Quitting the Job

[a64pilot]

Sorry, there is just no best place to put this, I assume the Liveabord forum has the highest percentage of Retirees?

The notice thing is something I haven't gotten my head around yet.
It seems when people are laid off, it is with no notice at all ,none. Yet when you quit a company, your supposed to give notice?
Pardon me as I have only worked for one other company other than this one, the rest I was self employed and US Army, so I'm inexperienced.
I have told them I am winding down, will retire in less than two years, they need to find someone to replace me, I told them this about 6 months ago.
My concern is when I give notice that I will be treated differently and why would I want to put myself through that?
So why give notice? What is minimum acceptable?
I am an officer in the Corporation if that helps, although a much more minor officer than I was just a few years ago, yet still carry the title.

[boatman61]

Unless there's something in your contract that sets a minimum I'd say 2 weeks is more than adequate.. especially as you've already given them a 'Heads Up'..
Tho' there have been times in the past when I just did not bother gong back after the weekend..
Admittedly they were 'Blue Collar' jobs which I had no desire to return to..

[ontherocks83]

Depends on your relationship with the Corp, How big the Corp is and if they are a people/employee first business, or money comes first and employees come and go business.

In your position a month is probably sufficient. Obviously 2 weeks is standard but in certain positions usually a month is preferred. My wife works in the medical field and her company has no official policy but they ask for up to 3 months if possible and 1 month minimum if you want to stay in good standing in case you wish to return one day.

What I would do after assessing the situation/motivation of the company would be to give your notice no sooner then you are willing to leave. If you want to give them 3 months notice then make sure you are willing and able to leave the day you give the notice.

Remember you're retiring. As long as you have your finances straight, who cares if they cut you early or have to leave early.

[seamountie]

I got news for you, you are already being treated differently. You will not be concidered for promotion, for courses, to lead new teams. To your company it no longer makes sense to invest in you, as you are an asset that is short term.

Sounds bitter, and it may be, but it is reality.

And speaking of reality, the New Reality is that you probably will not remain retired. A hugh chunk of today's retirees simply slow down, they don't stop. They may become consultants, or contract workers. Some, like me, totally changed industry & work part time.

Having said THAT, don't leave without notice. Give the required 2 weeks notice.(Companies may have you out the door right the same day, but you get 2 weeks pay in lieu of notice). If you burn your current employer, you may find it hard to get back into the workforce if & when you want to.

[ol1970]

Sounds like you've already been extremely professional in letting them know in advance of your intentions, that's great. Giving them 2 weeks notice on a Friday afternoon is more than enough time regardless of what your job is or what the company has going on at the time. I highly recommend continuing to be as professional and helpful as possible, remember you are sailing off into the sunset...have them remember you as the guy that's "living the dream and left with a smile and did it the right way". Honestly anything longer than 2 weeks things are awkward for both sides trust me. Most likely if they are a well run organization they'll have you spend the next week tying up loose ends explaining where stuff is at to the replacement, wish you well, and then ask you to exit early so they can get on with business.

I like to use the football analogy of being the player that scores the big touchdown and instead of spiking the football and doing some crazy routine, he hands the football to the ref and acts like he's been there before. Congrats on your successful career and impending adventures!

[Teknishn]

Gave my notice just before Christmas. Will be leaving the project in 4 months. On this yacht restoration project we are all blue collar workers, albeit the project manager's collar is a bit less blue than the rest of us. Have seen employees fired upon arrival at work in the morning, other's are given 2-weeks or a month's notice. I think it depends on your relationship with the management that you are working with.

I gave 4 month's notice in order for management to bring someone else in and allow me time to bring them up to speed on the yacht's systems, electronic database, and drawing development. In reality it should only take a couple of weeks to do all that....but just gave forewarning so that management has time to to hire and evaluate someone to take my place...and do it again, and again if someone doesn't work out.

The best training that I have ever done was training someone to take my job (apparently I seem to do that quite well).

Unless you have an employment contract, you can be let go at any time.

