when you work, do you have a contract, and cannot walk out on a job at any time?

Question

Ive heard that if you start work , you have to sign a contract , and cant leave the job at anytime ,

so if the contract was for 3 months you cant walk out of the job until the 3 months is over ,

is this true

Answer 1

depends on what you do. In some professions you could get black balled which means that other companies wont hire you because you have a bad reputation.

Finish the job and maintain your integrity.

Answer 2

It depends on your state of residence.

In New York State, either the employee or the employer can terminate employment at any time, for any reason. There really is no such thing as a "work" contract that requires you to complete a certain number of days before you can quit; it is more so that the employer does not have to keep you after that time if they do not want to. If you signed a contract with a homeowner, for example, that you would complete a job for them and did not; that would be breach of contract. Working for the company that has made this promise to the customer, however, YOU can quit whenever you want. Please keep in mind, though, this information applies to NY State Employment Law, check you local laws to be sure.

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

It Depends... in South Africa, if you start a job and are made to sign a contract, then you are contractually bound to your job, in most jobs in South Africa we have a three month probation period in which you can leave your job with 24 hours notice or can get fired with 24 hours notice, your employer also does not have to keep you on after this 3 months period if your work was not satisfactory. If you sign a contract your contract will state what type of resignation notice you have to give to your employer, ie 2 weeks, a month, generally it is a months notice as your employer will need you to train someone to do your work. There are however instances where you can give 24 hours notice and leave but these need to be very serious circumstances, your employer can also give you 24 hours notice if he fires you, but again this is generally under the most serious of circumstances.
If you leave before your contract is over or you give insufficient resignation notice then you forfeit all leave pay owing to you and any other monetary compensation that your employer would generally give you, if you get fired without sufficient notice then you yet again forfeit any monetary compensation owing to you.
My best advice is to make sure you read your contract carefully before you sign it, if you have any concerns take them up with your employer, also request a copy of your contract once all parties have signed as this is your insurance against future problems as well as your back up if you want to make a decision consult your contract first. If there are parts you do not understand get your employer or a laywer to explain them to you, any employer you will not go over your contract in detail with you if you ask them to is up to no good and will no doubt find a loophole in your contract in the future that will benefit them and be very disastrous for you...

Answer 4

You can walk out at any time, just don't expect to get paid for any work during that pay period. It doesn't matter if you are permanent, contract, or a temp from an agency. You will have more difficult time finding a new job than if you had left with 2 weeks notice. If you are contract you have the additional risk of being "black balled" from your field, same holds true for temps.

Answer 5

In most contracts of employment there is a clause that allows the employer to terminate the contract giving a certain period of notice.

This also has to apply to the employee, you have to be able to give a certain amount of notice to terminate the contract.

This has to be included in all contracts otherwise you could accept the 3 months contract, turn up at work, sit on your bum doing nothing, get paid and not be able to get fired until the contract is up! Don't think any employer worth their salt would exclude something like that.

Check the contract.

Answer 6

No contracts are made to make the both parties to stick with the terms

Instead it just provides the rules in case one of the parties did not follow the agreed terms.

So, you can walk out of the job at any time, but you must know what you trade-off is.

It's not a rude question, so you can ask your potential employer

(e.g. WHAT IF I got seriously sick and couldn't not come to work in the 3 months, what will happen?)

Answer 7

All contracts will have a clause that - can terminate a contract if necessary. The company must have a way to respond to changing business conditions, and if they were to cancel your project in month 2, they would NOT keep you for another month.

Likewise, you can leave at any time. Of course, there would be notices needed. There may be penalties, not to mention how it would tarnish your reputation.

Answer 8

It matters not whether you have a (written) contract - in fact it is now very uncommon to actually have a (written) contract. It is more usual for the employer to issue 'written terms and conditions' of the contract.

In English law - a contract does NOT have to be in writing - you have a contract of employment by performance - i.e. you are actually performing the duties assigned to that particular employment.

The 'written terms and conditions' will spell out what notice you are entitled to by the employer and what notice you are obliged to give to the employer in the event you choose to leave. If you are in a salaried position (and therefore usually paid monthly) you are obliged, in accordance with your 'terms and conditions' to give 1 month's notice of termination. If however, you are paid weekly and are not a salaried employee - then you may terminate your contract by issuing 1 week's notice.

Answer 9

Unless you signed a contract agreement. Usually this is because the employer has paid monies for you to be there, ie; signing bonus, relocation package, dislocation allowance etc. Otherwise you'll be held liable to pay that money back to the employer that they put out for you to be there. This does not include training, unless otherwise specified, ie; college tuition reimbursement. As far as I am concerned in America you can quit anytime you'd like.

Answer 10

If you have signed a 3 month contract, then you will be breaking the contract if you left before the 3 month period was up. You would then be liable for legal action.

Answer 11

i don't have a contract so i can do what i like, but an employer cannot physically make you work. I had a contract on my last job and saw people walk