The Student Room Group

Leaving jobs without notice

Ive noticed quite a few people in this forum talking about leaving their jobs without notice. Some of them even think its acceptable to do so.
However bad a job may be (and trust me ive experienced bad jobs myself), leaving without notice isnt the way to go. Surely it wouldnt hurt just to give them the proper notice and stick it out.
It doesnt just leave the company in the ****- it also leaves your colleagues in the ****, with them being short staffed until a replacement is found, especially during any shifts that you where meant to be doing. It doesnt make you look good.
You can also say goodbye to any possible reference when it comes to applying for another job. You may not want the reference, but if you do decide to put the job on your CV, there may be the odd questions asked by future employers.
If you are looking for another job, then surely it would be better to hang on in your current job until you find something better? As well as the money, it also looks better to future employers if you are already employed.
If you really hate your job that much, you either speak with them to solve any issues, stick it out until you find another job or if you really want to leave- give the proper notice.
What is everyone elses opinions?

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Reply 1
Had delivery job for 45 quid for 9-10 hours till late night. About 2-3 quid of tips over that time, car stinks of pizza, kebabs etc. and in the end I get a question "do you want any food?", replied yes, doner please and got baby size doner...that was the last drop so I just left without notice.
I would definitely say it depends on the circumstances around why you want to leave without giving notice. I have not long left a job with immediate effect because I was 'guaranteed' full time hours but was only getting one or two shifts a week. This wasn't viable for me due to my wife being unwell and out of work and having my family to support.

I had an offer of employment from another company and was needed to start ASAP with better hours and pay. Therefore, I handed my notice in, stating the reason for my leaving so suddenly being that I wasn't being given what was originally promised when I took up the employment and stating my personal reasons for needing alternative employment.

So as I say, it really depends on the reasons around you needing to leave the employment without giving the correct notice 🙂
Original post by AdamBrennan9516
I would definitely say it depends on the circumstances around why you want to leave without giving notice. I have not long left a job with immediate effect because I was 'guaranteed' full time hours but was only getting one or two shifts a week. This wasn't viable for me due to my wife being unwell and out of work and having my family to support.

I had an offer of employment from another company and was needed to start ASAP with better hours and pay. Therefore, I handed my notice in, stating the reason for my leaving so suddenly being that I wasn't being given what was originally promised when I took up the employment and stating my personal reasons for needing alternative employment.

So as I say, it really depends on the reasons around you needing to leave the employment without giving the correct notice 🙂


At least you handed your notice in, even if you did leave immediately.
The ones that grind my gears are the ones that dont do that- they just stop turning up for their shifts.
(Perhaps i should have worded my original post slightly better).
Reply 4
Original post by Emma:-)
What is everyone elses opinions?


0 hour contract, 0 notice required imo.

If they want employees to give proper notice they should put them on proper contracts.
I think personally that you should at least inform your employer in one way or another. It is easy enough to write your notice to say that you'll be leaving or even a phone call, so that they can begin to find a replacement for you. It's unfair on others that you work with to just stop turning into work, resulting in them being short staffed. And in my case (due to working in health care) it wouldn't be fair on the clients that I supported.
Original post by Reue
0 hour contract, 0 notice required imo.

If they want employees to give proper notice they should put them on proper contracts.


Just because you are on a 0 hour contract, it doesnt mean that you dont have to give any notice. Many people on 0 hour contracts have something in their contract saying how much notice they have to give. Usually its like 1 or 2 weeks. For example at one of my jobs im on a 0 hour contract and have to give 2 weeks. If i dont then i dont get all my holiday pay when i leave (i have a lot of holiday pay accrued so would stick it out just to get that).
I know what you mean though in that 0 hour contracts are a pain. But give the proper notice out of common curtesy (and to get any holiday pay/references etc). 0 hour contracts are usually the companies decision- the the individual managers faults.
Reply 7
Original post by Emma:-)
Just because you are on a 0 hour contract, it doesnt mean that you dont have to give any notice. Many people on 0 hour contracts have something in their contract saying how much notice they have to give. Usually its like 1 or 2 weeks. For example at one of my jobs im on a 0 hour contract and have to give 2 weeks. If i dont then i dont get all my holiday pay when i leave (i have a lot of holiday pay accrued so would stick it out just to get that).
I know what you mean though in that 0 hour contracts are a pain. But give the proper notice out of common curtesy (and to get any holiday pay/references etc). 0 hour contracts are usually the companies decision- the the individual managers faults.


