I have to give 2 months notice before I quit my job... (2 months! not 2 weeks!)...?

Question

Should I wait to give my 2 months notice until I have a new job lined up? Or should I give notice and then try to get a job lined up? I am very unhappy at this job and need to move on.

Answer 1

Do you belong to any professional organizations?  With a 2-month notice requirement, I expect you do.  Are you working under a contract?  Two months sounds long, and like a contract or company requirement, not state law.  Would you be subject to blacklist if you failed to give the full 2 months?  Will anyone hire you with a 2-month lag?  They always recommend that you find a new job before leaving the old one, but I have always found that difficult.  (But being without income is difficult, too, and quite possible in this job market.)

I have never heard of a two-month notice requirement.  Absolutely, do not contact your HR department, unless you want to transer within your own firm or organization, and it doesn't sound as though you do.  Chances are, all choices go out of your hands if you contact HR - and they probably won't feel bound to give you two months notice.

I you have contacts within your field (HR or same/similar job), I would contact them for advice, someone you trust.

Answer 2

YES, it is legal to have to give 2 months if you have signed a contract. I know this because it happened to me. I am in the USA. I worked as a Teaching Asst. and the school required us to give that notice. The teachers in the public schools here are also under 60 days. I guarantee if you are under contract and they are motivated, they can and will sue you. I don't think it happens often, but it does.

In my case, I needed to get out, too. I could not find a job willing to wait for me, so I resigned. I have been temping ever since, but I also became sick for a while, so that factors in. When I resigned, they told me that if they found someone before the 60 days, I could be released from the contract earlier. That did not happen and I worked the full 2 months.

You are going to have a hard time finding a job willing to wait for you, I am almost certain, unless you are in some kind of specialized field.

My advice is to get a pt job NOW, put in your notice and start looking, if you are under contract.

If you are not under contract, you can technically give 2 weeks, BUT you risk a bad reference, And trust me, that could happen. If you need them for a reference, I would be very careful as to how you handle all of this.

I will never sign a contract like this again. It was a big mistake, but I had to resign because the supervisor was horribly abusive.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Technically, you don't have to give any notice.  

Answer 4

You don't have to give 2 months notice.  Just walk away.  You don't owe them anything.   They are lucky if they get two weeks notice.  

Answer 5

Are you on a contract? If you are on a contract, see what penalties apply to quitting before teh two month notice.

If there is no contract, you may be an at-will employee. If you are an at will employee, you can quit any time, just like your employer can fire you any time. If you are an employee at will, look for your job, then quit.

Even if you are on a contract, if you do not like your job, I would personally consider giving notice and then looking hard for a new job. The times I have stayed onto a job I didn't like, in hindsight I regret.

Answer 6

You'll find that most new employers will be looking for you to start within a month or so, but no harm in putting the feelers out to see what's available.

Check your contract to see if you really do have to give that much notice.

If you can afford to be unemployed (in a worst case scenario where you can't find work) then perhaps consider handing in your notice then look for a new job. Most people have to take a break between jobs to fit in interviews anyway don't they?

Good luck

Answer 7

just leave, your quitting not going on vacation!! whats the big deal.

Answer 8

I would wait until you have something at least in mind.  Being unhappy at a job is a huge stress, but a bigger stress would be if they let you go once you gave notice and you were left with out income.  Until you have something solid I would keep it on the down low.  You have to look out for yourself first.

Answer 9

If you are that unhappy and you have the next job lined up, then go(just do not burn bridges, you never know) When you were hired did they tell you if you ever quit here we do have a policy of two months? That is a bit ridiculous! Maybe you could compromise? Or talk to your boss and tell him how unhappy you are, maybe he will cut the requirement down. Good luck!  

Answer 10

2 months is unreasonable.  2 weeks is the norm.  I find that a bit odd, find out from other HR friends and or call your local labor department for additional help.

Very few companies are willing to wait for 2 months to hire someone.  I guess unless you are a graduate.

Answer 11

Do NOT contact your HR department.  (Not all companies even have one, duh).  Find the new job first.  Once you give notice, whether it is 2 weeks, 2 months or 2 years, your employer can ask you to leave ANYTIME.  They can ask you to leave the day you give notice.  DO NOT let your HR department know what you are up to.  Your employer unfortunately has a lot more rights than you do.

Answer 12

Usually, it is 2 weeks. If you are not sure about the policy of the company and you need a good recommendation from your manager, try to find out what is in reality (go to HR office or find the info online).

Good Luck!

Answer 13

2 months is not legal, and even if it's in your contract you can get out of it. Make sure you have a job lined up first though, because it's more difficult to get a job when you're unemployed.

I feel your pain, my job sucks too.

Answer 14

did u sign some sort of contract saying u had to give 2 mnths,  bcasue the 2 weeks notice is just a courtsy,

in a nomral situation (2weeks) id say deffinitly have new job lined up,  but i dont think a place of work will wait 2 mnths for somone..   have a lawyer look at the contract u signed...  thats bs

Answer 15

You should contact HR department, cuz I don't know if that's legal.  

Answer 16

If you live in the US, you can quit anytime without notice (just as your employer can fire you at anytime without notice). However, if you think there might ever be a chance that you would want to work for that company again, you need to put in your notice and work throughout the entire period.

Most new employers understand that most jobs will want 2 weeks notice and will gladly wait for you, but I can't see anyone willing to hire you and then wait 2 months for you to start work.

Is it possible that you just read wrong? I've never heard of a 2 month notice.

Answer 17

What can they do if you give less than two months notice? If you’re not working under a contract, I wouldn’t think they can do anything.  

Always find a new job before leaving an old one whenever possible.

Answer 18

You do not HAVE to give 2 months notice.  You can quit tomorrow if you want.  

They are trading the 2 months for a good reference.  Basically, they will only give you a good reference if you give them time to replace you.  But it is a one sided deal.  I suspect that that will give you a bad reference anyway so you should just get the job lined up and let them know you are resigning in 1 week.  If they don't let you, then quit right then and there.  And make sure you talk to legal help you make sure you get your last days pay.

Answer 19

are you in the US?

are you under contract?

a lot of assumptions being made in these answers.

if you are in the US and under contract you very well could be required to give a two month notice. if that is the case then you must consider what the consequences are of breaching that agreement. contracts are only enforceable if there are some monetary considerations. without a financial loss to be claimed there is no point in litigation for a contract breach. court cost  to much to pay that expense to just make a point.

if you have a contract read it(which should have been done before signing) and determine what the consequence is of any action you take. if you must work out a two  month notice then give the notice and begin a job search. the date your are available to start is two months from now. depending on the industry a two month search is not uncommon for employers. the only businesses that hire on the spur of the moment tend to be blue-collar type positions, retail food service etcetera not corporate, management and/or white collar.