I am currently working at a paper/chemical distribution warehouse and it sucks. I am currently looking for a new job and I had planned to give the usual 2 weeks notice, but
after today, I don’t think so.
It all started about 7 months ago when the office manager of 7 years quit because of job pressures. He was asked to do way too many things. He even had to plan his vacation so
that he could return and do payroll!! The bosses didn’t want anyone else knowing what everybody made!!
So a replacement was hired. (egads!! she’s A WOMAN!!) She had impressive skills and references and it looked like we were on a turn-around. HA! I tells ya… The big boss (who’s an ultra right wing racist bastard who thinks the job comes before the family) and the president (a workalcoholic who thinks the job comes before the family) cut her off from trying to fix the company’s problems (salesmen who don’t sell, delivery drivers who sell merchandise off the trucks, office workers who HANG UP ON CUSTOMERS).
That’s where the downward slide really began. She left. Next the A/P guy, a friend of mine, is pressured into training the new office manager (who’s ALSO going to quit) on top of his other duties. He decided he’s had enough and he puts in his notice. Today would have been his last day, but over this past weekend, his father became deathly ill and he took these last three days to be with him. THE BOSSES WERE DEEPLY OFFENDED. HOW DARE THIS MAN SHOW CONCERN FOR HIS FATHER WHEN THERE’S WORK TO BE DONE.
Well, that did it for me!! I had a good interview on Monday and have another interview tomorrow. This first thing that comes up, I’m taking it. I have been composing a letter in
my mind all day to leave with these sorry fuckers. I will warn them not to contact me unless it concerns my 401K or insurance. Let them figure out how to do my job. I DON’T
GIVE A SHIT ANYMORE!!!
More power to you, but make sure they’re not going to give you any problems about breaking a contract or anything… it looks like the situation’s bad enough.
Never, ever, give 2 weeks notice unless it is in your contract. The nations largest loss-prevention co, has advised their clients, and everyone else who reads their stuff, to immediately shitcan any employee who gives notice, ie, “clean out your desk & leave, Security will escort you to the exit”. They claim more employees steal during this period (it apparently jumps form 10-20% to 20-30%, ie still a vast majority do not steal), and “disgruntled” employees perform acts of vengance.
They have 0 loyalty to you, and you don’t owe them. Besides, leaving without giving notice is not one of the things they are supposed to mention. (The same co recommends the co give NO info other than period of employment and method of termination. Nothing good or bad, at all. “Leads to lawsuits & ill feelings”).
I suggest letting them know thursday- that friday is your last day. Gives you one day for a “good-bye” party.
Sign a written contract with your new employer before resigning.
Review your current contract or letter of agreement. If notice is required to be given, do this so you will not be in violation of the contract’s obligations.
Give notice only when necessary. Employers often summarily reject an employee’s notice and ask you to leave the minute they are notified of your intentions. Don’t be surprised if this occurs. Anticipate it.
Keep quiet. Okay, you didn’t do that on this message board, but generally tell friends and associates of your decision to resign after telling your current employer.
Avoid bad-mouthing. It is not a good idea to tell others about the circumstances surrounding a resignation, particularly if you are leaving on less-than-pleasant terms.
Many employers have sued former employees for defamation, product disparagement, and unfair competition.
–more of less from attorney Steven Mitchell Sack from his book “Getting Fired.”
And from the great wing-walkers of the '20’s…
Don’t let go of the strut you’re holding on to
Until you’re holding on to another strut.
Doug Bowe is absolutely right. No matter what your opinion of your bosses may be, you will probably need them someday as a reference. Unless you win the lottery or inherit big money, it never pays to burn your bridges.
I also don’t understand the two weeks bullshit. I have worked in “at will labor states.” I am sure you all know what that means: your employer can toss your ass out with no notice and for no reason. Yet employees are still expected to give two weeks. I once bailed on a job on a Friday and left my quitting message on his goddamned machine. I only regret that it took me months to get my last paycheck. What a cocksmoker.
I was manager of a video store in Florida. The district managers were really complete pricks, making completely unreasonable demands and expecting employees to perform miracles when it was their basic structure that was the problem.
They fired their store managers left and right with no consistency whatsoever when it came to reasons why. Even though I think they liked me personally, I knew it was probably only a matter of time before they replaced me. My store was a bit of an under-performer in their eyes, primarily due to poor location.
