Is two weeks notice REALLY necessary? (advice please)

[suzbaby]

As some of you may know, I just accepted a new job recently. Well, I have an update on the situation, minor rant, and plea for advice.

I talked to my boss about how long she would like me to stay before leaving for my new position. Now, I know that the standard is “two weeks notice” but I was thinking that two weeks notice was a bit excessive for the following reasons:

First, I am a temporary employee at my current job as it is. Once one of my coworkers returns from maternity leave, my position here was to be terminated. As a temp they have had me doing a number of odd jobs. Basically, whenever something came up that my boss did not have the time/patience for it was shunted off to me. These tasks have not been fun….i.e. “suzbaby, go through all 500 of these letters and fix the margins individually.”

Additionally, these tasks have been sparse at best which means that I have NOTHING to do most days. Last Friday I spent the entire day reading a book. Most days I play on DU and other various websites.

Third, I live in an “at-will” state, which means that I can be fired at will at any time with no notice or reason given for termination. I figured that if they can fire me at a moment’s notice then I should be able to leave relatively quickly. I had no intentions of just walking out the door yelling, “See ya suckers!” since I do like the people I work with and am not a complete ass. But I think two weeks is pointless.

And yet, my boss has insisted that I live out a standard two weeks notice. Obviously she wants me to finish my book and is willing to pay me to do it, but I would rather just end my time here and start a job that is actually going to keep me busy!

My questions is: Should I talk to her again and make it apparent that I don’t believe I am being used for anything useful, thus two weeks notice is not necessary? Or should I stick it out and finish the epic historical drama Devil in the White City?

[ThomCat]

1. My $0.02

us that a temp doesn't need to give any notice at all. She can have another temp in there immediately.

I'd wish her well and walk.

[suzbaby]

3. Well...

I didn't come from a temp agency. They hired for the temporary position because I had worked here before as an intern.

[KitchenWitch]

2. It would be a courtesy to give them two weeks, but

if I were in that situation, I would be ambivalent about it.

[realisticphish]

4. Finish the book

then quit :D

[Deep13]

5. Screw-her

She knew you were a temp and I would not do anything to jeopardize the new job because of the old temp job. The only exception is if you think you might need her as a reference (and she is going to give you a good one) or if the new boss would be offended by the lack of notice to the old boss.

[LSK]

6. unless the new job pays a lot more and you need the money

You should finish the book and enjoy the time that you have. You might become very busy at the other place and you will miss the "free" time.

[Bunny]

7. If the new job is a definite, work out the two-week notice.

Your new boss may not be too thrilled that you "deserted" your old job without notice.

Seriously, if new boss doesn't mind waiting two weeks, why burn a bridge with old boss? It's a small world, I've discovered. The person you piss off today could be your boss a year from now.

[lukasahero]

12. I'm with you Bunny - no reason to burn bridges

and potentially screw yourself in the future.

[bettyellen]

8. i read somewher you owe notice for the same length of time as your

vacation.
i work in a business where i have been asked to give minimum of two weekes notice knowing that if they were letting me go, no notice at all is standard these days. it is very skewed towards the employer.
i think considering the kind of stuff they had you do, a week is fine.

[LostinVA]

15. Absolutely not true

You ONLY have to give any type of notice if it's written into your work contractn (if you have one -- most people don't). This is especially true in "at will/anti labor" states.

[bettyellen]

20. i didn't mean legally owe, just what is considered fair to the employer

not that i'd say it's always fair to the employee.

[LostinVA]

23. Was the employer good to you? Treat you fair?

If yes, I'd do the two weeks if you can. I've even done a month for a really great company. Conversely, I left the next day at a place that had illegally worked me unpaid OT, made homophobic and sexual remarks in my presence, etc.

As a manager, I've probably Had 95% of employees give me at least one week's notice -- but I treated them with respect and courtesy.

