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Original poster

Asking to work longer than notice period

19 replies

Cocomaymay · 27/10/2022 19:02

Hi,

Has anyone asked to work longer than their notice period to tie in with a new job start date? HR have said notice period is at manager's discretion. I have a really good relationship with my manager and I've been in the same team for 9 years so I think it would be ok but I worry there's a chance of being told to stick to the 1 month notice period then I would have another month till I start the new job.

ny help would be much appreciated. Thanks x

OP posts:
Tort · 27/10/2022 19:03

Can’t you just wait a month before you give your notice?

JustBkind · 27/10/2022 19:04

If you want to work longer than your notice period why didn’t you just delay handing your notice in so that all the dates worked out? They could agree to it but they also couldn’t.

Nimo12 · 27/10/2022 19:05

I asked my manager in my last job if I could work 6 weeks longer and they were happy to accommodate.

VimFuego101 · 27/10/2022 19:05

I would just wait until a month prior to start date, before giving your notice. You can't force them to keep you on longer.

Nimo12 · 27/10/2022 19:07

I did it that way instead of just delaying it incase they were contacted for references

Speedweed · 27/10/2022 19:08

Your notice period is just the minimum - you can always give a longer notice period. Just tell them the day you want to finish- a month isn't long, so they'll probably be grateful you've given a longer notice.

BlueBar · 27/10/2022 19:08

I think iit's perfectly normal to say "please take this as my notice of resignation from xyz post, my last day will be..."

I don't why you'd tell them quite so early if your worried, but it doesn't need to be exactly a month and where I work that would be appreciated, to give them more chance to get someone in before you go.

Original poster
Cocomaymay · 27/10/2022 19:14

Thanks everyone for the rapid replies. My new new company want me to sign the contract by Monday. My plan was to tell my manager on Tuesday because I don't want them being contacted for references without me having told them. New employer has said they are happy to wait till I've told my current company and then approach for references once they know. My start date is 4th January and I'm wanting my last day in current company to be 3rd January. I just dont want to keep putting the new company off contacting for references so they can't finalise on the new job. X

OP posts:
bluebird3 · 27/10/2022 19:17

You can tell your manager you are leaving as a courtesy before actually handing them in your notice in writing. You can speak to them about when you want to leave and if they agree that's great, if they take the hump and say only 1 month for notice then just wait to hand in your official notice.

BlueBar · 27/10/2022 19:17

You can tell the current employer that you've been offered a new post and that they will be approached for references without handing in your notice. In fact it could be prudent not to until new company confirm everything is in order

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 27/10/2022 19:19

Yo should never hand your notice in until you've signed you new contract. It's impossible for anyone to know what your employer will say about the length of the notice

FatAgainItsLettuceTime · 27/10/2022 19:25

Is there a conflict of interest between current and new employer, for example are they a competitor and could there be a concern you would take clients with you?

If yes then hand your notice in exactly when you need to for your notice period as they may put you on immediate gardening leave.

Original poster
Cocomaymay · 27/10/2022 19:30

I've been in the same company for a long time so I'm out of touch with going for an external job so thanks for the help 😊x

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocomaymay · 27/10/2022 19:41

Thank you, this is really reassuring to hear. I'm planning to sign the contract this evening. The new company said that the new role is still subject to references and background checks but I think this is normal procedure.

My current team isnt allowed to recruit new team member and even backfilling can be a challenge. So I was hoping that they may be open to more notice as it keep more effort on the projects for a longer period.

Taking this into consideration I am thinking of signing the contract tonight, speaking to my manager on Tuesday and then deciding with him if he is ok with handing in my notice then meaning roughly an 8 week notice period or if would prefer to postpone till 1 months before start date (assuming he doesn't mind me working till Jan). I can then let new company know they can go ahead with references to move the process along and get everthing finalised. One risk is if they want an impersonal company reference next week and my manager and I decide to withold my notice till 1 month before my start date that could be awkward. Another is my managed goes nah off you go and doesn't take it well..... But at least my manager knows and doesn't get a surprise.

I don't think garden leave would happen as I work in a telecoms company and my new role is in health tech so they aren't competitors.

Seem crazy or along the right lines? X

OP posts:
glassfully · 27/10/2022 19:54

What's the recruitment like at your current workplace? At mine the managers would gladly take a longer notice period to fill the gaps. It takes 2 or 3 weeks to get approval to advertise a job then they have to keep it open for 3 weeks, then they shortlist and interview a couple of weeks later, then HR take forever to sort references and contracts. A colleague left in early May and their replacement started 2 weeks ago. It's a nightmare.

Asiama · 27/10/2022 19:57

While your notice period is 1 month, there is nothing stopping you giving longer notice and they can't force you to cut it down to 1 month. The notice period is just the minimum notice you need to give.

Original poster
Cocomaymay · 27/10/2022 20:01

Oh no, I feel your pain @glassfully , it's such a long and drawn out process. My place is the same but my current team were 'saved' at the last round of re organisations so were told we can't add to the team and it would need to be exceptional circumstances for backfill for people leaving 😳. I've ran a lot of interviews so I would be happy to help with that if we could go ahead and it leaves about 8 weeks to do so. I was planning to use up leave before finishing so realistically would be working till the week before Christmas then on annual leave till the day before I start the new job.

If they enforce 1 months notice from next week and they don't like paying for unused leave, I would have about 2 weeks left of actual work then a month unpaid till I start the new job which I can't afford to happen x

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocomaymay · 27/10/2022 20:03

Asiama · 27/10/2022 19:57

While your notice period is 1 month, there is nothing stopping you giving longer notice and they can't force you to cut it down to 1 month. The notice period is just the minimum notice you need to give.

Thanks @Asiama ! This is what I was hoping but my dad put the fear in me earlier and said with his company it's brutal and it's x notice from telling the employer, non negotiable 😬x

OP posts:
Original poster
Cocomaymay · 27/10/2022 20:13

Every company is different though so it's good to hear what others have done in the past and any challenges yous have faced 😊x

OP posts:
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