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In December 2018, my boss and I have talked about the company’s situation (it still has issues), so he asked me if I’m planning to continue working here. I said no and that I have to go. He then asked when I would leave. My first answer was in January 2019, but he requested me to stay until we’ve hired a replacement, hence I said I’ll stay until the first half of February.

It’s almost February and my boss still hasn’t started looking for a replacement. (I would know if he did). I’m afraid he might be deliberately putting it aside because I agreed to his request but didn’t give a definite date of departure, which was my bad. Until now I’m scolding myself about it. Anyway.

Our labor law requires a 30-day notice period when an employee resigns, that’s why I wanted to give it already. Is it professional that I’ll be handing the notice this late, given that my boss and I had talked about my quitting verbally? Wouldn’t it look like I’m hurrying my way out? What would be a polite response if he reminds me that I agreed to stay until a replacement arrives?

Note: I did some editing to the context. Also, if it ever helps, I’m his sole employee. Knowing my boss, he delays things to his convenience, hence the last question on the third paragraph. Even if we’ve verbally talked about February, it was of no use.

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  • "Would it still be considered professional" I'm confused here. Leaving aside whether it's professional, surely it's legally required? You gave advance warning of your plans which is a kindness, but you never officially gave notice so you still need to do so now. Or does that "verbal notice" carry legal weight in your jurisdiction? (And FYI: notice periods are to do handover, not to train replacements. How your boss handles your departure is not your concern.)
    – Lilienthal ♦
    Commented Jan 17, 2019 at 9:19
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    @Lilienthal I understand your point. I edited the context already. To answer your question, written notices are the ones that carry legal weight here. Also, work culture here usually makes the departing employee train the new one, and since I’m the only employee here, I have no choice.
    – Mockingbird94
    Commented Jan 18, 2019 at 2:30

3 Answers 3

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In December 2018, my boss and I have talked about the company’s situation (it still has issues), so he asked me if I’m planning to continue working here. I said no and that I have to go. He asked for details and I said I’m intending to be here until the first half of February 2019.

It's already very nice of you to give your boss any heads up that you're unhappy and planning on leaving.

Our labor law requires a 30-day notice period when an employee resigns, that’s why I wanted to give it already. Would it still be considered professional, given that my boss and I had talked about my quitting verbally?

You technically already disclosed that you were looking for a new job to your boss way in advance (at least 60 days) of the official notice. You're just handling in the official notice now. It's not unprofessional to abide by the legal notice period.

What would be a polite response if he reminds me that I agreed to stay until a replacement arrives?

My response would be. "If my replacement arrives in the next 30 days, I would be happy to transfer everything I know to them."

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Giving your notice is always professional. It’s the correct and legal and professional way to leave a company (and the correct and legal way for your company to lay you off).

The notice is there among other things to give the employer a chance to get a replacement for you. You both agreed (or maybe it was by law) on a 30 days notice, so your boss will have agreed that this is enough time.

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  • Simply, wrong. There's no difference ("in law" - as if this issue would rise to the local supreme court) been verbal, written, or any other form of notice. Ispo facto the company has broadly and generally been (obviously) acting on the notice so notice has evidently been well-given. I definitely would not now give a "written" notice as that would be very confusing. You already gave notice, end of story.
    – Fattie
    Commented Jan 17, 2019 at 12:50
  • A verbal notice is not worth the paper it’s written on.
    – gnasher729
    Commented Jan 17, 2019 at 15:22
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The verbal notice is perfectly OK.

Send this email NOW, RIGHT NOW:

Hi Boss. Thanks again for the great 18 months. Just a reminder that as we discussed on Friday December 13 2018, my last day at this company will be Tuesday January 11, 2019.

End of story.

Note - there appears to be some moral-like "concerns about the health of the company and the health of the boss". So, drop that. Live your life and let the company live theirs.

Note -

"What would be a polite response if he reminds me that I agreed to stay until a replacement arrives?"

  1. you did not agree to any such thing

  2. even if you "agreed" (what does that mean?) to something so wholly bizarre, it is just meaningless. it's totally meaningless and nonsensical. if I "agreed" to not pee until two crows fly overhead - it's a meaningless collection of words. It does not parse.

If Boss bizarrely says something (perhaps with tears?) like "but you AGREED to STAY until blahdeeblahblah"

Simply respond "As I said my last day will be Tuesday January 11, 2019, there's been a huge amount of time to search for new staff." and go about your business.

"Would [the situation] be considered professional ?

Everything you are doing is totally professional and 100% OK.

Send this email now:

Hi Boss. Thanks again for the great 18 months. Just a reminder that as we discussed on Friday December 13 2018, my last day at this company will be Tuesday January 11, 2019.

When your company is shambolic, get out as soon as possible.

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    While a verbal notice might technically constitute giving notice, the proper way to do it is in writing. The same thing goes the other way, OP verbally agreed to stay for a replacement, there's no documentation of this agreement. As of the day of sending your letter is documented proof of giving notice, I would in this case write the notice letter, give 30 days and then leave.
    – R-D
    Commented Jan 17, 2019 at 12:36
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    "technically" is meaningless. A verbal notice is notice. End of story. Note that I'm only suggesting an email for their convenience to remind them of the already well-known, in fact evidently broadly acted on, given date. Apparently under national law you have to give notice, and it has been done.
    – Fattie
    Commented Jan 17, 2019 at 12:45
  • (Regarding "until a replacement" - that was a passing, totally nonsensical, meaningless, doesn't-even-parse conversation between two parties. It's not even in the vague region of being a "contract!" It's not even an issue.)
    – Fattie
    Commented Jan 17, 2019 at 12:45
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    You seem to be un-aware of employment law in the OPs country. Written notice is a requirement.
    – Peter M
    Commented Jan 17, 2019 at 13:08
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    @PeterM What is the punishment for breaking this requirement? I am always fascinated by the shared delusion of notice, since by law, your employer has to give you the exact same amount of notice to dismiss you. Hands up everyone that has ever gotten notice beyond someone showing up at your desk, taking your keys and walking you out? The punishment I usually see is you have to return paychecks.
    – Trevor
    Commented Jan 19, 2019 at 22:14

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