Advice on leaving my job

[The Goon]

I'm quitting my job tomorrow - I accepted another position elsewhere. As I'm leaving a small company in the midst of our busiest season, chances are good I'll be taken out back and every one of my co-workers will punch me out while another holds my arms back.

Still, I'm wondering if I have to bring up outstanding vacation pay, or if that's something that will be handled anyway. I haven't taken a vacation day yet in 2007, so I'm thinking there's a few days of vacation pay owed to me. Any ideas?

Any other advice on resigning would be helpful as well. I have a letter done up, but I'm not sure if there are any other protocols I need to follow. Thanks!

[Flashpoint]

Did you give your two weeks notice? You might want to check and see if there is a requirement of notice before leaving. Otherwise they could (although probably won't) sue you.

If it isn't that kind of job (min wage or something), then don't sweat it. If it is professional, then you could be burning some bridges by leaving them in the lurch.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by fotze

I assumed he is giving 2 weeks with the letter.

It is toough with the letter. Do you give the letter and leave, or give the letter and wait for them to read it then when they look up say TaDaaa, or do you give the letter and immediately say verbally what the letter says. I did the last one and it went well.

I'd go with option c. Much more professional.

[Buff]

Make sure they pay you. It took 6 months for me to get my final pay cheque from my last job. My old boss told me that he is too busy to do the books because he is doing all the stuff I used to do. He told me that he couldn't figure out how much vacation pay he owed me. He told me he isn't wearing his lucky underwear... ok maybe he didn't tell me that but he had every excuse under the sun when I went to see him about getting paid.

I guess I'm not the first person it happened to.

[The Goon]

Or run in, throw the letter on the desk, and run out to my idling car?

I will be giving two weeks' notice with the letter tomorrow morning. I'm going to do things as professionally as I can, but I will be a very hated man here tomorrow.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by fotze

I assumed he is giving 2 weeks with the letter.

It is toough with the letter. Do you give the letter and leave, or give the letter and wait for them to read it then when they look up say TaDaaa, or do you give the letter and immediately say verbally what the letter says. I did the last one and it went well.

At my last job I didn't give a letter. I told him and asked if he wanted/needed a letter and they said no. At a previous job I handed my letter to my supervisor saying "Here, I have this for you" and without even looking at it he told me he knew it was coming.

[4X4]

You may also want to give the letter at the end of the day.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by fotze

I assumed he is giving 2 weeks with the letter.

It is toough with the letter. Do you give the letter and leave, or give the letter and wait for them to read it then when they look up say TaDaaa, or do you give the letter and immediately say verbally what the letter says. I did the last one and it went well.

That is the funniest thing ever! I seriously can't stop laughing at that (in part because of a Ralphie May joke with the same punchline!).

I wish that I would've thought of that when I quit a job...hilarious!

[Flashpoint]

Originally Posted by The Goon

Or run in, throw the letter on the desk, and run out to my idling car?

I will be giving two weeks' notice with the letter tomorrow morning. I'm going to do things as professionally as I can, but I will be a very hated man here tomorrow.

Yup, just take the high road. It is only buisness. Be polite, give your notice in writing (so they can't deny it later), talk to them if they want. Your goal should be to keep them as a reference for further down the road.

I doubt anybody is going to "hate" you for finding a better job.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by The Goon

Or run in, throw the letter on the desk, and run out to my idling car?

I will be giving two weeks' notice with the letter tomorrow morning. I'm going to do things as professionally as I can, but I will be a very hated man here tomorrow.

Believe me you're making it worse in your own mind than it really is. Have the letter to make it official, but go hand it in personally and tell whoever is in charge what the letter is about. Keep a copy of the letter for yourself. Depending on how long you've been there you only need to give one week if it's less than a year, although courtesy is two weeks. If you've been there for longer YOU have the option to give them as many weeks notice as you have years of service. At that point they can terminate you there and pay you for however many weeks notice you gave. Any holliday pay that you are owed is non negotiable, thay have to pay it to you within a specified number of days in which you terminate your employment and issue you a Record of Employment. Don't be scared to send the labour board after them either if they don't get it to you in a timely fashion, they'll side with you.

I quit my job last year at a terrible time for the company as they were insanely busy and did so on a day in which the rest of the office was going to Las Vegas for a conference. I was dreading it, but it really wasn't that bad as all they did for the last two weeks was make me offers to stay, and ask me to get as much done as I could. Getting the guts to go in and resign is far and away the hardest part. I've had to do it three times now and every time the owner has tried pleading with me to stay on. Twice I had to take them to the labour board to get my money, and one of them hired me back on a year later after they came to me with an offer than was exceptionally superior to what they used to pay me.

[The Goon]

Originally Posted by 4X4

You may also want to give the letter at the end of the day.

Unfortunately I won't have that option as the manager will only be in for the morning. My plan is to give it right at the beginning of the day so I can include tomorrow as part of the two weeks.

