• This topic has 27 replies, 24 voices, and was last updated 10 years ago by st.
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  • Notice Periods (3 Months before I can leave!)
  • uwe-r
    Free Member

    What is the crack with notice periods? Mine is 3 months which seems excessive to me and might potentially put off some other potential employers, it’s also a long stint to work while waiting to go to a new job!

    Is 3 months normal? What happens if you just burn your bridges and walk out after what you consider a fair period 6 weeks say? Can there be any come back on you?

    surroundedbyhills
    Free Member

    It will dpeend on your relations with the company and how business critical your postion is and how easy you might be to replace, most decent employers will negotiate on this, plus you can generally subtract any holidays you may have. Get the other job first if you are worth waiting for then they will wait.

    I have had 3 months notice on my last few jobs, one did hold me to it though, but in the end they saw it as a bit futile (it was a shit company and I was leaving because it was shit!) one didn’t but that was ’cause i was about to take them to tribunal but hey ho!

    cp
    Full Member

    I would say 1 month is normal – 3 months more normal for more ‘significant’ positions where your loss might have a greater impact on the business/more knowledge needed to be transferred.

    Always up for negotiation though.

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    samuri
    Free Member

    3 months is normal for an important role in the company. This is the company protecting themselves to allow a decent knowledge transfer and stops them being left in the lurch.

    Your existing company could potentially take legal action citing breach of contract. It depends on how badly they feel let down. They’ll almost certainly provide a poor reference.

    Edit: Negotiation is the key. If you show willing in training up your replacement, provide fully documented processes and really help the transition smooth over then you’ll be able to get this brought down. I’ve managed to get a 3 month contract reduced to six weeks without too much effort.

    By the way, 6 months is not uncommon for senior positions nowadays.

    peterfile
    Free Member

    I’ve never had a notice period shorter than 3 months (nor has anyone I’ve worked with).

    That said, whether you need to work all of it depends on a wide range of factors.

    My last notice period was cut from 3 months to 4 weeks on the basis that I was moving to a client and they had requested me sooner.

    If your current workload is low and you have a good relationship with your boss/company (or there is a reason why they may want to keep you happy), then you could negotiate a shorter period.

    darkcove
    Full Member

    A ridiculous six months for us! Supposedly standard across the industry though so at least your next employer will understand as they should hold there staff to the same period.

    geetee1972
    Free Member

    It’s normal for many people and better for you. It will not put anyone off hiring you in the future and means you will always have three months notice should the worst happen with your job.

    Staying motivated for three months after you’ve resigned is hard but if you’re going to a competitor you may find that they put you on gardening leave, which is always nice.

    Drac
    Full Member

    3 months seems to be the normal, it allows time for them to replace you.

    BoardinBob
    Full Member

    I’ve got a 6 month notice period though in reality most people tend to be out within a week or two of handing in their notice 😕

    winston_dog
    Free Member

    Most sensible companies and managers won’t hold you to 3 months. It doesn’t really make a lot of sense for anyone.

    I would speak with them and negotiate. I would suggest never burning your bridges. I work in quite a specialist area and its a very “small world”.

    Also, you cannot always use leave in lieu of notice. Your employer must pay you for it but they don’t have to let you use to effectively shorten the notice period.

    PrinceJohn
    Full Member

    Come on Uwe – Brentford aren’t promoted yet, you shouldn’t be courting other teams until the job is done!

    uwe-r
    Free Member

    Thanks for the comments, not really considered a move until I saw a great opportunity the other day and threw my hat in the ring, thought the 3 months might go against me but evidently not.

    PS, I did try the search function before posting but it only returned one result being a thread about Rolf Harris and his sexual adventures. Marvellous search function that.

    Edit: Your right PJ but I can’t take much more of this!

    atlaz
    Free Member

    I had 3 months at my last job. I think I walked after one and a half plus a gentleman’s agreement that I’d be available by phone for a few more weeks before I moved out of the UK.

    Chances are if you sat down to discuss with your boss you’d get out of it earlier but it’s about giving them some ability to recruit and train a successor before you bugger off.

    jekkyl
    Full Member

    notice period? *cough* what’s that? *cough* I wouldn’t worry *sneeze* about that *cough* espicially if you’re *cough* not feeling *sneeze* too well.

    Cougar
    Full Member

    An employer can’t hold you to unfair terms, no matter what it says in your contract. A three month notice period would probably be enforceable if you were the CEO of Barclay’s, but is unlikely to be legally binding if you work on the checkouts at ASDA. Otherwise there’d be nothing to stop an employer for sticking you on a ten year notice period.

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Otherwise there’d be nothing to stop an employer for sticking you on a ten year notice period.

    You can always decline to sign the contract and not take the job.

