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It's crazy to me that companies are allowed to do this, given that staff are generally expected to be accommodating and give notice when they quit.

Expected, yes, required, not at all.

It is completely legal to just stop showing up one day.

You also don't have to give back 6-12 weeks of pay when you give your 2 weeks notice.

In the US you can simply stop going to a job. No need to tell anybody.