrong. So, an exhaustive list is impossible."
(Source:
For What Reasons Will an Employer Fire an Employee?)
They've already stated he wasn't in trouble for financial misconduct. Could the cause be abandoning his position (I guess this would be breach of contract)? Would they really terminate him if they thought he was missing not by his own volition? For some reason, I've become very curious about this case.