Can I join without release letter as I was sick to serve notice period?

Question

I resigned from my job recently after working for 3 years, prior to that I worked for nearly 3 years but in that span I worked for 4 companies.

In this company I had to resign due to my bad health and also too much stress hampering my health. I could not serve notice period after resignation but resignation was accepted, mentioning that to get release paper I had to work full notice period whenever I am fit to join back.

But after some rest I got new offer to join immediately. I can't lose this offer. If I join without formal release will this cause any problem in showing experience since I have resignation mail and other salary statement from bank?

Answer 1

Since you have 6 years of experience and if your new company really needs you, then there is should be no problem. Better to ask your new company's HR dept if you are so much concerned about it. Better to ask and then join than to join and then be kicked out.

Answer 2

If I join without formal release will this cause any problem in showing experience since I have resignation mail and other salary statement from bank?

To show or demonstrate your experience per se I doubt it, as that are things you know and can do, and there are several ways to show such experience besides saying "I used to work on company X doing Y" (like during interviews, your public profile on Git for software jobs, other jobs you have had in the past, etc.).

It may cause problems if this new company you seek asks you for your release letter, which to be honest is is a possibility. To be 100% sure the best you can do is to see if that company if they will require a release letter, so you know how to respond properly.

If they don't, then good for you, but if they do you will have to take further steps. In that case, I would suggest you explain your situation to this new company, with the hopes they may understand and perhaps consider you without such letter.

If this is not possible, then you will have to deal with your previous company and ask them for the letter, for which you may have to comply with the agreement you signed stating that you have to work notice period to get the letter. Seems to me that those are the options you got, but first check if they will require such letter before having to go through this delicate situation.

Edit: One relevant question you could benefit from reading is How can I explain to potential employers that I am unable to provide a relieving letter?

It's location is in India (as yours?), and based on comments and answers there and on other questions linked there, seems that it is not common that companies ask for release letters. As suggested there, one alternative is to present your coworker/manager reference instead, so they can validate that you actually worked there (your bank statement could also prove useful if needed).

Another relevant post is this answer on What is a relieving letter? What are the consequences of not having one?. Which indicates that some companies do require them (the bigger ones, mostly), or that at least do some form of verification. There are several other options presented there, so I am sure you can combine my answer with these other two references to decide how to proceed on your situation.