WAY too much notice! Drat...

[Midpack]

I gave my boss 3 months notice, and extended it to more than 6 months at his request. I also asked that we limit the number of people who were notified in advance, and further limit the broad announcement to 3-4 weeks before my departure.

Now 4 months away, yesterday he tells me he talked with our CEO and they insist on 3 months notice to all employees. There is no legit purpose that I can think of, but they say if we announce and you are gone in 3 weeks they will say 'you left because you wanted to leave a sinking ship' or 'that I was surreptitiously fired.' You have to be here to set them straight!!!

From my POV, the more advance notice the more lame duck issues I have to deal with, the more rumors I am asked to address and the more (mostly) insincere questions I will get about 'why are you really leaving' and/or 'what are your real plans.'

So the desire to squelch innane Corp rumors (IMO catering to the lowest common denominator among employees) takes a higher priority than the effectiveness of my 80 employees and myself after 34 years service.

On the plus side, leaves no doubt I made a good decision to leave...

 

[MasterBlaster]

You just gave yet another reason to keep your retirement timeline short.

One other issue is that, pending layoffs, you may now miss out on an any early-out incentive.

 

[travelover]

Being a lame duck sux. I kept it quiet as long as I could, but I still suffered through about 2 months of being ignored and circumvented. My reaction was to come in late, take long lunches and leave early.

 

[W2R]

It's not necessarily that bad. Everyone knew that I was going to leave six months beforehand, and basically it gave me a good excuse not to get involved in idiotic planning meetings for projects that wouldn't culminate until after I retired.

Being on the "retirement track" for six months also meant that I wasn't under much pressure. I had the time to make the transition of my duties to others a smooth one.

 

[freebird5825]

Soooo...make up a really good story to tell the nosybodies. Just kidding.

I gave 6 weeks notice, selecting April 1st as my official separation date.
I just couldn't resist.
I found out later that there was actually a discussion at a managers' meeting about my sudden resignation. It was supposedly said that the managers thought I was bluffing. A secretary who knew me very well told me that she corrected them with something along the lines of...
"I've known FB for over 20 years, and she does not bluff."
They just could not comprehend that I was willing and able to walk away from the [-]asylum[/-] place.

If rumors fly, is that something you (or the top brass) can really control?

Just hang in there and keep your eye on the ball.

 

[Automatika]

I gave almost a one year notice about a month ago stating that I am leaving Dec.15, 2011 at the latest. A big plus has been only being assigned to shorter projects. It hasn't eliminated the idiotic planning meetings though...

 

[W2R]

I gave almost a one year notice about a month ago stating that I am leaving Dec.15, 2011 at the latest. A big plus has been only being assigned to shorter projects. It hasn't eliminated the idiotic planning meetings though...

My sympathies! Maybe that will happen later.

 

[Bestwifeever]

They "require" three months notice? How is that possible? What if someone got a new job that started in four or even two weeks--they couldn't take it?

Does the CEO give three months notice before letting someone go?

 

[Onward]

I gave a month, just because that was the time required to do the necessary brain dumps.

In Gandalf's words, "Keep it secret. Keep it safe."

 

[rescueme]

Both DW/me worked for MegaCorp (different ones). Since "corporate office" functions (including retirement benefits) are not handled locally, both companies requested a six month notification as standard practice to ensure that all the necessary benefit paperwork and notifications were done.

I actually gave my boss about a year notice. Why? I was doing "too much" travel (both CONUS & international) and since that was the main reason I was leaving I was not bothered with any more travel in short order.

Of course, he also notified me that I would not be considered for any other "promotions". I simply responded that retirement was a promotion - the last one that I wanted or would actively seek ...

 

[Khan]

I applied for early retirement in August '04; was known. Received approval in November for retirement in December.

 

[donheff]

I gave almost 4 months notice and let all my employees know. For a variety of reasons I felt a need to give my boss and my direct reports advance notice. I did not want to try to hide it from the rest of my employees and deny the inevitable rumors. I enjoyed those last 4 months because I no longer had to worry about the looming long term problems. In fact some of those mountains started looking like molehills when they were no longer something I had to climb

 

[DFA]

Is giving long notices just so you don't burn a bridge? I was looking at 2 weeks notice just like changing jobs, I figure that was what I was doing, going to my new retirement job. There is no corp benefits, pension, or health care to worry about.

My concern is that they would just find someone else to do my job and let me go sooner than I wanted.

It will be rough on them since I am the only IT person (working 65-75 hours/week) they have for the entire company and know all the secerts and where the bodies are buried, but that was their choice; am I wrong to feel this way.

 

[MasterBlaster]

the more rumors I am asked to address and the more (mostly) insincere questions I will get about 'why are you really leaving' and/or 'what are your real plans.'

I would respond that your Tuberculosis and late-stage Ebola is making it harder to continue on.

 

[FreeAtLast]

I plan on giving about 6 weeks when i finally retire from my PT job. I don't know how many Fridays there were when people were fired with no notice. The employer did what was good for him.

