Solving your employment Problems

Do you have to give notice when you quit your job?

On Behalf of | Mar 16, 2022 | Employment law |

The standard practice for most jobs is that the person who is quitting is expected to give two weeks’ notice. When they give their boss the heads-up that they’re going to leave the position, they give them two more work weeks to find a replacement.

But do you actually have to do this? What if you got a job offer that you want to switch to immediately? What if you just can’t imagine working for two more weeks in the same position? If you just quit without giving any notice, is that going to cause any problems for you?

Did you have an employment contract?

If you are an at-will employee, then you do not have to give two weeks’ notice. Your employer will still want you to, and you may want to if you’re hoping to get a good recommendation from that employer in the future, but there’s no legal obligation for you to do so. You can quit whenever you want, just as your employer can fire you whenever they want.

However, if you had an employment contract, then you first need to consult that contract to see if it laid out any regulations for how you can quit. Some employers use contracts with specific language detailing how much notice is required or the steps to take to leave a position. You can’t just tell them that you’re never coming back, or they could take legal action against you.

Considering your future

With all of these types of decisions, you really need to think about the future of your career and what is going to be best for you in the long run. It’s also important to know about all of your legal obligations and your rights, especially if you find yourself in a dispute.