how long to wait for confirmation of notice period?

yellowDahlia · 2021-10-05T10:11:31+00:00

I told my boss two weeks ago that I had been offered and accepted a new job and I'm still waiting for her to give me a release date. Is this too long to wait? I might have to work up to three months notice (although I'm hoping we can negotiate a shorter time) so perhaps she's not feeling the pressure. She was ill last week too but was definitely WFH. I know I've given her a bit of a headache because I'm the only one in my particular role and might not be replaced, so I guess she needs to figure out what to do next. I know she's very busy, there's a lot going on within our workplace right now, but I'm really not sure what's causing the hold up at this point - surely it would be helpful for both of us to have a timescale to work to by now?? The new employers have nudged me once, at the end of last week, to find out if I have a date yet. It's getting frustrating - I feel like I'm in limbo, am struggling to get on with the work in my current job but can't really start tying up loose ends, letting colleagues know and preparing to move on, as I'm not sure when that will happen?! Am I being impatient or is this normal? Should I be pushing her for a date or do I just need to grit my teeth and wait?

TriciaMcMillan · 05/10/2021 11:15

Have you formerly handed in your resignation? Your contracted notice period starts from that date. You can then put in writing your request to negotiate an earlier release date, taking account of any leave owing.

HerNameIsIncontinentiaButtocks · 05/10/2021 11:18

You have a contract, the contract will have your notice period in. You may be able to negotiate shorter, you may also be able to negotiate longer if need be.
Put your resignation in now anyway, to start that period and the negotiation.

H8H8H8 · 05/10/2021 11:19

Why are you waiting for your boss to tell you when you ‘are allowed’ to leave?

What’s

H8H8H8 · 05/10/2021 11:19

What’s your notice period? That defines when you can leave.

H8H8H8 · 05/10/2021 11:20

Just reread your OP. Are you on 3 months notice?

Original poster

yellowDahlia · 05/10/2021 11:23

I haven't submitted anything in writing yet - I consider my verbal resignation the first formal step in the process? I guess my plan was to put something in writing just to be on the safe side to confirm: 'I gave notice to MD on 21st Sept and that I will be leaving the business on X date' type of thing. But I thought I'd be doing that a few days later - not a fortnight on!

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Original poster

yellowDahlia · 05/10/2021 11:26

@H8H8H8

Just reread your OP. Are you on 3 months notice?

That's what is in my contract, but I asked if it would be possible to leave sooner than that and she indicated she would try - that's where we're at, she's considering what to do and whether she can let me go sooner than 3 months.

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AmsterDAMN · 05/10/2021 11:26

Your notice period is three months. Write, 'to confirm my resignation as discussed on x date (two weeks ago) making my last day x date. However I would like to leave sooner than my contracted end date on x date and I'd be grateful if you could confirm if this is agreeable'. Take the power back

TriciaMcMillan · 05/10/2021 11:26

@yellowDahlia

I haven't submitted anything in writing yet - I consider my verbal resignation the first formal step in the process? I guess my plan was to put something in writing just to be on the safe side to confirm: 'I gave notice to MD on 21st Sept and that I will be leaving the business on X date' type of thing. But I thought I'd be doing that a few days later - not a fortnight on!

Your notice period starts from your formal written resignation, I'd get that in sharpish if I were you.

greyinganddecaying · 05/10/2021 11:27

I had this. I told them my end date in my resignation letter (worked it out from the date of resignation and notice period). I had a 9 week notice period.

I heard nothing to confirm this, despite chasing.
3 weeks before the date I heard from finance that my leaving date was that week. I corrected them (new job wasn't starting until after my notice period).

I didn't hear anything from HR/line manager to confirm until after this ( 2 weeks before my leaving date). Very poor all round.

mynameiscalypso · 05/10/2021 11:31

@yellowDahlia

I haven't submitted anything in writing yet - I consider my verbal resignation the first formal step in the process? I guess my plan was to put something in writing just to be on the safe side to confirm: 'I gave notice to MD on 21st Sept and that I will be leaving the business on X date' type of thing. But I thought I'd be doing that a few days later - not a fortnight on!

You need to submit your resignation and then you can negotiate a reduced notice period. Otherwise you're just prolonging it all. I resigned recently and handed in my notice in which I wrote that I understood my notice period was three months but I would like to negotiate it to two months if possible. That was all then separately agreed but the clock on my notice period had already started. You're not gaining anything by not handing in your notice.

Hoppinggreen · 05/10/2021 11:32

Well first you need to actually resign and go from there

erictries · 05/10/2021 11:38

You need to give resignation in writing. That's SO important. Otherwise a verbal resignation can and most likely will be ignored

Original poster

yellowDahlia · 05/10/2021 11:54

I don't think she's ignoring me on purpose - we have a good relationship, it's a small team, so I don't want to be too pushy and formal and sour that, especially when I need her to do me a favour and let me go a bit early... but I do hear what you're saying, maybe I'm being too nice... I'm also a bit worried if I put the three month date in writing (which is just before Christmas I think) that she'll just accept that I'm willing to do that, but I'd really prefer not to - I'm really struggling to keep my brain in the game as it is.

I'm on leave for a week from Thursday so actually that's an excuse to go back to her before then and make sure it's resolved before I'm off for a few days.