The only reason for the 6 weeks is my co worker has been such a great person to work with, I feel that I owe him the courtesy of some notice as he will have to hire a replacement for me and get them up to speed.

I figure 4 weeks to get someone to replace me and 2 weeks of training.

I am not sure if I want to be "available for questions" after I leave.

 

[BigNick]

It will be rough on them since I am the only IT person (working 65-75 hours/week) they have for the entire company and know all the secerts and where the bodies are buried, but that was their choice; am I wrong to feel this way.

Sounds like your hourly consulting rate will be close to your current daily salary.

In the run-up to Y2K, a friend who worked for a recently-privatised utility company told me that they had identified that there were two 35-year-old staff members, one man, one woman, in IT who, between them, basically had a lock on the entire customer billing system, but probably hadn't realised it. They were fairly modest people who had joined the company straight from high school when it was a public-sector place and worked uncomplainingly for a public-sector IT wage, and still weren't making much more. The company was terrified that these two would work out just how powerful their position was. They had put aside over a million dollars in the budget to pay these two people for the 18 months up to Y2K in case it became necessary.

 

[Midpack]

Some of the things my boss said in writing yesterday:

• "I know that you wish that you not have to announce until the very end [Blackberrry grammar], but you must realize the shock factor this will cause." [here I think he means, wow someone retiring before they're 65 or older - how is that even possible]
• "as much as you don't want any fanfare, you will be surprised as to the effect your leaving will have on this Company. The first rumor is your exit is just another John Doe [name changed, a peer who did quit about a year ago] exit of a rat fleeing what you believe is a sinking ship [the company is fine, recession was rough for us like most everyone]."
• "Of course most rumors are utter nonsense...but that is why its best to have the person [me] around to set them straight [we're talking about gossip among "the suits" here mostly for pete's sake!]. If we announce you are retiring and then 3 weeks later you leave, it will be that either I fired you or that you quit. Surely you see this."

Impressive huh?

 

[BigNick]

Impressive huh?

So that's:
1. Please don't go quick, there will be an impact on staff morale, which will make me look bad.
2. Please don't go quick, people will think there's a problem, which will make me look bad.
3. Please don't go quick, people will think I fired you, which will make me look bad.

I like to think that my reply would be, "OK. Let's talk. What have you got to offer me?", but I'm too much of a softy.

 

[travelover]

So that's:
1. Please don't go quick, there will be an impact on staff morale, which will make me look bad.
2. Please don't go quick, people will think there's a problem, which will make me look bad.
3. Please don't go quick, people will think I fired you, which will make me look bad...........

I think you nailed it.

 

[Meadbh]

I am leaving my current position where the rules state I have to give 90 days notice. I was coerced to stay for 5 months because we are shortstaffed. I'm very busy so there is no lame duck issue. They have not yet replaced me but that is what I expected. But based on the comments of a coworker this week it appears that my desire to move on is very evident to all.

Only 57 more sleeps.....

 

[pb4uski]

I am leaving my current position where the rules state I have to give 90 days notice. I was coerced to stay for 5 months because we are shortstaffed. I'm very busy so there is no lame duck issue. They have not yet replaced me but that is what I expected. But based on the comments of a coworker this week it appears that my desire to move on is very evident to all.

Only 57 more sleeps.....

And what are the consequences if you fail to give them the 90 days notice?

 

[M Paquette]

Some of the things my boss said in writing yesterday ... it will be that either I fired you or that you quit. Surely you see this."Impressive huh?

He reason real good. Graduate of Mongo School of Management, maybe?

This does sound like a keeper, though. Print, frame, and tack it up on the inside of the office door as a subtle reminder.

 

[Walt34]

And what are the consequences if you fail to give them the 90 days notice?

In my case, I gave them closer to a year's notice and didn't notice any immediate change in anyone's attitude. As The Date drew nearer, they took me off cases (criminal investigations) since I wouldn't be available for court.

The only increase in workload came from cleaning the office. Because of evidence storage security issues we did not have a cleaning service to vacuum carpets, empty trash cans, and the like so the protocol was that everyone took a turn for a week, even the supervisor.

Since I had nothing else to do for the last three months, that became my daily assignment, which took about 45 minutes, and without question I was the highest-paid janitor in that government. I thought it a bit of a lark.

 

[KingB]

What will happen if you changed your mind and decided to retire in 2 weeks? Will they fire you?

 

[East Texas]

I gave almost 4 months notice and let all my employees know. For a variety of reasons I felt a need to give my boss and my direct reports advance notice. I did not want to try to hide it from the rest of my employees and deny the inevitable rumors. I enjoyed those last 4 months because I no longer had to worry about the looming long term problems. In fact some of those mountains started looking like molehills when they were no longer something I had to climb

Same here. They tried to get me to stay a few more months - just [-]wouldn't[/-] couldn't do it. I was able to take three months of leave in front of my official retirement date. Five years later the silly grin just keeps on grinning!