Handing in notice - employer wants me to extend

In a bit of a quandry with a new job....

Handed in my notice last Tuesday week (28th March), gave the 1 month required on my contract. Being looking to change jobs the past 6 months or so and an opportunity came up that's up my street. After handing in my notice, my boss rings me a few days later and says he wants to extend my notice to 2 months, this to fulfill current project commitments. Wasn't happy with this, it's not my job or problem to allocate resources and people leave all the time. So basically told him no, I'll work the 1 month. He started giving me this crap about Dublin being a small town, and that no one ever leaves a project mid-way, blah blah. Stil ldidn't was - I have a contract, I've handed in my notice as per the terms of the contract, so what's the issue?

Later in the week, get a call from the same guy telling me one of our directors is going to ring the director of my new compoany and ask him to extend my notice. Really not happy with this, as it a) breaks the terms of my contract & b) interferes with my own personal choice / freedom (and is possibly illegal?)

Needless to say, I spoke to my new employer, I had given them a start date of a month from my notice. They understand the situation and understand my commitments here and are happy if I fulfill them. They also are with me with the problem I am in with fulfilling my contractual notice versus effectively suiting my current employer.

I was leaving before the annual boonus was being paid, was happy to forfeit this for the new job opportunity. If I'm staying, I'll definitely be looking for that.....it's only fair to play hard ball if my employer is....

Any thoughts? Just go, or extend my notice? I'm sure if the shoe was on the other foot, my employer would have shot of me pretty rapid, don't think they'd be extending my notice period if they were laying me off.....

Your choice...but if you can play ball with your existing employer & your new employer can give some time...then do it.

It would be OK to look for some kind of retainer fee/bonus without holding your existing employer to ransom. At a min...if you are getting a pay increase with your new employers then your existing exployer should at least match it.

I witnessed first hand a very very similar situation where the person leaving was being totally unreasonable on a request to stay & was trying to command stupid money. What had been a pretty good working relationship ended up being pretty ugly in the end. The word spread & I know of a few right now who would not employ that person in the future ...if the circumstance occured. His reputation was somewhat tarnished - purely as a result of the way he handled it.

You should diplomatically yet firmly tackle the situation where one of the directors is contacting your new employer. That is unethical in my books & totally out of order. Seek an apology.

However it pans out...don't leave on bad terms if at all possible.

ninsaga

Personally I would work the one month and then go. You are quite right not to want to pay the price for poor resource planning on the side of your employer. I know that for me, my heart simply would not be in it for the second month. I'd be leaving at the one month period and if you can afford to, take two weeks off. Its nice to have a breather in between jobs if you can! Good luck with the new job!

Thanks for the replies, to be quiet honest I've never been in this situation before. My current employer has been reasonably good, but my conversations over the past few days could lead to things getting messy, don't want to ruin what was otherwise a good working relationship...but my heart went out of it 6 months ago (hence I'm moving jobs).....another month might be prolonging the agony.....

If at all practical and if your new employer will oblige I would agree to extending your stay with your current employer and leave on good term if possible. definately should get some recognition for this in the form of a reasonable bonus. I find that certainly in Ireland you could end up working again for your old boss and so it is easier to leave on good terms.
When my husband left his last job on good terms he often gets phonecalls letting him kne of oppertunities that would suit him now he is self-employed so it has worked in his favour. Ireland is a small place and a lot of employers knw each other so it helps to have a good reputation!

quinno said:

but my heart went out of it 6 months ago (hence I'm moving jobs).....another month might be prolonging the agony.....

Click to expand...

Don't forget you have already achieved what you wanted, ie. to end the agony.

It could have taken longer to find the new job or you may not have been able to find one and would have become more and more frustrated.

You have the new job - talk to the new employers and explain the situation.
It would look good to them also that you are a flexible and proactive problem solving type of person.

Quinno

Your previous / existing employer has acted outrageously in contacting your new employer, and also in attempting to blackmail you about future employment prospects in a small place like Dublin. What type of message are you sending to your new employer. Do they really want to hire someone who will not stand up for their rights? If so, maybe they want someone that they can walk all over aswell.

Your future job prospects as a doormat may well be affected, if you stand up to workplace bullying. Try applying for jobs that require a bit of backbone. They usually pay more aswell.

I am quite happy to walk away from the job in my contractual notice period and have no difficulty asserting my rights. The signal I am giving to my employer is that I am taking their offer seriously and making provisions to start as soon as possible. Dublin is indeed a small place, but I've done nothing wrong - I've handed in my notice like hundreds of people do everyday, following the correct procedure. I've seen people leave a job without having the curtosey to inform their colleagues - they simply don't show up some day and you're wondering where they are. There is no provision for 'doormatting', 'backbones' or 'keeping everyone happy' in my current or future employment - it is myself I will be looking out for 100%, make no doubt of that.

