How much notice am I required to give?

Dear Deb:

I started a new job about nine months ago. Not to get into too many details, but suffice it to say that it’s horrible. My boss here is a micromanager to the extreme. In addition, the role is not at all what I was lead to believe it would be. I left my previous company to take on what was supposed to be a managerial role. The reality is that I am little more than a highly paid go-fer.

I had decided to stick it out for at least a year, and then begin looking for a new role. In the interim, I received a call from a former colleague that his company had an opening for which he thought I might be well suited. I met with the team, and received an offer fairly quickly! This time, I thoroughly vetted out the company culture, and used my network to get the real deal on the manager of the department. What I heard back sealed the deal. I accepted, and I feel very confident about my decision.

Here is where things became a bit sticky. I spoke with my current manager and verbally told him that I would be leaving effective X date, which was two weeks away. To say that he was furious is an understatement. In the contract that I signed, I agreed to give four weeks’ notice. He is insisting that I adhere to this. (As an aside, I am an exempt employee in an at-will state.) The problem is that I do not have four weeks’ notice to give.  I have two weeks.

I don’t know how to handle this, and I’m confused because I did agree to the four weeks’ notice in writing. What do you advise?

Carlo

Hi Carlo:

First, it sounds like your current boss is a jerk of epic proportion. He’s mad that you’re leaving after only 9 months, when he should really be looking at why you’re leaving after only nine months.

Onto your question. Yes, sometimes you can be contractually bound to give X amount of notice. But you are an employee in an at-will state. That means that either you or the employer can separate at any time, for any reason, or for no reason at all. Send an email to your boss, copying his manager as well as your HR rep. State that you’ve enjoyed your time with the company, but that you will be moving on, and that your last day of employment will be X. That will likely be the end of it. Assuming that one of the other two people on the email have any common sense, no one will try to force you to stay for an additional two weeks.

You should always leave in a professional, positive manner. Your boss’s reaction to your departure speaks much more about his lack of professionalism than anything else.

Best of luck with your new role, and congratulations.

All my best,

Deb