[a64pilot]

No contract. I helped grow the business, although I believe it is now headed for disaster by being run by an idiot who's ego is what will kill it.
We went through a change in ownership a few years ago when original owner died and his partner came in to run things, at first it was good as we continued on like normal, that lasted a couple of years, but the new owner is now large and in charge, and while we look prosperous it has come at the expense of huge debt, where the company had been debt free. We are living on a credit card I believe, sad as almost 300 families count on this place.
In answer to how its run, the only concern the owner has is money, he could care nothing at all about anything else, this place runs on ego and greed.
I ran a large part of the company a few years ago, then about a year or so ago the new owner began hiring people to replace what I had been running. To be truthful I was wearing too many hats, but he has a knack for hiring fools, very social people, but without the skills necessary.
In truth I don't believe he has any idea how skillful I am, I make my job look easy, where my job is usually where most of the drama is. He will find out when I leave and he replaces me, I believe. But that will not be my problem.
The quality of the product has fallen so badly in the last few months, that what I do has become unsafe and that concerns me greatly.

No, I will not be back, although the HR person has sort of pleaded with me to hang on as a consultant. She understands the mess we are in. I am considering the consulting thing, but think I will not like that.
I think two weeks sounds good, and if I'm lucky, they will say to go now

[brownoarsman]

If you don't have a contract, you are most likely considered at-will. Don't worry, I always have been as well, and most Americans I believe are too. My understanding of at-will is that both you and the company for which you work can terminate that arrangement whenever is convenient for them, with certain exceptions that are unlikely to apply to you (e.g. terminated for race or sexual preference, part of a large layoff program at a large org, etc.), and barring any stated policies in your employment manual (e.g. severance offers, performance modification plans, etc.)

Edit: This doesn't mean you should leave day-of, as others have pointed out there are many reasons to provide adequate notice. As I understand from your postings and descriptions above, you do work in a somewhat specialized field in a very critical area, so I would imagine you could give a long lead time (and indeed already have by notifying that you'll be retiring in a two-year window) and not have to worry about the company terminating you early, which might also give them enough time to have them find and have you train your replacement, keeping everyone on good terms.

[admiralslater]

My wife gave 8 months notice when she retired and after a break of 3 years is noodling around with a new part time career in the same field . Her dignified and hounorable departure from her last career does help in her new one. I would say treat the firm with the same respect that you would expect and then you can have no regrets. With luck they may let you go early. Have fun sailing

[ontherocks83]

There is always trying to get laid off.

[robert sailor]

Companies are about the bottom line and people are always well below that, it's life but it's reality. Put your hand in a pail of water and then take it out, other than a few ripples that's about as much as we are missed. We are easily replaced no matter what we think, life goes on. With that little sermon out of the way give your notice based on your pay period, ie: if you are on an hourly wage give them 10 days, if your on a monthly salary give them a minimum of a month, if your senior management give them 3 months. When people leave a company someone always gets fired, in your case your firing the company, that's a nice way to leave but don't burn your bridges, just doesn't make any sense. By the way congratulations, you've obviously done a few things right to be in your current position. You have lots to look forward to. R

[brianlara 3]

In my neck of the woods, if you are paid fortnightly then a fortnights notice is given by the employee/company. Ditto weekly/monthly.
Problem with doing the right thing, as you have done, is that they are now in the position of being able to make a 'pre-emptive strike'. So your decency can back fire on you.
And it sounds like the new owner has different ethical values to the origional owner.
I wish it weren't true but you having done the right thing by the company could well prove to have been a shot in your own foot.
Hope I'm wrong. And best wishes for the future.

[Leo Ticheli]

I was lucky enough to have a great career and I gave a couple of years notice before I finally pulled the pin. In my case, perhaps a bit unusual, I was treated very well, but it sounds as if your company may have taken a less nurturing turn. I hope this little bit does not describe what you are in for:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa4YFNbPje8

I very much enjoy your posts here and wish you all the best in your retirement!

Fair winds,

Leo

[Paul L]

Number one is to not burn bridges. The consultant offer can be a great deal. No requirement on your side to take up on any requests if you are too busy fixing the boat. When you are bored in some steamy place waiting for hurricane season to end and thought up some expensive boat toy you want --- take up some consulting hours and pay for it.

If you were clear telling them 6 months ago, then you've started the process. When I gave my notice I gave them a month and told them if they wanted I'd do another 6-8 weeks part time
Always good to go out with a smile.

[ohdrinkboy]

If you get an annual bonus, I would time the announcement to just after the bonus payout. Announce before and they could short change you....seen it before. I would give between 2 - 12/13 weeks notice depending on how nice I feel. Any more than 12-13 weeks (one quarter) and you are dragging it out for both parties.

Congratulations on getting to make the decision! I hope when it is my turn I get to call the shots.