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Employees and employers alike have the right under at-will employment laws in almost all states to end their relationship without notice, for any reason, but the two-week rule is a widely accepted standard of workplace conduct. Now Sue Shellenbarger writes at The Wall Street Journal that employers say a growing number of workers are leaving without giving two weeks' notice.
Some bosses blame young employees who feel frustrated by limited prospects or have little sense of attachment to their workplace. But employment experts say some older workers are quitting without notice as well. They feel overworked or unappreciated after years of laboring under pay cuts and expanded workloads imposed during the recession. One employee at Dupray, a customer-service rep, scheduled a meeting and announced she was quitting, then rose and headed for the exit. She seemed surprised when the director of human resources stopped her and explained that employees are expected to give two weeks' notice. "She said, 'I've been watching 'Suits,' and this is how it happens,' " referring to the TV drama set in a law firm.
According to Shellenbarger, quitting without notice is sometimes justified. Employees with access to proprietary information, such as those working in sales or new-product development, face a conflict of interest if they accept a job with a competitor. Employees in such cases typically depart right away—ideally, by mutual agreement. It can also be best to exit quickly if an employer is abusive, or if you suspect your employer is doing something illegal.
More often, however, quitting without notice "is done in the heat of emotion, by someone who is completely frustrated, angry, offended or upset," says David Lewis, president of OperationsInc., a Norwalk, Conn., human-resources consulting firm. That approach can burn bridges and generate bad references. Phyllis Hartman says employees have a responsibility to try to communicate about what's wrong. "Start figuring out if there is anything you can do to fix it. The worst that can happen is that nobody listens or they tell you no."
(Score: 4, Interesting) by q.kontinuum on Tuesday June 28 2016, @05:58PM
Usually I would agree. I only had one not so nice job-change, and I don't mind the bridges I burnt there. (As you can see below, due to special circumstances I managed to only let down my boss without letting down my co-workers.)
Where I live, even in probation period (usually 6 months), you have a mandatory 2 weeks notice in both directions. After probation it starts with two months and increases depending on the duration of your employment.
During my education I was working as a sw developer. The employer did lots of inhouse-projects, but I was working on customer premises together with a few others. Since pay was good, education was not paid by time and work was interesing/challanging/rewarding enough, I was in no hurry to finish the education. In the final months, my employer told me not to worry, and I could get a proper job-upgrade with appropriate pay once I have the formal qualification. So far so good.
After finally finishing my education, I talked to my employer. I did some research on usual salaries in my region. Since my boss had me working in development teams together with formally qualified, and I did my job among them without any limitations, I asked for average pay for professional with two years experience. (I was working for that boss for 5 years already, always getting glowing reviews.)
First of all, out of a sudden he mentioned that there are some difficulties hiring at that time. Then he opened to me that I'd have to get a new contract, with a new 6 month probation time (two weeks notice), after I worked 5 years for them and they knew my work-quality perfectly well. The salary he reduced by 20 percent from what I asked. Working time was specified as approximately 40h, occasional overtime included in current pay (I knew from experience that it would end up 50h). Once I got the contract (a couple of days later), the salary was reduced again, citing the previously agreed salary as "target salary, including target bonus". The new base salary was again 10 percent less than what was agreed. And I heard that the contract I was still working on was in danger of not being extended that year, so good reason for me to be concerned to lose my job within the 6 month. At that time I didn't have another option, since I had trusted them, so I grudgingly signed and voiced quite audible that luckily, the probation time would go both ways.
I went to the next floor in the same building, where another IT-company was located. Within 20 minutes I had some basic agreement what could be expected. A week later I had a technical interview, and another week later their offer. They agreed to hire me as professional with equivalent of two years full-time experience; the pay was what I asked initially for, plus 10% bonus target (which I achieved easily every year). On top I got 2 days additional vacation (together 30) and again ~5 percent of my salary on top paid into a private pension plan. Probation time was only 3 months. All with a time-tracking system, ensuring that overtime was either per default compensated with free time or, if agreed on by both sides, paid with hourly rate + 25 percent. And the special bonus: Since this company worked with the same customer as my previous employer, I could even keep my old desk for a couple of more months to properly finish my work there. (It was an interesting project, the hierarchy on customer-side was treating its developers with all due respect, and I would really have hated to let them down.)
Having a nice job:Great
Getting all the condidions I asked for, plus some: Awesome
Face of my former boss when I handed him my two weeks notice: Invaluable!
Funniest thing was when his boss called me to tell me that we could have talked instead, to solve the differences, and after that didn't catch telling me that you always meet twice in life. I told him this was a good thing, and maybe next time we meet he is aware that I mean what I say in my negotiations, and that putting someone after 5 years of faithful service on probation is not necessarily a good move. Under those conditions we could probably come to terms some day.
My next job-change I announced even before the new contract was finally signed, giving my employer enough time to look for replacement. In return they told me that if there is any delay with the new job, I could stay with them for the time being or go back on my cancellation. I still was invited to some company-parties etc.
Registered IRC nick on chat.soylentnews.org: qkontinuum