Help please, unsure what to do

[meandu]

I have been offered a job which fits into school hours, a lot less pay and much less responsibility. My notice period is until July, I put 3 months on application but was up front with them stating end of a full term. I did say that it may be negotiable and past leavers hadn't stayed full notice time. I was offered the post subject to references and have handed in my resignation. My employer will not change notice period , I have put Easter or latest May half term on letter. When I informed New employer of this and said I'm still negotiating, I got reply that if I can't start at Easter the offer will be withdrawn. Thoughts please?

Oh gosh that sounds so hard
I would speak to your employer and tell them the situation again, will they really want you there until July if you're unhappy
Is it teaching ?

Yes it's a teaching post.

I think you need to try again to negotiate with your current employer to leave earlier. Otherwise its back to the drawing board.

I do know someone in a similar situation who was signed off 'sick' for the remainder of their notice period. Basically citing that the stress of it all made them ill. Not the best and certainly makes a mockery of those who are genuinely ill with stress.. but they needed the new job and would have lost it without the notice period coming down I hope you can figure it out OP, and congratulations on the new job :)

What did the offer letter say about a start date?

But surely being signed off sick means exactly that. You can't use that to start another job early?

It was a mistake to put Easter/end of May on the letter which you returned to the new employer -presumably before you had actually discussed with your existing employer? You definitely shouldn't have given them any indication that this was a done deal, particularly having told them that you needed to negotiate. However, it is unfair of the new school to pressure you in this way. As a school, they are well aware of teaching notice periods and having to get a term/half-term notice so for them to tell you it's Easter or nothing is unfair. If that is the way they operate, are you sure you want to work for them? If you don't start the job, where do they think they are going to find another candidate at this stage? It's two weeks to school holidays. If current employer is not going to budge, then there is nothing you can do. If new employer won't accept you starting at the point when you originally indicated to them, then you will have to start the job search over.

I can see your current employer's point tbh, that is very short notice to leave at Easter. Equally, the new employers should know that it is not going to be possible for most people who are currently working to start that quickly. It may be back to the drawing board!

Do not get yourself signed off sick, I don't see why this would make your current school let you go any sooner (and may have to be declared to the new/potential employer) and you can't be paid a wage from one place and sick leave from the other at the same time!

Hope it works out for you.

Unfortunate events, the letter was to current employer not new one . I told New one that I'm still trying to negotiate but they say July at present.Cotswold strife, I would never go down sick route as won't benefit anyone. I thought may half term may be feasible for all involved as that's nearly 3 months notice. However this doesn't appear to be agreeable.

Ah right, it was on your letter of resignation. Well, unfortunately if they want to hold you to your period of notice they can. They may have shortened it for people beforehand but it presumably doesn't suit them to do so now. Or maybe they are just being difficult - either way, there is not a lot you can do. I was going to suggest that you can only say to new employer that you will be joining them as per the notice period you stated on your application form but actually, did you state that correctly? You say your notice period is July but you wrote three months on the application form, which is not the same thing? Assuming your application went in some time this month, that only takes you to end of May/beginning of June.

Are you employed on teach pay and condition? If so there are clear resignation and end dates and anything else is discretionary. It isn't 3 months- it depends on the timing.

31st oct for 31st december
28th feb for 30th april (but in practice probably last day of easter break which the national agreement is 1st 2 weeks in april )
31st may for 1st september

No notice period is July or may half term.

If it is an academy/free school there may be different terms