Notice Nightmare

DarkJager

Hi all,

Have a quick question regarding notice period. My current employer has extended my probation period by 3 months as I'm not meeting a sales target (in a tech support role). I've now been offered a job elsewhere but they require me to start next week.

When I went to hand in my notice today I did apologise for it being so short notice but that I felt with the circumstances (and the fact they could turn around after this extension and let me go anyway) I was justified in wanting to go as fast as possible.

It wasn't taken well and to be honest I'm still shocked by the response I got. They basically refused to take the notice letter and had the cheek to tell me to go back to my new employer and demand they push the start date out a week as the notice was too short!!

This company have me on a 3 month contract extension which will most likely end with me out of a job as I'm not a sales person and never will be and have no intention to be. My skills and background are pure IT and that's the area this new role is based in. I'm quite pissed off by the reaction I got and know more drama is coming tomorrow.

Question is do I hold firm and work out the week, even though I know this aggressive tone and response will feature again before it's over? Or should I simply give them the option of 4 more days service and if thats not good enough, I can simply walk and take a few days off before I start the next job?

My only concern would be future reference but I'm not even sure I'd bother putting someone from this job down as one, and have plenty more I can use.

Eoin

had the cheek to tell me to go back to my new employer and demand they push the start date out a week as the notice was too short!!

What notice period is in your contract?

It doesn't sound like it - but unless they're asking that you work more notice than what you agreed to, then I would not say they're being cheeky by asking for you to agree a more reasonable start date.

Exactly how many working days notice did you give them?

DarkJager

Eoin wrote: »

had the cheek to tell me to go back to my new employer and demand they push the start date out a week as the notice was too short!!

What notice period is in your contract?

It doesn't sound like it - but unless they're asking that you work more notice than what you agreed to, then I would not say they're being cheeky by asking for you to agree a more reasonable start date.

Exactly how many working days notice did you give them?

4 weeks in the contract, 1 week given (5 days working notice). Its a call centre job so its not a case of me being so essential i cant just go. This new job took a few twists and turns before i got the offer, and i ended up being the only one out of 6 in the process to get it. Considering I'm on extended probation with pretty much no outlook of permanency, is it not a bit brass necked to try and derail a chance to move on to a better job? I understand it's quite short but Im personally happy to leave as soon as possible.

Eoin

They're asking that you get the start date pushed back by a week, which means that they're still allowing you to leave halfway through your notice period.

If your new place knows you're currently in a role, I'd be very surprised if they didn't expect to wait at least a couple of weeks for you to start. Did you tell them you could start whenever they wanted or something?

Sorry, but it sounds like you're the one that's not really being professional here.

Cedrus

What availability did you tell the new employer?
1. If you told them you needed to give 4 weeks why are they demanding you drop everything in a week? That sounds like they're messing with you before you even start.
2. If you told them you were available at short notice then you've dug your own hole and you have to jump before you fall, forwards or backwards has to be your call but you've already set one of them up for a shafting.
3. If you didn't tell them anything or they didn't ask, then maybe you should be trying to split the difference. If your current employer isn't 100% happy with you, why do they want to stop you moving on and if the new folk want you so much why won't they wait another week or so.

Totally agree with you about the sales, I hate it myself, square peg me.

daheff

well...the way i see it, if you have no prospect of permanency in your current role (and from the sounds of it you dont like it either), then take the new offer as it stands and start in 1 week.

you can tell ur current employer that they cannot refuse your letter of resignation (you are not a slave so can leave without their permission).

as for your notice period, technically as your contract says 4 weeks, well thats what you need to give them. theres nothing in your contract to say that you cant call in sick for the last 3 weeks(but if you do, dont go trying to get a doctors note & claim off the PRSI).

either way, it doesnt sound like you will be getting a reference off them in the future


rule no1 is to look out for your own interests. nobody else will, they're too busy look out for their own interest.

Sala

You don't need a reference, you don't want to stay in the job and there's a good chance you'll be let go soon anyway. It would be a different story if you had loyalty to them, and needed to leave on good terms. Give them your letter again and just leave when you said you would.

I agree you have to look after yourself - if you're on probabtion again they obviously don't think you have long term prospects there and I'm sure couldn't care less if it comes to letting you go.

GreeBo

Is your notice period 4 weeks even while you are on probation?
Most probation periods have a shorter notice period than once probation is over...

DarkJager

GreeBo wrote: »

Is your notice period 4 weeks even while you are on probation?
Most probation periods have a shorter notice period than once probation is over...

Yes supposedly service over 13 weeks needs 4 weeks notice, but I honestly don't see why I should be expected to wait around when they have a clock running on my time left with them. I'm due in shortly now but I'm still quite shocked by the response given to me. I assume there will be follow up today but I'm in a mindset now where I simply will not be spoken to like that again.

MagicMarker

If I were in your position I wouldn't particularly care how my current employer felt about the situation.

Eoin

I definitely agree with moving on and all that, but for future ference, you should understand why they're annoyed with you. You've barely given them any notice, and you're not being flexible.

They absolutely have the right to ask that you look to get the start date pushed back by a week - which is still only half the notice period that you agreed to give when you signed the contract. That's unless, as GreeBo says, that your probationary notice period is shorter.

Move on, and hopefully your new job is a better match - but take some accountability yourself.

Sala wrote:

- if you're on probabtion again they obviously don't think you have long term prosepect there and I'm sure couldn't care less if it comes to letting you go.

But they extended the probation rather than just kicking the OP loose already. Maybe it's just a holding pattern until they get someone else, maybe not.

eastbono

Information on giving notice. In this case it appears the company is correct.
http://www.employmentrights.ie/en/informationforemployers/minimumnotice/

Bandana boy

I gotta say I can not understand why you are upset at all

You signed a contract for 4 weeks notice ,Your company has agreed to halve it and you are still upset !

Your new company will understand a two week wait. Tell them and work the notice your current employer agreed too.

While you may not use this company for a reference,Ireland is a small place and you do not want it getting out how unreliable you are :re honouring contracts.

If you reverse it ,how would you feel if they let you go with a 1 day notice period ,suggesting that if you found out you were being let go the quality of your work would deteriorate.