What and how was your experience of breaking the news to your employer about leaving?

[itsabouttime]

Care to share? I like to hear what it was like from good to bad.

 

[Car-Guy]

They knew I was retiring almost two full years before the day I walked... It was non eventful....

 

[rk911]

they new i was going lomg before i made it official.

 

[thod]

My employer chose my date. Our work was moved to India, we had 10 months to train them. I could have stayed by finding a position with another team, but I was close anyway and the severance package sort of made up my mind.

I think the push was just what I needed. Otherwise I might have been stuck in the just one more year mindset.

I will say my decision to just retire at that point did shock some people. Shocked them more in the aspect, that there was no way they could even contemplate it. Some were 10-15 years older than me.

 

[Bamaman]

My employer also chose the date--1 day's notice. Overreacted to economic times of 2008 and they "retired" all 55 and over employees--most of which had been there 30+ years.

Was this age discrimination? Maybe. But with the incredible benefits package offered, we were all glad to sign a Hold Harmless Agreement. Such benefits are no longer being offered. It was nothing personal--all business.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

I sued my employer and ultimately retired 10 years after I stopped working there.

But I had outstanding evaluations until that point.

 

[RobbieB]

I gave 2 years notice and screwed them by leaving 6 months early.

They still bought me lunch and a $300 gift card to Bass Pro Shops.

 

[38Chevy454]

I told my boss in late January on my annual goals meeting. I had already switched to part time. Ultimately retired beginning of August. So basically 6 months notice.

 

[jollystomper]

My story here: https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f28/omy-glide-path-plans-81406.html (go to page 2 for the start of when I told my management).

 

[dmpi]

You should have saw the relief on my bosse's face when I told me I wanted to be laid off. Apparently he was going to layoff someone else.

 

[Koolau]

By now, told many times, but here goes.

Week before Labor day (maybe a Thursday?) was told my current assignment was about to change. I was really enjoying what I was doing as I had virtually created the position myself over time. I HATED the proposed new assignment as it was what induced me to create my new assignment years before. So, I thought about it over the long week-end and on Tues. after LD, I informed my boss that Friday would be my last day of active service. I would take the remainder of my vacation and finish out the month of Sept. still empl*yed - just not at my desk. IF boss really needed me, I would come in or talk by phone.

Boss's reaction was a double chin-bounce off his desk with stunned silence. Before the day was over, his boss and her boss were at my desk asking "what gives." I explained that I wasn't mad, I just didn't want to do the new (old, really) assignment and I didn't have to since I was FI. Got a hug from my director which kind of shocked me. YMMV

 

[Dawg52]

I gave 2 years notice and screwed them by leaving 6 months early.

I also gave a 2 years notice but I think they thought I would change my mind so they didn't give it much thought early on. About 6 months before my retirement date they got the ball rolling on finding a replacement. They gave me a new golf cart at retirement which was very nice of them. I'm still friends with many of my old work mates.

 

[scrabbler1]

I have told this short tale a few times over the years.

I had been working part-time since 2001. Furthermore, I had reduced my weekly hours worked a second time in mid-2007, from 20 hours to 12 hours, in anticipation that I would probably leave by the end of 2008. When at the time I was told this second reduction was likely not reversible, I was unfazed.

So, when the pieces of my ER plan began rapidly falling into place through the rest of 2007 and into 2008, despite the crashing markets (something which actually helped me a LOT), I began writing up my brief resignation letter in the late summer of 2008.

When the last piece fell into place at the end of September, I, armed with my resignation letter, made that surreal walk to my boss's office. Being a "floater," I actually reported to 2 bosses, so I asked one to come to the other one's office. I tried to get their boss, the head of my division, to join us but he was at a meeting.

I handed the brief letter to them. They weren't terribly surprised. They would let their absent boss know and I returned to my desk and resumed working. A half hour later, the boss-boss came to my desk. All he wanted to know is if my reason for leaving was health-related. I told him it wasn't even though simply being "sick" of the commute, even 2 days a week, probably didn't count.

Then I started telling my coworkers who expressed various degrees of surprise along with lots of well-wishes. One told me it's good I am able to leave on my own terms (which was quite true).

That was one surreal afternoon!

 

[MRG]

I've told this before: I had a rare WFH home day when a customer had a critical issue with our software. A long, 14 hour, call ensued with the same bunch of people who always fixed issues. I was allowed to hang out with them.

While we were fixing the issue, others were getting excited. Eventually my VP went nuts and felt he needed to yell at someone, me. I had planned on leaving the following year and I became done that night.

I met with my Fidelity guy the next week. He said a few months wasn't a big deal. I waited for my immediate manager to be off, I was in charge and needed to resign.

