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Original poster

To work these notice periods are ridiculous?

86 replies

Duckingella · 03/06/2024 10:35

Company DH works for has a new owner;new order has issued new contracts.

DH has read new contract after receiving it this morning and found that the new owner wants a notice period of 6 weeks for employees who have been there less than one month and 12 weeks for those there more than one month.

I personally feel a 12 week notice period basically make it impossible for anyone to get a new job as not many potential employers would be prepared to wait 3 months to fill a position once a job offer is made.

As above 6 weeks is still a long time to wait.

I think a more reasonable notice period should be 1 week for less than a months service and 4 weeks after that.

OP posts:
YourPinkDog · 05/06/2024 15:50

Jegersur · 05/06/2024 13:07

My notice period is three months, and I’m quite junior.

I am junior and it has always been a month.

RagzRebooted · 05/06/2024 15:49

TeenLifeMum · 03/06/2024 10:50

3 months is standard in my industry. It gives time for hand over and recruitment to be well underway if not completed.

Same here and it's not even a highly paid job, though I do need a specific degree.

YourPinkDog · 05/06/2024 15:47

6 weeks in the first month is strange. So they take on someone who is terrible and they still have to give the person 6 weeks notice and pay?

Brefugee · 05/06/2024 14:58

I have only had a month's notice when i was relatively junior. My last few jobs it's been 3 months, but last time i negotiated it down to 1 month.
The new employer i was going to has similar notice periods and were prepared to wait even if i couldn't get the notice period negotiated down.

I guess it all hangs on if you are highly employable or not? What is usual in his industry?

heretodestroyyou · 05/06/2024 14:56

2-3 months notice is pretty standard in my industry. It can take a long time to recruit and get people in post so all appreciate the time to do that usually.

I have known people negotiate shorter and longer notice periods but it's only approved when it benefits the employer.

I used to always have a standard 1 month notice and get that it feels like a long time if you're not used to it.

Lifeisapeach · 05/06/2024 14:53

It’s very normal, and more senior roles have even longer periods.

It works both ways though, think of it as added protection should anything happen with his job. (Redundancy etc).

Mh67 · 05/06/2024 13:16

Tell him to contact union

Soowoowoomoo · 05/06/2024 13:11

Standard in my industry. BUT one time I was held to it and immediately put on ‘gardening leave’ so got paid for doing nothing for 3 months and the 2nd time I asked to be allowed to go after 6 weeks and was allowed to.
Employers spend a lot of time and money recruiting the right person, sometimes months and months - so waiting 3 months for the right person is ok.

Backfromhols · 05/06/2024 13:08

Remember, it works both ways…

Jegersur · 05/06/2024 13:07

My notice period is three months, and I’m quite junior.

UsernameShmusername2024 · 05/06/2024 13:03

I have a 12 week notice period and did in my previous role too (both local govt). I don't think it's unusual and people do expect it to take a while to get newly recruited people on board. I wouldn't worry about it.

BusyMummy001 · 03/06/2024 15:56

IME 3m contracts exist in industries where usually there is a risk of intellectual property being shared, so employee is usually given garden leave immediately upon being let go/resigning.

Gov website link attached that sets out rules re changing contracts when you are bought out etc It says there are specific circumstances when/how they can be changed.

https://www.gov.uk/transfers-takeovers/transfers-of-employment-contracts#:~:text=The%20new%20employer%20can%20change,to%20agree%20to%20this%20change.

Business transfers, takeovers and TUPE

When a business changes owner, employees could be protected under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations (TUPE) - types of transfers, your rights, contracts, redundancy, where to get help

https://www.gov.uk/transfers-takeovers/transfers-of-employment-contracts#:~:text=The%20new%20employer%20can%20change,to%20agree%20to%20this%20change.

blackberryhill · 03/06/2024 14:43

Dragonsbe · 03/06/2024 13:47

I'm in a junior, poorly paid, position, and on three months. In reality, What would happen if you left after a shorter period?

You'd be in breach of contract and theoretically your employer could sue you to recover the costs of any additional expenses they incurred as a result of your actions (e.g. cost of temps or overtime to cover your duties). Is that likely? Perhaps not - but it's certainly a risk and I know some employers who are petty enough to do it.

fishingfor · 03/06/2024 14:04

They can't just unilaterally change a contractual term, it is breaching his current contract.

Dragonsbe · 03/06/2024 13:47

I'm in a junior, poorly paid, position, and on three months. In reality, What would happen if you left after a shorter period?

KarenOH · 03/06/2024 13:44

A three month notice period is great - it means if he is ever let go or made redundant, they have to pay him three months salary as his notice period.

You will also find that many companies are happy to negotiate notice periods if he wanted to leave.

longdistanceclaraclara · 03/06/2024 13:38

Mine is three months the reality is they want you gone asap

UseOfWeapons · 03/06/2024 13:25

3 months for me. And yes, it's a LOOONG time 🙂

SilverBranchGoldenPears · 03/06/2024 12:53

I’m on 3 months now. My last role was 6 months but they wanted it to be 1 year!!! Totally normal.

CandiedPrincess · 03/06/2024 12:51

Mine is 3 months, standard for anyone in a managerial position.

StarlightLady · 03/06/2024 12:42

Testina · 03/06/2024 12:17

@StarlightLady TUPE? Didn’t P&O Ferries appalling treatment of their staff show this is a nonsense?

Quite the opposite! It showed how valuable and needed TUPE is. Certain maritime workers are excluded from TUPE and other EU employment directives. There’s also an issue of “flags of convenience” - the enquiry showed that P&O fulfilled duties required by Cyprus and Bermuda, for example. The maritime industry has long since dodged the law with such loopholes.

Thanks for this; helpful! Sadly l remember all the seemingly appropriate noises that were made by government at the time. And then what happened next; nothing.

TemuSpecialBuy · 03/06/2024 12:27

We had this in my office.

The industry norms are
Execs 1 month
Managers 1-2 months
Directors have 3 months

Management were freaking out about churn so they tried to reissue exec and manager contracts under the guide of entity name change so everyone was on 3months.

Clearly it was spotted.

Collectively a large group went back and said they werent signing. Management backed off eventually.

DailyMailHater · 03/06/2024 12:20

3 months seems pretty standard wherever I have worked - most people manage to negotiate it down a bit, so ends up being 2 months from date of notice being given.
enough time to ensure a decent handover and completion of work

Testina · 03/06/2024 12:17

@StarlightLady TUPE? Didn’t P&O Ferries appalling treatment of their staff show this is a nonsense?

Quite the opposite! It showed how valuable and needed TUPE is. Certain maritime workers are excluded from TUPE and other EU employment directives. There’s also an issue of “flags of convenience” - the enquiry showed that P&O fulfilled duties required by Cyprus and Bermuda, for example. The maritime industry has long since dodged the law with such loopholes.

Sparticle · 03/06/2024 11:58

3 months I standard in my industry and my last notice period was 6 months. It was a nightmare as my last boss made me work it even though in reality they didn't need to make me do so.

In my new job, it's the same notice period. Let's hope I don't move for a while yet!