Employer refusing to negotiate a shorter notice period
Discussion
Hi all,
I have been working for a small haulage company for nearly 4 years and have recently decided to move away from lorry driving and more into a new career (not at all linked with what I currently do). As of yesterday I have been offered a new job and have accepted.
My new employer wants me to start on the 24th June which gives my employer 2 weeks notice. My contract states I must give 4 weeks.
Now if I do give 4 weeks I risk losing the new job as I will be starting training that day. If I leave after two weeks and my employer not agreeing to it I risk big conflict and potentially not being paid.
They have been rather unprofessional about it all, discussing it through text messages rather than face to face. There has been no attempt to negotiate from their end because one other employee is on holiday so he needs me to work.
Can I leave without giving any notice? So I just won't return to work or do I work 2 weeks and then just leave and suffer the consequences?
I have been working for a small haulage company for nearly 4 years and have recently decided to move away from lorry driving and more into a new career (not at all linked with what I currently do). As of yesterday I have been offered a new job and have accepted.
My new employer wants me to start on the 24th June which gives my employer 2 weeks notice. My contract states I must give 4 weeks.
Now if I do give 4 weeks I risk losing the new job as I will be starting training that day. If I leave after two weeks and my employer not agreeing to it I risk big conflict and potentially not being paid.
They have been rather unprofessional about it all, discussing it through text messages rather than face to face. There has been no attempt to negotiate from their end because one other employee is on holiday so he needs me to work.
Can I leave without giving any notice? So I just won't return to work or do I work 2 weeks and then just leave and suffer the consequences?
The vast majority of employers want AT LEAST four weeks notice. It's the norm. If your new employer is so inflexible that they won't accept something that's perfectly normal then you have to wonder what they'll be like to work for. Tell them you have to give four weeks and if it falls through I suspect you've dodged a bullet.
tommy6mps said:
Hi all,
I have been working for a small haulage company for nearly 4 years and have recently decided to move away from lorry driving and more into a new career (not at all linked with what I currently do). As of yesterday I have been offered a new job and have accepted.
My new employer wants me to start on the 24th June which gives my employer 2 weeks notice. My contract states I must give 4 weeks.
Now if I do give 4 weeks I risk losing the new job as I will be starting training that day. If I leave after two weeks and my employer not agreeing to it I risk big conflict and potentially not being paid.
They have been rather unprofessional about it all, discussing it through text messages rather than face to face. There has been no attempt to negotiate from their end because one other employee is on holiday so he needs me to work.
Can I leave without giving any notice? So I just won't return to work or do I work 2 weeks and then just leave and suffer the consequences?
If the company didn’t give you 4 weeks notice but just said here’s 2 weeks notice would you be happy?I have been working for a small haulage company for nearly 4 years and have recently decided to move away from lorry driving and more into a new career (not at all linked with what I currently do). As of yesterday I have been offered a new job and have accepted.
My new employer wants me to start on the 24th June which gives my employer 2 weeks notice. My contract states I must give 4 weeks.
Now if I do give 4 weeks I risk losing the new job as I will be starting training that day. If I leave after two weeks and my employer not agreeing to it I risk big conflict and potentially not being paid.
They have been rather unprofessional about it all, discussing it through text messages rather than face to face. There has been no attempt to negotiate from their end because one other employee is on holiday so he needs me to work.
Can I leave without giving any notice? So I just won't return to work or do I work 2 weeks and then just leave and suffer the consequences?
tommy6mps said:
Yes I did, we were both waiting for a medical assessment to come back which took longer than expected. Which is why it's only 2 weeks.
If I'm in your shoes I would tell the new employers that I want to work my notice period. Most employers would accept this as they could be on the other end as well.My notice period is longer (3 months) and I've always been upfront to potential new employers with this. Most of the time I didn't have to work the full 3 months notice and still maintain a good relationship with past employers.
Awkward situation. If you really can’t start the new job later (hopefully you can), do you know any self employed drivers who are available for the two weeks you should be there but can’t be?
If so could you say “look boss, I really need to start on date x, but here is my self employed mate Pete, just pay him my money for the two weeks work”. For me that would show you have tried to be helpful and solve the problem.
If so could you say “look boss, I really need to start on date x, but here is my self employed mate Pete, just pay him my money for the two weeks work”. For me that would show you have tried to be helpful and solve the problem.
tommy6mps said:
Hi all,
I have been working for a small haulage company for nearly 4 years and have recently decided to move away from lorry driving and more into a new career (not at all linked with what I currently do). As of yesterday I have been offered a new job and have accepted.
My new employer wants me to start on the 24th June which gives my employer 2 weeks notice. My contract states I must give 4 weeks.
Now if I do give 4 weeks I risk losing the new job as I will be starting training that day. If I leave after two weeks and my employer not agreeing to it I risk big conflict and potentially not being paid.
They have been rather unprofessional about it all, discussing it through text messages rather than face to face. There has been no attempt to negotiate from their end because one other employee is on holiday so he needs me to work.
Can I leave without giving any notice? So I just won't return to work or do I work 2 weeks and then just leave and suffer the consequences?
I don't think it's the Company that's being unprofessional. They need you to work for them and that's the whole point of having a Notice period.I have been working for a small haulage company for nearly 4 years and have recently decided to move away from lorry driving and more into a new career (not at all linked with what I currently do). As of yesterday I have been offered a new job and have accepted.
My new employer wants me to start on the 24th June which gives my employer 2 weeks notice. My contract states I must give 4 weeks.
Now if I do give 4 weeks I risk losing the new job as I will be starting training that day. If I leave after two weeks and my employer not agreeing to it I risk big conflict and potentially not being paid.
They have been rather unprofessional about it all, discussing it through text messages rather than face to face. There has been no attempt to negotiate from their end because one other employee is on holiday so he needs me to work.
Can I leave without giving any notice? So I just won't return to work or do I work 2 weeks and then just leave and suffer the consequences?
As has been pointed out you could just leave, it's unlikely they would pursue you, or you could just phone in sick for 2 weeks.......
Turn7 said:
bmwmike said:
Don't burn bridges IMO. Keep your agreement with current employer.
always burn bridges - you are leaving for reason - never forget that.My advice is never do anything to unnecessarily p
s off anyone because you don’t know where you will meet people in the future.The post above saying that you may dodge a bullet if the new company can’t be flexible on start date may be true. Your position is that you legally have a four week notice and you legally have to work it unless an agreement can be reached. IF you breach that you will be in breach of contract and they could go after that. Whether they will is a gamble but you have to make that choice and suck up the consequences.
If it was me and the new company was saying start date is X take it or leave it I would be leaving it
Turn7 said:
bmwmike said:
Don't burn bridges IMO. Keep your agreement with current employer.
always burn bridges - you are leaving for reason - never forget that.
OP. If your new employer wants you then they'll hold out for another few weeks.
Even as a contractor I make clients wait. They sometimes baulk but soon come round when they realise they get the same level of respect at the end.
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