    As said above be glad that if it turns bad you will get 3 months money, if your in an industry with 3 month notice most other employers will expect that.
    I had a month and I was leaving the country, they held me to it but I had my feet up 3 weeks in and there wouldn’t be much point in holding on to me much longer, it was flu season….

    peterfile
    Free Member

    An employer can’t hold you to unfair terms, no matter what it says in your contract. A three month notice period would probably be enforceable if you were the CEO of Barclay’s, but is unlikely to be legally binding if you work on the checkouts at ASDA. Otherwise there’d be nothing to stop an employer for sticking you on a ten year notice period.

    Can you explain your reasoning for this Cougar, or direct me to some case law where anyone below CEO level has had a 3 month notice period held to be unreasonable?

    I think you may be confusing notice periods (which have the added effect of protecting an employee) and restrictive covenants (which prevent the employee taking up work elsewhere).

    Coyote
    Free Member

    I’m currently on 3 months and just missed out on a new opportunity. Got down to last two, little to choose between us but the other guy was on a shorter notice period. They needed someone quickly, he was the better option.

    There needs to be a notice period in the contract to protect all parties, both you and the employer. However in most cases this will be negotiable. I’m quoting a month now. If I get an offer I will negotiate with my current employer to achieve this. I am working on my exit strategy and am documenting processes etc in the background to facilitate a shorter notice period without causing too much impact. Just because I am looking to leave doesn’t mean I want to drop them in the shit. That would be unprofessional on my part.

    flanagaj
    Free Member

    It is not in a firms interest to hold you to your 3 month notice period. I suggest having a chat with your boss and telling him / her that you want to formulate a quick exit of 4 weeks. As an employer I would not want a demotivated employee on the team and would rather they left earlier if possible.

    Don’t let their 3 month handcuff period stop you looking for another role. I am on 3 months notice but tell agents I can get out after 1 month.

    peterfile
    Free Member

    As a side point, I would have thought very few employers would pursue an action for breach of contract if you didn’t complete your notice period. They could go after damages, or seek an injunction to prevent you commencing your new role I suppose, but that’s pretty drastic (and expensive) stuff.

    Just don’t expect a good reference though 🙂

    tonyplym
    Free Member

    Work in a University where a term’s notice is the norm for academic staff, but can be longer for staff in senior positions (eg a course manger).

    mt
    Free Member

    Started a guy here with a 6 months notice period. His former bosses made him go to work everyday at different times and sit in reception for a few hours. Always had to be in early on a Monday and late on a Friday so he could not take long weekends with his family. It was a rival to us and they did not take him leaving to well (obviously). Though the man in question could have pushed it and not honoured his notice his former company had the money, time and atitiude to make his life really difficult. What has actually happened is he arrived super motivated and with the sympathies of many customers as they all found out the way he was being treated. Some of his customer contacts where visiting while he sat there doing nothing.
    I’d hate to be the company losing a good guy and would consider that a contract should be honoured but would come to an agreement for gardening leave unless someone was pulling my leg. It goes both ways, the notice is there for the protection of both parties. 3 to 6 months dependant role level and what have you, we would all be bleating if a company thought contact notice periods were up for negotiation on their terms. Speaking from personal experience leave on friendly terms/have staff leave on friendly terms. You never now when you may be asking/inviting to go back. It sure feels less humiliating. 😳

    epicyclo
    Full Member

    Didn’t think slavery was legal.

    mt
    Free Member

    “They could go after damages, or seek an injunction to prevent you commencing your new role I suppose, but that’s pretty drastic (and expensive) stuff.”

    Had this happen to a former colleague. He got the full treatment. Injunction, accused of theft, bailiffs, warrants, searches office of new employer, his house as well as family and new boss. I suspect they were a bit pissed and had the money to make themselves feel better but soon discovered they had grounds to be so difficult. It was harsh though.

    onehundredthidiot
    Full Member

    Mine is meant to be one complete term. Which means if I was offered today I couldn’t start until January!!

    Seems excessive to me and if it comes to it I would likely break my contract (for teh suitable job).

    RDL-82
    Free Member

    6 months here, pretty much that across the industry and other companies generally wait if they want you. Takes 12months on average to train though so not a straight forward prospect for the company to replace you.

    convert
    Full Member

    To be honest I get a little nervous about employing anyone who is available to start too soon. Anyone who has a current employer who is happy for them to not work their notice period has my alarm bells ringing!

    st
    Full Member

    The good thing is (as already said) if your position was in jeopardy you’d get the protection of 3 months notice. In my experience periods greater than a month apply to either senior people or come with periods of long(er) service. The job I recently started came with 3 months notice for the first time which I was pretty chuffed with.

    It will be about a sensible discussion if you are looking to put your notice in. You will know better than anyone here whether its more important for you employer to retain you in the role (you’re dead good) or allow you to leave early (commercial /business conflicts for example)

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