First of all, don't listen to to much advice on here. If your company has a HR department or uses a HR consulting firm who give actual proper legal advice then speak to them.

If you are not sure of the process or procedure then do not do anything until your boss gets back.

Its important, you need to make sure that someone else knows of your intentions and that you know what you can and cannot do.

If someone is on here works for a HR/Employment Law company then take their advice. If not, dont.

Employment law is a very very tricky area and even the smallest technicality can mean big problems.