[The Goon]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Believe me you're making it worse in your own mind than it really is. Have the letter to make it official, but go hand it in personally and tell whoever is in charge what the letter is about. Keep a copy of the letter for yourself. Depending on how long you've been there you only need to give one week if it's less than a year, although courtesy is two weeks. If you've been there for longer YOU have the option to give them as many weeks notice as you have years of service. At that point they can terminate you there and pay you for however many weeks notice you gave. Any holliday pay that you are owed is non negotiable, thay have to pay it to you within a specified number of days in which you terminate your employment and issue you a Record of Employment. Don't be scared to send the labour board after them either if they don't get it to you in a timely fashion, they'll side with you.

I quit my job last year at a terrible time for the company as they were insanely busy and did so on a day in which the rest of the office was going to Las Vegas for a conference. I was dreading it, but it really wasn't that bad as all they did for the last two weeks was make me offers to stay, and ask me to get as much done as I could. Getting the guts to go in and resign is far and away the hardest part. I've had to do it three times now and every time the owner has tried pleading with me to stay on. Twice I had to take them to the labour board to get my money, and one of them hired me back on a year later after they came to me with an offer than was exceptionally superior to what they used to pay me.

This is really helpful, particularly with the question about holiday pay and actually walking in and doing it. Thanks.

[North East Goon]

You have to go out with a bang, like the Seinfeld episode where Costanza is eating saucy BBQ ribs in an old Babe Ruth jersey, or driving around the parking lot with the World Series being dragged behind his car!

[Titan]

I have to agree the anticipation of doing it is worse than doing it. If they are at all decent they will wish you well or try to make you a better offer. If they are jerks about it, what do you care? You will get your two weeks pay and vacation eventually, even if you have to get Employment standards involved and you get a two week vacation. Either way it is all good.

Just like a band-aid. Just get it done and you will be glad when it is over.

[Red]

Quitting a job is not a crime. Just tell your boss that you got an offer you couldn't refuse, ask him what is required of you (letter, 2 weeks etc) and leave on a good note.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

I also agree you're making a mountain out of a mole hill.

I see turnover in my office all the time. It's the nature of the beast known as "Alberta". I mean it's always disappointing when someone leaves, but it's not like you don't expect it.

I also agree that it's best to bring in your letter, and just sit down and talk with your boss regarding your decision.

[Ayrahb]

From http://employment.alberta.ca/cps/rde....xsl/1474.html

regarding vacation:

"If an employee gives proper notice, the employer must pay all earnings to the employee within three days following termination of employment.

If an employee quits without proper notice all wages, overtime, holiday and vacation pay is due to the employee within 10 days after the date on which the notice would have expired if it had been given."

[CaptainCrunch]

Ok

If you've been there for longer then a year then two weeks is the expected notice, and you could be obligated to serve it out.

Make sure that you put the day that your quiting and the expect last day in your notice, that way if they walk you, they're still obligated to pay you out for the two weeks that they decided not to use.

Quit in person, sit down, give them the letter, and re-iterate that your leaving. If they want a reason your not obligated to give one if you don't feel comfortable (going to a competitor, getting a sex change operation, slept with the bosses wife or daughter and she's about to spill the beans)

Calculate out your vacation pay owed before you go. If you've been there for a third of a year then calculate 1/3 of your yearly allotment. If they owe you for last year and there's a carry over make sure that you calculate that as well.

Be professional about it, especially if its a busy company. Its always helpful to offer to train your replacement, assist in the hiring of the replacement, clean up a project that your working on.

They have to deliver your final paycheque within 5 business days of you leaving, most companies if you give two weeks will give you your final pay before you leave.

Never burn the bridge, peeing on thier carpet as your walking out might sound cool, and god knows I was tempted with the last job that I quit, but you never know when you might either need them, or they might need you.

If they do exit interviews, make sure that you arrange for a specific time and date, and live up to it. Don't use the exit interview as a rant opportunity, or to burn down your rival.

Start taking stuff home before you give your notice, some companies will insist on either going through your stuff before you leave, or packing it for you and forwarding it to your mailing address.

If your asked to work for your last two weeks, don't spend time bragging about your new job, or being unproductive because you don't care anymore. Crushing your soon to be co-workers morale will get you a really bad name in your industry.

I've never been walked after giving two weeks notice, they've always asked me to work the two weeks, so expect it.

[The Goon]

Lots of good advice, everyone, thanks.

I'm actually pretty excited about giving the notice. I've hated this job for a while now, but I've had to wait a couple of days (until tomorrow) as my manager will only be back from a trade show overseas then.

I found a number of resignation letter templates online so I put my letter together based on that. Short and to the point. The advice with the letter was "Don't explain, don't complain".

[Locke]

Good luck. Maybe bring a really big friend who has a tendency to carry baseball bats around with you on the last day.

Locke.