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Rainbowshine · 05/10/2021 12:00

It’s your career so why are you procrastinating? Just use the wording that a PP @AmsterDAMN suggested:

Your notice period is three months. Write, 'to confirm my resignation as discussed on x date (two weeks ago) making my last day x date. However I would like to leave sooner than my contracted end date on x date and I'd be grateful if you could confirm if this is agreeable'. Take the power back

Your manager may well be waiting for you to put your resignation in writing to understand it’s a firm decision on your part and not one of those fake resignations to force a pay increase or promotion when the person has no intention of leaving.

Chewbecca · 05/10/2021 13:34

Yes, put it in writing asap, stating the date notice period started and end date per your contract and with a request to be advised if a sooner date can be agreed.

Original poster

yellowDahlia · 05/10/2021 14:39

Right. So I just had to phone the boss about something else, and I threw in mention of me leaving at the end of the conversation - Are you any closer to a date? type thing - and she's STILL not committing. Said I was to come back to her with some suggestions about possible agencies/freelancers who could help when I'm gone. Well, ok maybe we did discuss this but she hasn't asked for anything further on this in the past two weeks, even when I already sent over lots of details about my role and responsibilities to help her consider what next. I repeated I was willing to discuss a date anywhere between now and Christmas but she didn't take me up on it. She did, at least, agree that I'd given notice two weeks ago on the 21st.

This is really hacking me off now. So now I have to come up with a job description so that she can consider a replacement AND provide suggestions of agencies which might be able to help. At least this is all validating my decision to leave a company which is a shadow of the one I joined nine years ago - poor communication, lack of management, plus serious gaps in the team, namely HR!! WHY am I doing my own HR for my own resignation??? 😖

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mynameiscalypso · 05/10/2021 14:44

If you're happy to serve your full notice period, you can just not do any of that stuff.

Original poster

yellowDahlia · 05/10/2021 15:44

@mynameiscalypso

If you're happy to serve your full notice period, you can just not do any of that stuff.

I'd like to go sooner if possible. I'm trying to be helpful and move things along but I'm beginning to wonder if writing my own job description is that, or if they're taking the piss...

There's no HR dept, it's a bit of a shambles as far as that side of things is concerned.

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Alpinechalet · 05/10/2021 17:51

OP you have got this the wrong way round you are being to nice to your current employer and keeping your new employer hanging - not a good start.

Pease email your resignation and also talk to your new employer. Keep it simple:

Further to our conversations on x and x I am writing to confirm that I resigned on 21 September 2021. I would like my last working day to be xx.

flowery · 05/10/2021 18:15

But if you’d like her to release you early it’s surely in your interests to try and sort out a replacement of some sort asap? Perhaps don’t get “hacked off” about it, if it will enable you to leave sooner?

mynameiscalypso · 05/10/2021 18:20

@flowery

But if you’d like her to release you early it’s surely in your interests to try and sort out a replacement of some sort asap? Perhaps don’t get “hacked off” about it, if it will enable you to leave sooner?

I agree with this. Although I didn't need to get a replacement or anything, I cancelled planned annual leave in exchange for them shortening my notice period by a month. They were doing me a favour so it felt like the least I could do.

Bigfathairyones · 05/10/2021 18:21

Speaking personally, I've always helped my previous employer to find my replacement, as I think it's the professional way to deal with changing employees. Let's be honest, losing a valued employee can be a real PITA and even more so if they're not willing to assist, especially if it's going to be a difficult replacement.

Aprilx · 05/10/2021 21:22

@yellowDahlia

Right. So I just had to phone the boss about something else, and I threw in mention of me leaving at the end of the conversation - Are you any closer to a date? type thing - and she's STILL not committing. Said I was to come back to her with some suggestions about possible agencies/freelancers who could help when I'm gone. Well, ok maybe we did discuss this but she hasn't asked for anything further on this in the past two weeks, even when I already sent over lots of details about my role and responsibilities to help her consider what next. I repeated I was willing to discuss a date anywhere between now and Christmas but she didn't take me up on it. She did, at least, agree that I'd given notice two weeks ago on the 21st.

This is really hacking me off now. So now I have to come up with a job description so that she can consider a replacement AND provide suggestions of agencies which might be able to help. At least this is all validating my decision to leave a company which is a shadow of the one I joined nine years ago - poor communication, lack of management, plus serious gaps in the team, namely HR!! WHY am I doing my own HR for my own resignation??? 😖

Have you never resigned from a job before, that was a genuine question, as you seem to have an unusual view as to how the process goes.

Your boss does not have to confirm anything back to you. Your notice period is determined by your contract, you should have handed your notice on, confirming your final day (the three months) and as someone else mentioned, request to bring it forward if possible. Your line manager has no obligation to respond to that in a certain time frame, as your notice period is the one in the contract.

As you do want to leave early it would be in your interests to be helpful, because there is absolutely no reason why they should agree to release you early, they could say no, there is literally nothing for you to be hacked off about. You are going about things in a very strange way IMO.

Original poster

yellowDahlia · 05/10/2021 23:11

Sigh. I'm just struggling atm, as I have been for a while in this job, and I'm looking forward to moving on and don't enjoy the uncertainty of not knowing when.

No, I haven't really resigned from a job like this before, so that's why I started the thread, to see if what I'm experiencing is normal or not.

I have sent the letter of resignation so it's in writing and will wait to see what my boss decides. I will also be helpful about sorting a replacement if that's what they decide to do, of course I will. I'll follow my instincts I think, which is what I've been doing so far, I just felt a bit exasperated today not to be any further forward.

Thanks to all who've offered advice and their experience, I'll try to be a bit more patient about this whole process!

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