…To Ghost Employer

I’m glad that you are doing it properly by handing in your notice. I do agree with others that if you find it impossible, then you need to see your GP and get signed off for the rest of the notice. I have given notice with immediate effect while on holiday. I have also walked out of a job, and even years later I still feel horrible.

One thing I would do is to present HR with copies of all your legitimate expenses and copies of receipts and say that as part of your leaving process you expect these to be authorised and paid in full - alongside any time off in LIEU outstanding or and outstanding leave. I'm sure they wouldn't want to be taken to court for monies outstanding...

Thank you for the update OP and I wish you well for the future.

YANBU. She sounds awful.
Think about going for Constructive Dismissal and leave immediately.
www.gov.uk/dismissal/unfair-and-constructive-dismissal

I'd be all for you doing it, but I feel you might be in the shit if they won't give you a reference.

Go in. Talk about your new job with utter glee. Smile. Then take it super easy, if people ask you to do much remind them you won't be here in a week or two.

Here’s what I did:
I went off sick with stress, I sent in a sick note detailing stress and anxiety. I remained at home for a few Months on full sick pay and then sent in my resignation. I stated as I couldn’t see my returning to work in the near future I considered it best if they accepted my final sick note as my resignation period. They accepted and no further contact was made. Job done and dusted.

You will need a reference from this employer (most companies make it obligatory to get a ref from most recent employer).

It would at least say you did not work your notice/give notice, and since you would not follow absence reporting procedure, they could also start a disciplinary, which could also go on your official (neutral, factual) reference. You could be dismissed for gross misconduct.

So no, doesn't sound like a good idea. You may get lucky but it could also make you difficult to employ, unless you work in a field where nobody cares/ takes references/ background checks.

You could do 'notice with immediate effect'. Still not great as could come up on a reference but could be best for all involved.

HR bod here

Many people do this, not loads but more than you think.
Usually we would send a chaser letter then the next letter would be an invite to a disciplinary hearing which would proceed in absence and terminate employment on gross misconduct. No notice pay or pay for the time AWOL. Dismissal on any reference.

The smarter thing to do is go off sick and resign simultaneously. You'll get SSP for your notice period at least. Maybe more if your employer pays it.

I wouldn’t ghost I would say the situation is unmanageable and that you are left with no choice but to leave with immediate effect, that you are taking advice on the same,

A lot of constructive dismissal cases are unsuccessful as they end up being “he/she said” and arguments are due to differing perspectives. Leave dignified.

I'd be looking in the acas website to see the position re constructive dismissal.

Keep it formal. Send resignation letter (to multiple parties within your org, not just LM). State the date from which you expect your employment to end (regardless of contractual notice period, just pick the date that suits you). Ask them to come back to you with acknowledgement (set a reasonable time frame eg 2 working days?). If they insist on you working your contractual notice, you could argue and threaten constructive dismissal etc, but it might be easier to just agree to work your notice but on your terms. ie work the minimum hours necessary, say no to any unreasonable requests, avoid/ignore LM, have long lunches, enjoy some good chats with nicer colleagues or wfh etc. You don't even have to outline your terms to anyone but yourself. Don't ghost. It might be satisfying today, but you burn bridges and lose control of the narrative that could come back to bite you in the future.

Sorry for pp as only just read your post re stress sick note. In that case get signed off for ‘personal reasons’ for the duration of your notice period.

Good advice. Go to the doctor and send a sick note accompanied by your resignation letter. If the company has any HR they will probably ask you if you want to raise a grievance. Which you may wish to consider or not…
At least this way you haven’t gone AWOL and now have unauthorised absences on your record which could be reflected in any Future reference.
Good luck op.

I did this OP.
Background, was acting manager and was not going to be offered manager’s job as only contracted for two days. Although doing extra hours for which they paid me a paltry £100 per month. Very little effort was put into recruiting a full time manager because, oh yes… I was doing it
I arrived home late from a traumatic long haul flight and emailed the district manager to see if they’d found anyone and got a load of drivel in reply. Just totally flipped and sent my notice by text. She replied something but I was transferring sims and couldn’t read it so sent resignation in writing later that day and told her that I had so much holiday left that it would cover my notice and I wouldn’t be back in.
And I have not regretted it for one minute. Only wish I’d done it sooner.

Resign in writing, list the reasons why you are resigning and state that you would like to be released from your notice period because of the hostile working environment that your LM has created.

If HR insist you work your notice, then respond in writing and ask for details of the actions they will take and put in place, to safeguard you and your wellbeing, from your LM and their treatment of you - e.g. are they proposing that your reporting line changes temporarily for your notice period and LM has been told not to contact you etc.

Basically, it allows you to stay professional, but puts the onus on them to come up with something to allow you to serve your notice - or take the easy option and release you.

Resign formally, by letter, even if you serve no notice.

If you just disappear then someone you work with who is a reasonable person (so I don't mean your line manager or HR) could think you have harmed yourself and maybe call the police for a welfare check. Don't be unreasonable to the good people you have met at work, or cause one of them unnecessary worry.

I hope you can find a new job soon.

Hand in your notice and get the doctor to immediately sign you off sick with stress.

I'd resign effective from the day you want to quit. If they kick up a fuss about notice period etc I'd hit them with the possibility of a tribunal for constructive dismissal. Given the fact HR are aware of your issues and haven't helped, they won't want the threat of tribunal

Great advice

The alternative is that you submit your resignation letter setting out in detail all the reasons why you are leaving. Most importantly state that you consider them to be in fundamental breach of your contract, that they have destroyed the relationship of trust and confidence and that you are leaving with immediate effect.

Basically this means that you consider yourself no longer bound by the terms of your contract and therefore the notice period doesn't apply.

If you want you can contact ACAS to start early conciliation in relation to a constructive dismissal claim but that's ultimately a matter for you.

At least doing it this way you end your employment and they will issue your P45. They should also pay any accrued holiday to which you're entitled.

Don't do this (use up your sick days after you resign). It's not very ethical and of you're in a small industry word will get around.

What's your notice period? If it's a month - get the resignation email in today then some will be covered by current annual leave, check if you're owed any leave and request that then either work to rule (ie absolute minimum that's within contract) for a few weeks or have recurring minor illnesses and call in sick 2 days a week.

Extremely unprofessional, you're the one who will look like the bad person if you leave and don't tell anyone. Not to mention the work you'd create for other people (not your boss). It's actually incredibly immature and quite selfish