So, I’ve been working at a company that I, on the whole, have really appreciated. The team has been very kind and understanding and I LOVE the work I do. But, due to personal reasons, it happens that I have to return home. I want to do so in a way that is good for all parties, genuinely. I would hate to leave them with a sour taste in their mouth.
That being said, I thought I was being generous by giving a month’s notice. I’m on a year to year contract, and apparently the contract stipulates that I must give THREE MONTHS NOTICE. This is an absolutely insane stipulation, but is it enforceable? And if so, how? What would the consequences be of me breaking contract.
Please bear in mind that I do not work at a dispatch company where this happens all the time, nor do I work at a BOE with JET.
What’s my game plan here?
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What sorts of information did you find when you searched this sub for “notice” “leaving” “quitting” “contract” etc?
I feel I saw a post just like this one yesterday.
>What’s my game plan here?
You are in your second year of a contract. Give them two weeks and tell them to fuck off if you are feeling vindictive, or be nice and give them 1-month if you feel they deserve it.
2 weeks is what is recognized by law after the first renewal or contract.
>This is an absolutely insane stipulation, but is it enforceable? And if so, how? What would the consequences be of me breaking contract.
Technically, they could fire you despite how redundant that is. Or they could revoke your severance pay/bonus if such option existed (I am guessing no).
Other than that nothing.
>What’s my game plan here?
It depends on your goal. If you just want to do it right and follow the law, give them two week’s notice. If you want to be generous, announce your plan, wait for the company to find your replacement and train them before leaving.
I can only answer with a “if it were me” but I was a people manager with a large team at one point.
Thinking broadly, the main concern your manager will have is covering workload and transition/training. If this is a customer facing role, including if you are an ESL teacher, there also could be an impact on the ability to service the customer that affects the revenue in a real way.
So with that in mind, if your role is not customer facing, 3 months really isn’t necessary. The company may be just super conservative. I’d have the conversation with your manager and try to work out a good transition plan. They may need to scramble on recruiting and/or go lean for a bit but they should be able to manage through.
If you are right in front of a customer doing an implentation, or again teaching, it depends on how staffed they are. If there is no one at all they can throw at the customer, they are likely to give you a harder time. If you have unused vacation time, they’ll probably want you to not take it.
At the end of the day, there isn’t a ton they can do to you. On salary, any sizable company is going to pay you for all of your work. If you are at some rinky dink private place, they could try to screw you for the last month of work.
Bottom Line: If you have to go, give them notice in writing and then go. It’s not like you are going back there. I’d have a conversation first though if you are comfortable and try to leave on good terms.
Is this about an end of contract bonus?