Notice periods...

[puggit]

I'm resigning tomorrow (new job ) and have flicked through my terms of employment information to find out what my notice period is.

It doesn't state it in black and white!

Terms of employment said:

The company will provide one month's notice, after, probation, until five years of service when it will become 5 weeks. Thereafter it will rise by one week per year of service up to a maximum, in total, of 12 weeks. During the probationary period, notice periods will be detailed in paragraph 4.

Now, I've never had formal notification of the end of my probation - do I need this? I've been there for 5 months.

Probation notice is defined as 1 week from either side.

What's my notice period?

[Pies]

That statement only refers to what notice the company will give you,not what notice you must give them.You need to read the contract a bit more.

[puggit]

It's not in there at all - that's the only section that counts.

There is more bumph about being required to leave if you are going to a competitor etc etc. Nowhere does it state my requirements!

[steviebee]

IIRC, the law states that the notice you give relates to the period of salary payment, i.e. weekly = 1 week's notice, mothly = 1 month's notice. But this is generally at the employers discretion and the fact that it's not in your contract appears a major oversight on the part of your employers.

If you are in sales and are going to another sales job, expect your feet not to hit the ground as you leave.

If not, then I guess its up to you.......but my advice is not to burn bridges!

[Plotloss]

The company I am currently working for have tried on numerous occasions, sometimes through some ever so slightly dodgy methods to lock me into a 3 month notice period.

They can, quite simply, go forth and multiply.

[puggit]

Well I've done the dirty, and offered 4 weeks notice. My final week is already booked as accrued holiday anyway

No bridges burnt, and they have been quite good about it.

[clapham993]

Plotloss said:

The company I am currently working for have tried on numerous occasions, sometimes through some ever so slightly dodgy methods to lock me into a 3 month notice period. They can, quite simply, go forth and multiply.

3 Months is quite good, my partnership agreement requires 12 months notice with a 5 year restriction on practice after leaving........

[JonRB]

Surely long notice periods don't work in practise? If an employee has handed in their notice and is now Demob Happy / NFI* / simply doesn't want to work then what can you do? Stand over them with a big stick for 7-8 hours a day?

(* NFI = 'Not (err) Fairly Interested')

[steviebee]

JonRB said:

Surely long notice periods don't work in practise? If an employee has handed in their notice and is now Demob Happy / NFI* / simply doesn't want to work then what can you do? Stand over them with a big stick for 7-8 hours a day? (* NFI = 'Not (err) Fairly Interested')

Long notice periods tend generally to apply to big hitters or those staff with valuable commercial knowledge about the company and gives rise to the term "Gardening Leave".

When such an individual hands their notice in, they're usually out by the end of the day (or sooner) but their contract of employment remains in force.

So, whilst they benefit from getting paid for doing sweet FA for a year, the company prevents them from working for their competitors and divulging all their secrets.

This happened to Mike Gascgoyne when he left Benetton for Toyota. The former didn't really want him taking what has proved to be a better car, to a rival team. So off to garden he went!