AIBU to quit with no notice?

[butterflying]

Bit long, sorry!

I picked up a part-time hospitality job a few months ago, 25 hours a week. I hate it. It's terrible, the work is boring, the girls there all make snide comments about me and it makes me incredibly stressed. I know it's a shit job because people keep quitting after a week or so, but I needed the money at the time. There have been several occasions where I have been tricked or lied to, to get me to work a shift.

At present, I've just finished a shift. They write up the rota for the next week every Sat. I started a new job last week before quitting this one (dumb I know, they wanted me to start asap), so I don't need the money from this one anymore. I've now been working 10 full days straight (a combo of both jobs), so I really didn't want to work tomorrow. Well guess who's been put on for a full day tomorrow, despite my requesting that I'd like that day off. I also suspect she's lying to me about why I have to do this shift as well (two of the girls don't like each other + she lied about the same thing before). I'm so hacked off.

Problem is, yet another person quit today. So now they have a dire amount of staff. If I don't go in tomorrow, they might not even be able to open. BUT - and this may be my saving grace - I never signed a contract. So I don't think they have any legal standing.

AIBU to just send my manager a text right now and say I quit? Would you do it?

Of course, just quit.

Might you need the reference for jobs in the future? If not then make excuses and don't bother going back!

They might not pay you if you quit

I don't need the reference.

Very luckily, I just got paid a few days ago. Only day I wouldn't potentially be paid for is today.

You'll need to give a weeks notice to leave.
www.gov.uk/handing-in-your-notice/giving-notice

PatsysPrincess I haven't signed a contract though, that page seems to imply that it's a week if you've signed a contract.

HR employee here- if you haven't signed a contract of employment they can't hold you to anything. Just go. Life's too short.

Not your issue at all but it drives me mad that employers never consider why their turnover is so high.

Not having signed a contract is irrelevant, you still have to give a week's notice.

Having said that, it's not normally worth the employer's time/effort/money pursuing any kind of claim against employees who just walk out. A claim is only worth bringing if the employer incurs financial loss as a result of the employee's action. If they have to not open because you don't turn up then there probably will be financial loss, so you need to decide whether there's a possibility they might pursue that.

Leaving that aside, obviously you'd be foolish to walk out without giving notice unless you are absolutely certain you won't ever need a reference from this employer.

What's the harm in calling and telling them that you don't want to work there anymore so they have at least some chance of getting cover? It may not be the best place to work but won't you feel better knowing you have done the right and decent thing.
I work in hospitality and it drives me crazy that people just seek to think it's okay to just stop turning up to work and screw everyone else over.

"HR employee here- if you haven't signed a contract of employment they can't hold you to anything."

You work in HR?! Good grief.

flowery That's the same page another netter linked, and it only refers to notice with a contract.

I will never need a reference from this employer I will never work in hospitality again after this. This is just a temp job because my last job folded. I work in IT usually.

I wouldn't go in. Fuck them.

No it doesn't. First sentence says "You must give at least a week’s notice if you’ve been in your job for more than a month."

It doesn't say you only have to give notice if you have signed a contract. It does go on to say that your contract might specify notice must be in writing, otherwise verbal.

I think whether you legally need to give notice or not, contract or not is really irrelevant because they're not going to do anything about it.

If you want to be kind call them or email them and tell them you quit. If you don't care just don't show up.

They don't appear to have treated you nicely so I wouldn't worry about letting them down. Call in sick if you're worried about the notice.

Do they owe you any money?

FreudianSlurp Thanks for the clarification, I didn't see that page. TBH they're so bloody horrible I think I'm just going to send a fuck you quitting text anyway.

Yes, just do it. You won't be any better thought of for working a notice period. They'll still bitch about you.

I would just call or e mail them to say that you quit. It's unlikely that they will do anything about it whatever you can or can't do legally.

On the upside - whilst I was by no means a whiny customer before - I now have a newfound respect for hospitality staff. So every cloud has a silver lining I guess.

Call in sick tomorrow. Then send your notice in. Then call in sick all week. Sorted.

Not sure how to quote but yes I do

The question was answering was around legally, could the OP could just up and leave and legally, yes they can. Work 13 wouldn't advise to just up and go at all but if I was asked the question about if it was legal I would be giving the same answer. Plenty of people do it.

The moral side of it to leave the employer in the lurch is a whole other discussion!

People in my work have signed contracts and they still leave without notice. Technically you could take them to court for breach of contract, but in reality- that doesn't happen.

Enjoy your day off OP!