[JVS]

9. Tell her to go directly to HELL and not to collect $200!

[DS1]

10. At will works both ways, and if they aren't paying you enough to stay

then go.

I know that when I get a job offer that I can accept, I'm out the door THAT SECOND.

[slide to the left]

11. BC you live in an at will state

you don't have to give any notice.

[LostinVA]

16. You don't have to in other states, either

Unless you signed something that said you would.

[Lochloosa]

13. Don't burn bridges.

Two weeks is standard notice. Not giving two weeks notice could come back to haunt you. Bad reference from you employer. You may need to go back to this company in the future for another temp job. Your new boss will not like it.

I ask that question in every interview. If someone tells me less than two weeks I ask them to explain why they feel it's not necessary for them to give notice to their employer. Stops some of them dead in their tracks.

[LostinVA]

17. imo, that's not a fair interview question

There can be many, many reasons not to work out a full weeks notice... and, if one of them is "They treated me badly," I think that's a good one. And, I've hired and fired a few hundred people in my life.

[NewJeffCT]

28. Agreed

If your new job does any sort of employment verification or background check and you walked out the door... you might not find them so nice.

[LostinVA]

14. Only if you signed a contract saying you would give it

[suzbaby]

18. Hmmm...

I wonder if there is a happy medium between leaving sooner than two weeks and not "burning bridges".

[bettyellen]

21. if they were good to you, i'd tell them one week and offer to help find a

replacement for you. just tell her the new place really needs you asap, and basically they don't.

[Rabrrrrrr]

19. I wouldn't give the two weeks if I had something better

Unless I really liked the company/people I worked for, and didn't want to burn a bridge.

But since you hired on a temporary basis anyway, and they knew you would leave, I don't think you have to give them any notice at all. What are they gonna do? They can't do anything to you. They can't force you to come into work.

And, as one who has worked in executive levels of companies, believe me, a company will drop any employee at any time without any sense of guilt. At the higher levels, they'll pay a severance or something similar, but still, their is no real loyalty. If it's better for the business, they'll send you packing.

Since the better business decision for you is to go the other job, send your current job packing, and do so without remorse or guilt. UNLESS - you feel that you might, at some time, actually want to go back there.

[CBGLuthier]

22. Just call in sick the whole last week.

Eventually, they will figure it out.

I wouldn't worry too much about them burning you down the road. Most companies today will not discuss employees beyond confirming dates of employment.

As for rather or not it is ethical, considering the way that most employers treat people I don't figure that any worker owes any company anything.

[Throd]

24. They can fire YOU with no 2 week notice...

I think you can fire THEM with no 2 week notice as well.

[Nikia]

25. If your new job is expecting you in two weeks

Why not work your two weeks? If you have just accepted the position and they were expecting you in two weeks, they may or may not be prepared or happy that you are joining them sooner than expected. I think it gives everyone a better impression if you just give two weeks.
I would give two week notice for my current position, especially since I will get paid for my remaining vacation days only if I give at least a two week notice.
There are two times I did not give a full two week notice. Those were part time positions at a grocery store and a fast food place where the scheduling was flexible.
If it is a position where they expect to see you everyday though, two weeks notice is a good idea.

[erinlough]

26. Once my state became a right-to-work state

I gave up the 2 week courtesy. We have to sign letters of understanding that the employer holds the right to dismiss you without notice, so I have the right to leave when I want.

I have a job with a contract (teaching) so I am willing to abide by the terms there-in. However when my husband or my son change jobs I encourage them to leave. Right-to-work states create indentured servants and they just piss me off. We got ours from good old Governor Engler.....fat bastard.

[otohara]

27. Don't Burn A Bridge

you may need a job someday and could come back there if absolutely necessary - two weeks goes by really fast

[NV Whino]

29. Why not ask if you can complete

the project on a freelance basis? If it is not keeping you busy full time as it is, it would seem to me it could be done at home or after hours. Makes your boss happy, keeps bridges intact and lets you go to a new job.