If I were on a 0 hour contract I'd complete any shifts I'd already agreed to but would then refuse any additional shifts throughout the notice period (as is the right to do so).
Original post by Reue
0 hour contract, 0 notice required imo.

If they want employees to give proper notice they should put them on proper contracts.


Even most employees on 0 hour contracts will find that there will be a notice clause within their contract. Usually after you have worked in that employment for a certain period of time, you will be required by your contract to give a certain notice period.

However, this is rather easy to get around as you can refuse shifts on a 0 hour contract. Therefore, you could hand in the required notice and refuse to work further shifts for the employer. Leaving you free to find alternative employment.
Original post by Reue
If I were on a 0 hour contract I'd complete any shifts I'd already agreed to but would then refuse any additional shifts throughout the notice period (as is the right to do so).


Doing that would be fair enough.
Just stopping turning up for shifts already sheduled and not even handing in any notice though would be ****.
could you not give notice and then call in sick for the remaining hours ?
Reply 11
Original post by AdamBrennan9516
Even most employees on 0 hour contracts will find that there will be a notice clause within their contract. Usually after you have worked in that employment for a certain period of time, you will be required by your contract to give a certain notice period.

However, this is rather easy to get around as you can refuse shifts on a 0 hour contract. Therefore, you could hand in the required notice and refuse to work further shifts for the employer. Leaving you free to find alternative employment.


Exactly
Original post by the bear
could you not give notice and then call in sick for the remaining hours ?


You are not obligated to do the shifts (even if they are booked in, so you could let your employer know you'd no longer like to do the shifts (should really be in a reasonable amount of time for them to replace you) and then hand your notice in, refusing further shifts throughout your notice period.
Original post by Emma:-)
Ive noticed quite a few people in this forum talking about leaving their jobs without notice. Some of them even think its acceptable to do so.
However bad a job may be (and trust me ive experienced bad jobs myself), leaving without notice isnt the way to go. Surely it wouldnt hurt just to give them the proper notice and stick it out.
It doesnt just leave the company in the ****- it also leaves your colleagues in the ****, with them being short staffed until a replacement is found, especially during any shifts that you where meant to be doing. It doesnt make you look good.
You can also say goodbye to any possible reference when it comes to applying for another job. You may not want the reference, but if you do decide to put the job on your CV, there may be the odd questions asked by future employers.
If you are looking for another job, then surely it would be better to hang on in your current job until you find something better? As well as the money, it also looks better to future employers if you are already employed.
If you really hate your job that much, you either speak with them to solve any issues, stick it out until you find another job or if you really want to leave- give the proper notice.
What is everyone elses opinions?


I think, if you can't bear it no longer and you want to leave, then you should.

I wouldn't care.

That's just my opinion though
Depends on the circumstances including the job. My normal outlook is to proviide full notice and leave your work in good order.
The sorts of jobs people are talking about on TSR are obviously low quality p/t jobs where people arent key employees, so my view might be a bit different. My preference is behaving like an adult and being organised, but I cna see why some people quit. What does surpise me is that a lot of the quit threads then people make the decision without thinking of the implications.
Obviously depends on the circumstance but yeah it isn't ideal just walking out.
Me I've literally had jobs that made me feel suicidal. Ultimately I feel if they're willing to allow the workplace to be that terrible then they deserve it if a worker decides to just leave and not turn back.
Original post by AfricanPrinceXI
I think, if you can't bear it no longer and you want to leave, then you should.

I wouldn't care.

That's just my opinion though


You may not care, but think of your colleagues who you would be leaving in the ****. What if you actually NEEDED the reference? What if the next job you go for asks about it (telling them you left without notice wont exactly look good to them).
However bad it may be- at least give notice in and ride it out for your last few shifts.
Original post by The Socktor
Me I've literally had jobs that made me feel suicidal. Ultimately I feel if they're willing to allow the workplace to be that terrible then they deserve it if a worker decides to just leave and not turn back.


What you have to consider is why has the company and job (that you originally thought was for you, or else surely why apply?) has gotten to a state in that you find it unbearable to work for.

Staff turnover can be a massive thing when it comes to finding working for a company enjoyable and also for the efficient running of said company.

Before you began working for that company have they had a high turnover of staff? If this is the case you may find that the current staff are demoralised and this is detrimental to the day to day running of the company. Thus giving you the opinion that this is a horrendous place to work. And the vicious cycle continues when new employees are recruited and find themselves in the same predicament.
Original post by AdamBrennan9516
What you have to consider is why has the company and job (that you originally thought was for you, or else surely why apply?)


I needed money and there was nothing else available, duh.

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