Issue following resignation

[ineedmoresleepnow]

I started a new job around 6 months ago. My role is a senior finance one and as such when I started the job I was asked to sign a non disclosure agreement before I was given access to any financial information. It became evident after a period that the role was not as advertised and it did not suit me. After being offered a job at another company I resigned from current role two weeks ago. I was honest in my reasons when resigning hoping that they would take it on board and pitch the role differently when they readvertised as I did feel misled. They asked me to keep my resignation to myself for now which I have done. Boss told me on Friday he is planned to tell only senior staff and one of my reportees next week that I am leaving and that after a chat it was a 'mutual decision'. I said very little when he said this as I was a bit shocked - although not really surprised if that makes sense and also wasn't feeling my best. But I am not happy at all about this as it implies I have have done something wrong.
Just looking for a bit of advice really about whether I am completely within my rights to ignore his instruction to go along with this. Thinking specifically that a non disclosure agreement would not extend to this. Thank you

I’d not be happy with that. Mutual agreement will be interpreted as it’s not been working for both parties and that’s not the case. It’s letting them save face at your expense. I work in a fairly specialised part of financial services, where everyone knows someone who knows someone, and word would get around about something like this. For your professional reputation I think you need to make it clear that it wasn’t working for you and so you instigated the move - nothing mutual about it.

I agree, I always assume 'by mutual agreement' means asked to leave before you were sacked. And I would have thought the non-disclosure would be about commercially confidential data etc, not your job status.

That is exactly my feelings. I had a really bad headache Friday and was rushing to leave so I kinda laughed in a kind of incredulous way and left. I need to speak to him tomorrow again. When I expect he will tell me not to work my remaining notice so I can't contradict him.

I agree that it would cast you in a bad light professionally and, as it's untrue, would actually be defamatory. Point that out to boss if necessary.

Realistically, boss only needs to share the reason for your departure with a few colleagues on a need-to-know basis, eg HR and possibly boss's line manager. Everyone else should just be told that you are leaving but not who initiated it. After all, if someone failed their probation, that wouldn't be announced to all and sundry, would it? Boss doesn't sound very professional.

Thank you. I will speak to him tomorrow. I hate confrontation and am now stressing about it. I should have spoken up on Friday really - I neither agreed not disagreed with him really.
He can be unprofessional but unfortunately he is the company owner and not just the boss.

If I heard someone had left “ by mutual agreement “ I would assume jumped before they were pushed.
It’s damaging to your reputation

@ineedmoresleepnow

How did you get on?

Hi. I had a chat with him and professionally set across my concerns. He countered saying that me resigning was making out that the company had done something wrong and he was not happy about that. However once I said that I would not say anything detrimental about the company and we chatted about how he can pitch the job differently he agreed that he will say I found another job. However he had asked me to continue not to say anything for now so my concern is that he will say what he wants when i leave.
Thank you for all your replies, they helped confirm what I was thinking.

Sounds good. So now you just drop him an email to create a paper trail of what was agreed for “insurance” to stop him saying something else after you leave - something like

“Just wanted to summarise our chat this morning - we agreed that no-one would say I’m leaving by mutual agreement, I will simply say that I found another job, I will not publically reference my concerns re the job advertised vs the job as I found it and I will leave as agreed on x/x/xx.

Please let me know once you start making people aware of my departure so I can be ready to respond to any enquiries.”

Thanks, that's good advice.