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Gardening Leave
What’s all that about? I didn’t know this existed until it happened to me at the beginning of December. Basically i informed my employer 3 months ago that i was intending to leave at Christmas. At the end of November i was asked for a letter of resignation of one months notice (as stated in my contract which i had waited 18 months for) which i had no hesitation of writing as my plans had not changed. My letter was received & responded very swiftly with a confirmation that my contract would be terminated on 31st December 2005. Two days later i was informed that i was to leave the premises within 1/2 an hour and was basically frogmarched out of the building without saying thanks/good luck/**** off to my colleagues who i had been working with for the last 2 years. I wanted to leave that employment for my own reasons & my own reasons only & feel like i have been sacked for handing in my notice! OK i’m on full pay til the end of December (if they pay it). How would you feel???
I have no intention or have had, of contacting their clients or in any way of trying to cause a conflict of intrest.Yours sincerely looking forward to a non hitler regime.
Kev Mayger
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10 Replies
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All very strange mate.
Sorry to hear that it has gone sour and all.
My sister is admin manager of a company with over 250 staff.
Most are on work contracts like yourself.
If you notify them that you intend to leave at a given date, they will often review if you are needed and if not, will pay the person out to leave early.
I’d be asking for my money upfront for the end of december personally.
The general thinking is that as the person is leaving, productivity will decrease pretty quickly as the resignation date gets closer, the person leaving could cause discontent (ie ‘can’t wait till I get out of here coz my new job pays better’) with the staff that are staying and so forth.
But, they should pay you out on the day that you leave. If you are still on their books I don’t see why they frog marched you out of the building.
Unless your labour laws are different there of course.
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same thing happenned with me mate, over three years ago, I was expecting it, happy days though!! full pay for 2 months which gave me even more time to plan setting up my own business, works both ways I suppose, depending on the business you are in you should always expect this to happen, your boss would have been worried bout you nicking files, chasing their clients, jeapordising existing clients by badmouthing the company etc etc, if your smart though you will have done the groundwork well in advance 😎
graeme
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It happens regulary i’m afarid.
stops you poaching customers, sabotaging the workplace etc.
happened to my wife, she was given 5 mins to leave the building.
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Man your employers are harsh!
my last job, I worked for a huge global company. I gave them two months notice, and we had a big party on my last day.
Of course, they knew i was leaving to start the sign business, and it’s totally unrelated to their product. guess that may be the difference.Hope you get all your money… in a few months it won’t matter much..
steve
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That does sound a little harsh Kev
Are you leaving Signmaking or are you starting up on your own?
Whatever you are going to do may I wish you good luck for the future.
Have a good christmas mate, you’ve got a whole new year just around the corner.
paul r
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You have my sympathy Kev, but I can understand your old employer.
I believe you when you say that you have no intentions of contacting their customers but you must realise that you are in a minority there, and the potential damage to their business, in similar circumstances to yours can be very high. It’s not just our trade, I see cases every week of leasing company reps, vinyl reps etc etc, changing jobs and trying to take their existing customers with them.
For your old company it’s not a risk worth taking. Their prime concern must be firstly to their own business and secondly to the job security of their other staff. The cost of a months wages can be very cheap insurance.
So, what are your plans for the future?
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Hi Kevin, if you’re passing pop in for cuppa, I’m only down the road.
Alan D -
I’ve seen this happen to a few people in my time Kevin for various reasons.
Whenever I’ve left anywhere I’ve had to work every last minute.
Still if you have been paid in full up to the end of your contract and got off early, look at it as a bit off extended paid holiday.
Best of luck in whatever you are getting into next
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Many thanks for all the support guys!!! I can’t say for legal reasons what i’ll be doing in the new year yet (watch this space), hopefully a bit of travelling, i may go back to Australia and see some freinds, Shane send me a mail & let me know where you are!!! after that who knows??? Me!!!. I CAN understand the position of the employer as outlined in previous posts but like i say i had/still have NO intention of upsetting the balance, i’ve been in the game too long to be going around causing grief because 9 times out of ten it comes back to haunt you. Alan, i might take you up on that offer of a cup of coffee i’ve still got your number & will get in contact in the new year.
Many thanks for the meassages of support – it REALLY helps.
Thanks
Kev
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Sounds as if you’re doing the right thing Kevin……..and good luck…
by the way do you have a garden 🙂
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