Who should I tell? The VP that likes to yell!

He thought I wanted more money, clueless. For a moment he started going back to the issue from a couple weeks ago. When he asked I smiled and changed the subject. He asked how old I was, 56, why? He was 50, recently divorced, thought he would be working till age 70.

 

[marko]

they new i was going long before i made it official.

They knew I was going long before THEY made it official.

The company was acquired and I was part of the 'redundant team'. That was ok because I had an [-]incredibly[/-] obscenely lucrative contract that got me to ER.

But, slightly off topic, this reminds me of an extremely "difficult" employee I once had who thought he was God's gift to the company. He was unhappy about something or other and called me to say he was quitting.

Quite relieved, I said: "OK, when do you plan to leave".
He said: "No, no, I don't think you heard me...I'm quitting"
I said: "Yes, I got that, when are you leaving" -silently giving myself high fives.
This went on two more times...he was bluffing and couldn't believe that I'd let him go.
He called back the next day and said "Does [my boss, the president] know about this?? I said: "Yes, I told him. He wishes you well".
Then he wanted to know if we could negotiate him staying. I told him that I don't play that game and never heard from him again.

 

[1242Vintage]

Had my annual performance review with the CEO and all was good as usual. Then I asked, “How much advance notice do you need prior to my retirement?”

He asked for 60 days. The words that came out of my mouth were, “ You have 30 days, I’m retiring May 1”.

Then the best part was yet to come. I hopped the elevator down from the executive suites at the top floor of our bldg and walked out to the street level. I sat down on a bench and called my wife to tell her what I just did.

I was working out of town and her response was, “Great news, come on home”.

Best phone call ever!

 

[doneat54]

My boss who I had known for 25+ years, took me into a room 16 months prior to tell me that I was being RIF'ed, offered a 3/4 yearly salary severance and a generous retention bonus if I agreed to stay the 16 months. When a big grin came across my face, he said "What are you grinning about?".

I told him that that date was about a month before I planned to retire anyway. 22 days before my 55th birthday.

 

[pacergal]

Unofficially, my close team knew about 2 years prior, then I notified my immediate boss 1 year.
Officially, notice to HR 3 months before.

 

[brett]

It was all good.

My VP told me that my position would be eliminated. I could find another position (it would involve a move if I was to be lateral) or I could take the package. Official notice in three weeks.

The hardest part was not to appear thrilled. Lawyer that I engaged to negotiate a package gave me instructions to make like I was actually looking for a new position.

Great experiences, only eclipsed when the termination package was agreed and signed.

 

[WestUniversity]

Both my SVP and VP tried to talk me out of it. SVP wanted me to stay three more years. VP wanted me to come back contract. Said no to both. Have not regretted my decision at all...

 

[ChicagoGal]

My boss at the time said she figured I was retiring when I emailed her to ask when she could talk. She was very happy for me, but then again, she had recently announced her retirement, too. We ended up leaving the same day (last Friday).

Since my boss was retiring, there was going to be a re-org (I had hoped it would be a RIF scenario, but no luck). My future boss was devastated to learn I was leaving. Tried offering me part-time work, the ability to define what my new job would look like, etc. But once I realized I was done, that was it. And she was gracious in the end, even though she was still bummed.

 

[mystang52]

I was only with my last employer a bit over 2 years, so gave 2 weeks' notice. I was liked there, but beyond that the last 2 weeks were just like any others. They did end up asking me to do some ongoing consulting which I accepted - 2-3 days a week working from home, beyond-easy work, easiest money I ever made. That lasted about a year or so.

 

[Sanstar]

I also gave 2 years notice. Was clinical director of 3, 24 x7 departments. Move to Finance the last year, before retiring, to establish PI/cost management department. Which was, in truth a way to have me available as a back up/ resource to replacement leaders of clinical departments.

VP, SVP really didn’t believe I’d RE after 25 years. But, then I did. Departure was cordial, low-key (at my request) and only a few post exit calls; mostly from medical staff who had questions but weren’t sure who to call.

July will be 6 years. No regrets.

 

[LarryMelman]

I would be curious to know what kinds of jobs you all had, that your giving notice to leave would cause a reaction, much less a personal meeting, with VP's and SVP's and etc. I mean, I am a very senior technical non-manager, and if I gave notice, I doubt anyone would bat an eye. The first-level manager would probably move straight to reassigning my tasks. And that would have been true at any of the companies I've worked at during my career.

 

[1242Vintage]

I would be curious to know what kinds of jobs you all had.

I was the Principal Engineer of large engineering organization. Most of my time wasn’t engineering. It was spent figuring out how to find funding for large projects and managing client expectations.