I agree, my current employer is acting well above their station and effectively meddling in my own personal affairs, I have made my distaste very clear on this matter. I have also considered seeking legal advice on this matter, it is outageous that what was up to now reasonable employer to work for can now act in this way. Just shows how a leopard can change their spots....

Incidentally, the job I've applied for pays more than I get at the moment, it has better conditions (gym, lunch supplied), I can commute by train (so no sitting in traffic for hours everyday), it is in a permanent location (my current position is mobile) & the working hours are less so all in all I'm a happy bunny

You would be surprised at the lengths some employers will go to. I worked in London for a company which went into receivership. Most of the employees were let go without being paid their salary. My contract was retained and I was offered shares in the company by the previous owner and his accountant who jointly bought back the company at a rock bottom price from the receiver (who happened to be an old public school chum of his). From my point of view, shares in nothing are worth nothing, so I left and joined another company. I was entitled to to be paid what I was due from my previous employment, but it was not forthcoming.

The accountant tried to lay a guilt trip on me about screwing money from a previous employer which was struggling. He then went on to thretening me about 'London is a small place etc'. He eventually gave in when I presented him with a deadline after which I would take legal action to reclaim my outstanding pay.

I gave him until a particular Thursday at 4pm. I rang him an hour earlier and told him that the deadline would be up shortly. Only then did he agree to prepare a cheque for me.

When I arrived at the office to pick up the cheque, he wanted me to sign a non compete document (and everything else that he could think of), before he would hand over the cheque. I refused and threaten legal action again.

He then called in an administrator and he told her to be a witness, while he read the document to me. She was reluctant to sign it, until I told her that it was not worth the paper that it was written on.

This is just an illustration of the BS that people or organisations can get up to.

SM

i think you could try the diplomatic approach and try for a win/win/win outcome. if your new employers are happy for you to stay an extra month then you could do so, ensuring you get a written contract for that month including whatever bonus/pay structure you deem reasonable. this way both employers are witness to your reasonable nature, each gets what they want (current: your skills for an extra month; future: a new employee who has demonstrated integrity and selflessness) and you will be compensated as well as receiving the more abstract benefit of being the controller of your own reality.

you also could choose to see this situation as an opportunity rather than feeling bad about it. basically your skills are in demand by two organisations, obviously quite desperately in the case of your current employer considering the lengths he's gone to to retain you.

i am sure that if you draw up a new contract for the month you will not be in 'agony', as this contract will be something you have choosen to do, and making choices is a powerful antidote to feeling down - the opposite situation of feeling when you have no control is widely recognised as being a major ingredient in depression (not to get too heavy about it all).

in any case, i wish you success whatever you decide.

My advice would be to stick to the one month's notice period and leave. From the sounds of it, the relationship with the existing employer is already damaged, and though they may sound accommodating now, your new employers are unlikely to look on this favourably. There's nothing to stop them finding another candidate in the mean time.

Dublin may be a small place, but the chances of this affecting any future employment are very slim indeed. What's the worst they can say? If anything this may hurt your current employers through people becoming less inclined to work for them.

Also, make written notes of all conversations with all parties, noting dates & times and who was present who may have heard. This will help enormously if the solicitors get involved.

Thanks for that lads / lasses - I've agreed to work an extra week by mutual consent, this is in reality just a few days longer, cos I handed in my notice on a Tuesday.

It's good to leave on a good note, also it shows my new employer that I am not willing to just leave someone in the lurch.

All in all, we're all happy - looking forward to new job

Hi Quinno,

Hope you've left by now. I would seek legal advice on this immediately, regardless if you choose to stay or go. It's good to know the lay of the land in these situations.

Personally, anyone who treats someone like this should not be afforded any politeness or favours. You've done nothing wrong here, good luck in the new job.

Im in a similar situation but somewhat reversed. My potential employer wnats me to cut short my notice period, which I have on two occasions ( at interview) said Im not willing to do. Even if I wanted to could I do this ? Is this request unusual ?

The empolyer is a large MNC relocating to Ireland.

SNB,

There are statutory minimum notice periods that the employer must give you. Check them out on www.oasis.ie

DMK,

I am currently being interviewed for a position and its the new employer who wants me to leave my old employer early ie cut the notice i am giving>

Just heard to today ( from recruitment agent ) that if I am offered position that the MNC (new employer) want to contact my old to see if at their request old employer will let me go earlier. I am very worried by this as I think its my right and mine only to deal with my current employer and I definitely do not want current employer to think I put new employer up to it.

Bottom line I want to serve my full notice, its my right & obligation to do so.

Do you have any advice/opinion ?

To be fair your current employer can't chain you to the desk if you want to leave. That said they could be fairly cheesed off if you do leave before the end of your notice period and this could impact on any future reference etc.