How do I go about resigning in a company that doesn't allow two weeks' notice?

Question

I'm in a situation where I must resign from a team that is in over their heads with a huge project. They're even currently looking to hire a couple of people to help distribute the work. What they don't know is that 2 of us are resigning soon.

The problem comes in with the fact that we work on a client site, and the client's policy does not allow 2 weeks notice. Once someone decides to resign, you are escorted immediately off the property.

I basically have 2 choices.

1. Go to my manager's office, and let her know that I will be resigning and possibly putting a multimillion $ project in jeopardy and take the beating/the manager's tears and then be escorted off the property by security

2. Write a resignation letter for the company and a more personal letter to the manager thanking everyone for the opportunity, and wait for everyone to go home, and put the letters on her desk, with the company laptop, ID and other things, and never come back

I'm not sure which would be the best choice. Would the 2nd option be considered disrespectful, since I wouldn't do it face to face? I know for a fact that no matter what choice I make, I will be hated by the whole team and I will never be expecting a recommendation from the manager any time soon. (The last person to resign was liked by everyone, and once they resigned, they became the scapegoat for all our problems and the team all just spit and cursed his name daily for almost a year...no, it's not a friendly work environment at all, some of the most terrible people I've ever come into contact with in my life)

My other co-worker who's resigning is leaving about 2 months after me and said he'll decide his method of resigning depending on how they react with the way I resign.

So how should I handle this situation? Is there another option I am not considering?

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To clarify a few things. I want them to continue to like me for professional purposes (possible recommendations, in case our paths meet again, etc.)

I work on the client site. The client does not allow people to stay after they've declared that they are resigning, that is not my company's policy, but the kicker is that the client is a government agency where I have access to very confidential info. They are very strict, which is why it applies to contractors especially.

I'm in the US. It is considered professional and courteous to give your "2 weeks notice" which is letting your employer know you are resigning 2 weeks prior to your last day on the job. It gives them time to prepare for your departure, find a replacement, etc.

The client would know I've told my employer that I am leaving because I'm not the only one on site, I work for a software company, and my team of a few people work on-site at the client, including my manager (not the client's manager).

I've seen 2 people resign before me, and both times, my manager had them escorted out of the building immediately. Although it's the client's policy, my manager follows the rules, since she also works on-site.

Answer 1

I would write the letters of resignation, but do not leave them on the desk. It is unprofessional and cowardly. This is a business relationship and should be treated as such by both sides. However I would have my desk prepared for immediate departure.

I would present your letters to the manager while acknowledging that you are aware that the normal practice of the company is to terminate the business relationship immediately, offer to work out a 2 week notice if that is their desire. If you present it this way then there should be no hard feelings on anyone's side. This should leave the door open for your return in the future should that be your desire.

You will find that sometime in your career if you do much consulting that your path will cross with one or more of the people whom you have worked with there. Keeping the relationship professional and leaving on good terms are important to keeping future relationships starting out on the right foot.

Answer 2

What I would do is option 3. I would prepare for being escorted out that day and prepare a written transition document of where everything stands. I would make sure all code was checked in to a branch at least. (This doesn't apply to any non-programmers reading this.)

I would clean up anything I wanted on my computer (such as if I had personal pictures I mean, not stealing work related information which you should not do.) I would pack up my personal stuff. I would gather any current necessary emails or documents in a file and make sure that the the location of the file was accessible to my supervisor and include it in my transition document.

I would be prepared financially to not get that two weeks pay (even if you have a good legal case to get paid (local laws vary), you might have to use legal means to get it and thus not get it immediately.)

Then I would write a formal letter resigning as of a date two weeks from now.

I would take that resignation letter and my transition document to my boss and resign like a professional. You do this no matter how badly you think they will treat you and no matter how eager you are to leave. If they choose to put the project at risk by not letting you do a transition, then that is their problem, by checking in your code and preparing a transition document, you have done all you can in that case.

Answer 3

1. Speak to the actual people YOU work for, who placed you at the client site. find out what they wish you to do.
2. Prepare your documents, your computer files, etc.
3. Write that letter, with a 2 week notice included.
4. Prepare yourself for suddenly being walked off premises but let THE CLIENT be the one to march you out or let you stay 2 weeks.

Your assumptions may be invalid in this case, and you seem to be eager to jump the gun on this matter.

Under no circumstances should you just write a letter and leave. That's cheap. If the client are jerks, then they are jerks, and you can hold your head up high.

What YOU need to take care of is your relationship with the actual people YOU work for, and THAT'S NOT the client.

Answer 4

From your description, you are working for company A, who is selling you to the company B. The company B has not 2-week notice for its employers, but your company (A) does.

You should contact your company (A) before saying company B about that case. They are certainly in better position to handle that case. Because you're external, it is possible, you could work there for a few days even if you have decided to leave company A.

It's even possible, that company A would say, they want to move you out of the project from company B in 2 weeks, without being oblidget to give an explanation if you leave or you are sent to other customer. 2 companies have much more flexibility determining their terms of contract than you agaists a company.

In each case, you should consult with your mother company first. You might learn, you are not the first person in such situation and they've already established a good procedure for handling such cases.

Answer 5

A strange situation. So fact is: At some date X, the client will find out that you want to leave, and remove you immediately. At that point your company has no use for you either, since you can't start any new work in two weeks, so there's a risk that you get fired instantly.

The perfect solution would be that you give two weeks notice, and your company doesn't tell the client. So you tell them on your last day. If that isn't possible you go to the reasonable solution.

The reasonable solution is that you talk to your manager at your company and come to a reasonable agreement. That would be for example that instead of giving two weeks notice today, you would tell him and the company that you plan to leave with one day notice in two weeks time. And if possible then you agree that if they are asked then they will tell that you gave two weeks notice.

If you can't come to the reasonable solution, you give two weeks notice and be prepared that the company lets you go immediately. Or if you think that's going to happen, you leave without notice.

PS. I don't quite understand the client's policy. It makes sense if they lay you off, because someone might take some revenge when laid off. But if you gave two weeks notice, and planned to cause damage, you could do that damage before you give notice, so their policy doesn't protect them at all, especially when it is known to everyone.

Answer 6

Normally I'd say person to person is the best policy. It's simply the polite thing to do.

But any organization that would 'escort' you off the premises like a tresspasser is not concerned with how such humiliating treatment impacts your image. So I don't see why you should be particularly concerned for them. If thats not what you want to go through, leave a very gracious letter after you've cleared out all your personal belongings. After all, they are they ones who chose the game rules. If you are on good terms with the manager on a personal level, call them the next day to thank them and wish them well.