Besides, the pay wasn’t great, and the hours SUCKED. 4pm - 1am every Saturday night? That is just not acceptable for a normal 23 year old man!
Anyway, when the time came, I thought about all the people (most of them friends of mine) that they had tossed out on a whim. I called and left a message on my district managers voicemail, tacked my building keys to the bulletin board, and walked out on Friday evening. So long, suckers!
The best part was, I actually went back there to rent movies a month later, and by gosh, there was one of the district managers! The fuckwad actually walked up to me while I was browsing the new release wall (I took a small amount of pleasure from the fact that the new manager had fucked it all up) and told me he didn’t appreciate the way I had left the company!
I just smiled at him, and said, “It’s just business, you know?”
That was his favorite line to pull when he abused his employees.
When (not if, WHEN) I get a new job, I will not be giving 2 weeks notice. A week, MAYBE. I have been treated like crap for 3 years at my firm, and see no reason to make their life easier. My references are from co-workers and former bosses that have left the company, so they understand and wouldn’t hold it against me.
When I quit fast food hell, I didn’t bother informing my ex-boss that I’d quit, or had even been looking until the time I was supposed to be in. I called, and told him I wasn’t coming in, period. I’d quit, was already at a new job, which paid better, and seeya.
Let me tell ya’ll my little 2 week story. I worked for a multimedia software company. But, mostly we provided services not product. I worked in my department for almost two years. I was the only person who knew how to do the job. THE ONLY PERSON We got a new manager, and after about a month of dealing with her crap. She really was the worst manager I’ve ever had. She managed to take out every joy from the job, and convince several other people to leave. I gave my two weeks notice. I was sick the next day. The next day she gave her two weeks notice. I still like a lot of people from the company so I’m glad she quit. Now, I figured what the fuck, I’ll quit anyway. Two days later she called me into the HR person’s office at the end of the day.
“We don’t think you’re that into the job anymore, you’re setting a bad example for the other employes. We’r going to let you go now, but we’ll pay you for the two weeks.” Now I didn’t comlain. I was getting a two week vacation. However, I did feel bad. Why?
This ignorant shit let me go with no notice to anyone else in the company. Right before she was leaving herself. As I said no one else knew how to do the job. They were FUCKED. I can’t believe the company let her do that. On top of it she left me alone with my computer when she left. If I wanted to I could have screwed the company over royally. I didn’t because I’m a nice guy. But, still, it amazes me that they hired her in the first place.
In Colorado, An at-will state you are not required to give two weeks notice. You are still supposed to, and for the sake of later recomendations you usually do, but there is no way they can stop you from walking out with 2 minutes notice. Then again I work in tech companies and you would really have to try hard to actually get fired, the managers will keep a completly worthless employee around simply for head-count when it comes to budgeting.
In ye olden days, 2 weeks was a courtesy so that, if necessary, you could train your sucessor.
Where I’m at now, they actually hate to fire anyone because they’re afraid of lawsuits!! Of course this didn’t stop them from firing a guy ONE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS!!!
As for this bridge, I’m not going to burn it, I’m going to nuke the motherfucker.
I’ve learned my lessons about that bullshit. Last fall, one of the nice ladies from upstairs accepted a new job that basically fell into her lap. She wasn’t looking, but the new job was such a step up for her she couldn’t refuse. She was one of those rah rah team players, so she gave the company four weeks notice and volunteered to train her own replacement. It was a good offer since she was the only one who really knew her position.
It happened to be in December. The christless Inhuman Resources attack bitch terminated her early so the company wouldn’t have to pay the Christmas bonus. They also tried to dork her for three weeks vacation pay. A phone call from a lawyer took care of that. But my friend had a rough Christmas because she didn’t see it coming. And her spineless worm of a boss, to whom she had been loyal and exceedingly helpful, just rolled over without a squeal.
Since the new guy recieved no real training, the resulting havoc cost the company easily 10 times what they ‘saved’ in bonus money. I took a few minutes to clue him in on recent history and how things really get done around here. By now the new guy is cranking along OK, but for some reason he’s wise to all the low despicable management tricks already. Hmm, wonder how that happened?
The funny thing is, the whole sordid incident blew through the grapevine faster than a hummingbird on benzedrene. Now everybody knows what they can expect. The fallout from that has probably cost 1000 times the ‘saved’ bonus money. And nothing’s changed.
