Here is the column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice:
Q: I’ve just been offered a new
job and now I need to tell my current employer. The new company wants me to
start as soon as possible. The problem is, we’re already a bit short-staffed
where I am now and I don’t know how soon I’ll be allowed to leave. How should I
bring all this up with my boss?
A: Congratulations on your new
role. It can feel awkward telling your current employer you’re moving on. The
time between telling your employer you’ve found a new position and you actually
leaving is known as your notice period.
If you’ve been in your current
job for less than a month, you won’t have to give any notice period (unless
your contract says otherwise). If it’s more than a month, you’ll have to give
at least one week’s notice. Your contract should make it clear exactly how long
is expected.
If you don’t have a contract,
and your employer has no written record of you agreeing to a notice period, you
should give at least one week’s notice.
It’s worth waiting until your
new employer has confirmed your employment, for example by giving you a start
date before handing in your resignation. It’s then best to resign in writing
(email is fine), so that you have a record of the date you told your employer.
On the Citizens Advice website we have a page on handing in your notice with
tips on how to write this letter.
You can work a longer notice
than the one in your contract, if you wanagree it with your employer. If you’re
keen to move on sooner rather than later, it may also be possible to negotiate
a shorter notice period than your contract says. If you want to go down this
route, it can be useful to reassure your current employer that you will tackle
any urgent work before finishing.
Fixed-term contracts are a bit
different, as you won’t need to give notice if you intend to leave on the last
day of contract. Leaving early would usually mean giving at least one week’s
notice, unless your contract says otherwise.
Don’t forget about your
holiday days during your notice period. If you have unused paid holiday you
should speak to your employer about either taking these during the notice
period or being paid for them.
Finally, sometimes people can
change their mind about moving jobs or find their circumstances alter. If this
happens to you, you should speak to your current employer to see what the
options are and if you can stay in your current role.
Everyone’s situation is
different, but if you face any challenges with an existing or potential
employer, contact Citizens Advice for advice: Freephone number 0808 278
7933 or visit our website pages about what
to do when you’re leaving a job.