What's the difference between firing an employee and demanding his/her resignation?

Question

When an employer requests your resignation, is this just their way of getting rid of you because they don't have the cajones to say "you're fired"?

Answer 1

'gomanyes' is right, but just to add--even if you refuse to resign and they fire you, if they have a valid reason for it you still won’t get unemployment (if you're in the US)

Answer 2

One word..

Money.

If they fire you, they pay part of unemployment.  You resign, they don't.

or... they are GOING to fire you, and the last scrap of decency, is that your record won't show that you were fired.

Flip a coin.  

Answer 3

No.  They are in effect telling you you are fired.  If you want to resign you won't have to put a firing on your resume or next job application.  On the other hand, you cannot collect unemployment benefits if you resign.

If you do not resign they will fire you, it has nothing to do with cajones.

Answer 4

If you resign, it looks better on your employment record.  With respect to unemployment benefits, it depends on whether the employer objects to you collecting or not.  Then of course you would be offered a hearing.

Answer 5

the employer is probably letting you leave still in good standings at this point you must of felt some kinda bad waves in the air everything seems to happen for a reason look at it like he was doing you a favor

Answer 6

No.

If you resign, voluntarily or under pressure, you may not be eligible for unemployment benefits.  

On the other hand, if you resign, it's easier to get a new job.

Answer 7

The additional details about unemployment comp. are correct.  The only way you wouldn't get unemployment would be if you were fired for a really bad cause (like stealing from the company or killing your boss)..  You'd be entitled to benefits if you were fired for incompetence, unreliability etc.

With respect to other legal issues I can think of both actual termination and being forced to be resigned (this would constitute "constructive termination" under the law and would be treated for legal purposes as actual termination.  Courts generally look at the substance of what happened.  There is no substantive difference between being forced to resign and being fired, thus the term "constructive termination"  This would be true in cases involving, wrongful termination, hostile environment, sexual harassment etc.