early notice, quitting a job

Hi

Does anyone tell their employer early if they have to quit their job because of relocating to another place?
For example if I know that probably I will have to move far away 6 months from now (leaving the country), should I tell my boss now? My contract says one month notice period.
Normally I work on two types of hardware design projects, the first type is simpler designs that take a few weeks to 2 months, the other type takes half year to one year to complete and no-one could take the projet over after I left.

So, how honest one should be?
What response could I expect?
Does someone have experience with this kind of situation?

You are only obliged to give the one month notice but depending on your present position it might be best to tell them in advance. If your relationship wth the boss is good I would suggest talking to them so they know you are still comitted to working on your current projects. Most bosses will respect your willingness to help with the transition of work to another person and will see it as you being cooperative. the last thing a company wants is someone to leave them in mid project and with nobody else able to pick up where you left off. Also remember that future employers may go back to your boss to ask for references so it is always best to leave on good terms. Be careful if you are going to work for a competitor.

When I left my last employer I told them as soon as possible and they not only respected that, they asked me to find and interview a replacement and then train them !

Brian.

Hi,

I am a boss (private business in electronics) and I used to be glad when one of my assistants find a better job in term of salary or type of work.
Actually many of my assistants left to start their own private business

I also agree with Brian on what he said in #2.

Good Luck

Kerim

hi

thanks for the answers.
What I am afraid of, is that they might saysomething like this: "you don't like it here?! - Then you'd better leave now...". The "here" is the company, the town and the country.
Then it would be difficoult for me to be employed as a design engineer for the next 6 months until my relocation.
They are not that bad people, just Im not sure what to expect.
We were talking about making long term project plans yesterday on a meeting (on my earlier request a few months ago), so it might be a good time to tell them now.

I would advise not informing your company 6 months ahead of your departure based only on what you have said. More details about what you do and your position in the company could change that opinion. I assume you are not very high up the management scale, there are several people in a similar position to yours, you do not have a contract with a specific employment period that has beginning and ending dates, your move is not related to a military or similar statutory obligation, you do not plan to return to the job, and labor law in the UK is somewhat similar to law in the USA.

Take for example a situation where a lengthy notice is often given -- pregnancy ("Family Medical Leave"). There the absence is temporary and law protects the person's right to return to the job. Another example is upper management where the person may actually have a large stake in the company and needs to train his replacement, e.g., the CEO. In other fields where a particular position may be hard to replace, notice of longer than a month might also be common, like a specialist in some types of surgery.

In your case, however, I think the company would do two things: 1) Your workload would be increasingly shifted to others; and 2) Your replacement might be hired before you left. Both actions are easily defended on business grounds. You would become superfluous and eventually let go with minimal notice as provided in your contract. Some employers will also do as you suggest and fire you as soon as practical/legal under your current contract. If you have no contract, you are an "at will" employee for an indefinite period and have few protections.

In the USA the distinction between a contract with beginning and ending dates, even if it is automatically renewed at each anniversary, and an open ended contract is extremely important. If you have the former, then you would be protected until your anniversary or the date give in your notice, whichever occurs earlier. If the latter, I suspect giving a 6-month notice would result in your early release. If you have no contract, I believe it is almost certain you will be released before the end of the 6 months with the exception that you are currently doing a job for which recruitment of a replacement will be difficult (e.g., the surgeon example).

John

you dont get to hear those kind of words usually, if they do so it shows they unprofessionalism. they may ask, the reason for leaving, you can always answer for better prospects and salary. everyone knows that NO one is bound to work in a single company till they die.

But yes if you inform them early then they will have time to find a replacement for you, by the time you leave the job. they may not involve in new developments as you will leave it mid way, but that should not be taken negatively. unless you go to work place work and feel happy no employer will ask you to leave the company then and there...

On friday we were talking about starting a more than one year project which would not have been finished by anyone if i quit half way. I dont think they would be able to find a replacement who could finish that project. The other guy who i work with couldnt, and people on the job market normally dont have that kind of expertise (extremely rare). It would be even more embarrassing becouse i kept asking them about that very challenging project for months, until i found out about my moving.

buenos said:

Hi

For example if I know that probably I will have to move far away 6 months from now (leaving the country), should I tell my boss now? My contract says one month notice period.

Click to expand...

Somehow I missed that important word when I first replied. Don't give notice until you are sure.

Let me emphasize that in the US, a 6-month notice is very unusual, as is hiring someone to begin work in 6-months. The only common exception to that is when someone is hired directly out of school. Six months is a very long time in business. Companies change directions. Some go bankrupt. Solyndra -- a recent multi-billion dollar bankruptcy in the US -- was hiring up until the last minute. Since the new job is in another country, you will be dealing with the uncertainties of both economies. I have known people who moved to the US thinking they had jobs here only to find out the new job doesn't exist. They were being scammed or misunderstood what they were offered. There is very little in American or English law that you can do in that case. Liquidation damages can be included in the contract to give you some protection, but from everything you have said, I doubt you have them in the contract. And, with rare exceptions, such a contract would need to be enforced in the other country. In fact, have you even seen the contract yet?

Finally, no one is irreplaceable.

If for some reason you want to extend your notice for a few weeks, say 6 to 8 weeks, I don't see nearly the problem with doing that as with giving 6 months. Please let us know how this turns out.

Good luck.

John

ok, at the end this is what happened:
I knew that probably I am getting a US visa, and knew that when I got it I will have to move there.
So, my manager was talking about starting a long term project in the next few months on a meeting, after the meeting I told him about it. This was 5 months before moving.
Then when I was sure about the moving date (but not sure about getting the visa. visa interview was scheduled), I toild him that too.
Then I got the visa and they told me that I have to move within 2 weeks otherwise my I will have certain problems.
So I gave in my notice and agreed to leave in a 1 week notice.
Please dont ask me about my visa, its not the point in this topic, even though it might be a curious thing.

I think it is not a big matter after all because for me,
Honestly,If I was that I will tell that to my employer earlier rather than to shock him ..

Harrdy said:

I think it is not a big matter after all because for me,
Honestly,If I was that I will tell that to my employer earlier rather that to shock him ..

Click to expand...

Maybe boss will shock all employers saying them that company sinking. :wink:

That could eliminate all after conversation possible shocks.

Please go by rules. Inform one month notice that is good enough.

rules set on by the company is more important to and better be adhered