Shortening notice period with job gap - implications?

[boombang]

I've resigned from my job, they have offered to reduce my notice considerably due to ongoing cost pressures.

This leaves an employment gap of almost 8 weeks, a break I am really happy to take, even with the financial hit.

It would however leave me without private healthcare or death in service. I do have sufficient life insurance in place to clear mortgage plus a cash amount for family.

New employer may offer to bring forward the start but it's really tempting and feels healthy to pause.

Any other considerations with taking the break, even if bloody obvious?

[LordHaveMurci]

Can you not negotiate to keep those benefits while still leaving early?

[fat80b]

I think I'd be in the negotiate camp.

If they want to reduce the notice period, fine, but what's in it for you, sounds like it's just "not getting paid for 8 weeks" which seems like mostly a win for them.

I'd be thinking I'd at least want to split the difference. i.e. Either you stay for the full 8 weeks with all the pay and benefits, or you leave now, but they pay you for 4 and save 4 (or something like that)

[Jasandjules]

Go on Garden Leave and ask to retain the benefits but not the salary for the period agreed.

[alscar]

fat80b said:

I think I'd be in the negotiate camp.

If they want to reduce the notice period, fine, but what's in it for you, sounds like it's just "not getting paid for 8 weeks" which seems like mostly a win for them.

I'd be thinking I'd at least want to split the difference. i.e. Either you stay for the full 8 weeks with all the pay and benefits, or you leave now, but they pay you for 4 and save 4 (or something like that)

This gets my vote too - obviously you want the break but its only an offer to you so nothing to lose by asking for a compromise.

[Simon_GH]

As above. See whether you can effective buy annual leave to cover the 8 week gap (no pay) but remain on the books for the benefits and for continuity of employment on your CV if that sort of thing bothers you.

[Bonefish Blues]

Jasandjules said:

Go on Garden Leave and ask to retain the benefits but not the salary for the period agreed.

This.

Some of those benefits are tied to employment, so cannot be continued. This solves the problem.

[boombang]

Thanks for all the replies.

They have said no gardening leave.

I've been told last day of work, pay and benefits will all be the same day. Only negotiation perhaps is what day/date that is, but for now they have said work full notice or take up our offer.

I'm going to see if I can start the new role sooner and close the gap.

That will likely leave my holiday as a gap, the annual leave for which would be paid out in my last salary as already accrued.

[deja.vu]

I’d make the most of the time off
Death is services is mostly useless and 8 weeks without private health care isn’t exactly a big gamble.

I’d happily give both of those up for a couple of months off in the summer

[LastPoster]

boombang said:

Thanks for all the replies.

They have said no gardening leave.

I've been told last day of work, pay and benefits will all be the same day. Only negotiation perhaps is what day/date that is, but for now they have said work full notice or take up our offer.

I'm going to see if I can start the new role sooner and close the gap.

That will likely leave my holiday as a gap, the annual leave for which would be paid out in my last salary as already accrued.

Have you specifically asked if you can have the last few weeks unpaid, Garden leave to me suggests at the discretion of the employer and paid (i.e they want you out of the way), not the employee.

[MBVitoria]

deja.vu said:

I’d make the most of the time off
Death is services is mostly useless and 8 weeks without private health care isn’t exactly a big gamble.

I’d happily give both of those up for a couple of months off in the summer

With you on this, for most of us who work on a permanent PAYE basis there aren't many times in your adult life that you get to have that kind of time off. Make the most of it!

[sherman]

MBVitoria said:

deja.vu said:

I’d make the most of the time off
Death is services is mostly useless and 8 weeks without private health care isn’t exactly a big gamble.

I’d happily give both of those up for a couple of months off in the summer

With you on this, for most of us who work on a permanent PAYE basis there aren't many times in your adult life that you get to have that kind of time off. Make the most of it!

This.
Lay off the extreme sports for 8 weeks.
Sit in the sun. Enjoy the time off.

[boombang]

LastPoster said:

Have you specifically asked if you can have the last few weeks unpaid, Garden leave to me suggests at the discretion of the employer and paid (i.e they want you out of the way), not the employee.

Yes you are right, working on this now. The new employer has confirmed flexibility on start date, I'd ideally like to get a month off.

Adding 2 weeks of unpaid leave to the currently planned holiday would work, I can't see it being approved but worth a shot.

Nobody has raised major implications of a gap though which was my main question - that I'd missed something important.

[Vee]

Why do you want to go without benefits for that period.
Your finish date is the end of your contractual notice period.
You take the time in between as unpaid leave. For your employer they just need to manage payroll which should not be too difficult.

[dxg]

Are national insurance contributions a factor?

I know I got chased years later to explain a gap in mine (I took a few months off to, erm, "write a book" and didn't see the need to bother with signing on).

[captain.scarlet]

Surely they should be paying you in lieu of notice if they don't want you to work. That's how it works. Best to check the employment contract in the first instance.

Enjoy the time off but make sure they pay you for any accrued/unused leave, including bank holidays as well.

Maybe take this as some sort of 'unpaid leave' if they have a leg to stand on in terms of not paying you.

However, if that's that case then I would also ask them to do you the favour of ensuring they record your very last day with them as being the last day possible were you to work the notice period, as opposed the day you walk out for the notice period that never was.

That way you ensure no gaps in employment (unless you have something lined up and would be starting sooner anyway).

For anyone else in a similar situation, I would also look at sick leave and statutory sick pay as a very last resort.

[nickfrog]

sherman said:

This.
Lay off the extreme sports for 8 weeks.
Sit in the sun. Enjoy the time off.

I would take the 8 weeks off and focus on extreme sports. On a serious note OP go away somewhere nice and buy decent travel insurance as this will include health cover, usually private, if that's a concern.

[vaud]

Don't underestimate the power of 8 weeks in resetting yourself.

[98elise]

deja.vu said:

I’d make the most of the time off
Death is services is mostly useless and 8 weeks without private health care isn’t exactly a big gamble.

I’d happily give both of those up for a couple of months off in the summer

Agreed. If the OP wants to take 8 weeks off it's not a huge risk.

[mr_spock]

Set up your own insurance and cancel when done.