When resigning from a major corp., if I give 4 weeks notice, is my company required to pay me for 4 weeks?

Question

I am preparing on leaving my employer and curious to know if I give longer than a 2 week notice, is my employer required to pay me any length of time if they tell me to leave sooner?

Answer 1

ZERO is what they are required to pay... However if you actually work the four weeks they are obliged to pay you.

They could accept the resignation effective immediately, in which case most firms will pay you for a standard two weeks, but are not required to do so.

Answer 2

If you're working for a large corporation, chances are you are employed "at will". This means that either you or the company can end employment for any (so long as it's legal) reason, or no reason at all. Of course, this doesn't apply if you have a written employment contract.

What this means is that once you give your notice, the company is not obligated to pay you for any length of time if they tell you to leave sooner. However, most employers appreciate as much advance notice as possible when a good employee is resigning and will keep you on until your resignation date. This is simply good business because it gives them more time to find your replacement. But they don't have to keep you for even a day after you submit your resignation, so be careful.

Good luck in your new job.

Answer 3

My guess is probably not. I would say it depends somewhat on the agreement under which you were hired. Many major corporations tell you up front that they can terminate you with or without notice.

However, in all cases I have personally witnessed where 4 weeks notice was given, the additional notice was appreciated, and the employee stayed on the job and was paid for the full 4 weeks. If you are not on good terms with your employer it may be a completely different situation.

Answer 4

In a hire-at-will state, the answer to your question is no. They do not have to pay you, may accept your resignation effective immediately (and, they often do...), and are only obligated to pay you in accordance with policy and procedures in effect on your date of hire. Most companies will hold a paycheck back for one or two pay periods. So, you could feasibly receive another check although it would be a week or two (depending upon pay periods) later (after dismissal).

Some things to consider prior to leaving the company in this manner...

Since your reason for leaving the company is not given...I will use the reasoning of better job or better pay elsewhere.

The amount of time between one employer and the next is often extended due to the usual automatic acceptance of the resignation letter or letter or intended leave. Are you economically prepared for automatic acceptance? If not, rethink your strategy...otherwise, if in position to do without for the length of time between employers, the additional time given may be recorded in your file for any subsequent referral requests.

During the time that you remain (in the event that they allow you to continue for the desired length of time ... 4 weeks), know that everything that you do or say will be held in scrutiny due to the unavoidable feelings of betrayal or abandonment by your co-workers and even sometimes management. Try not to reveal any hidden emotional ties or feelings of fellowship..it could be interpreted as an attempt to recruit (NOT good for the major corporation).

If you know of someone who is qualified, skilled, and proficient that will adequately fill your position, you should add their name to your letter of resignation so that it will be of record that you attempted to 'not disrupt the flow of work product' by your leave.

Hope your next position works out to your advantage...

Answer 5

Technically, employment in most states is "at will" which means either of you can terminate at anytime. So if you gave four weeks notice but they "fired" you on the third week they wouldn't owe you a last. Most companies would never do this though because they appreciate you have given notice (your boss does anyway) and what better scenario than to hire your replacement in that time and then they have you train them. But to answer your question, they don't owe you the whole four weeks if they decide to terminate you then.

Answer 6

When giving your notice, be careful how you state it. "I realize that 2 weeks notice is customary, but I am in a position to offer 4 weeks to the company. You have been very good to me and I don't want to leave you in a lurch". They may ask you to leave immediately in which case you will be off of their payroll effective immediately.
If money is the issue, you may want to wait to give 2 weeks notice until it's 2 weeks before you need to leave - some companies don't accept 2 weeks notice and some do. Save your money so that you will be okay if they don't accept your notice.

Answer 7

No, technically I believe they only have to pay you for two weeks. If you think they might let you go sooner than your four weeks notice then I would only give them two weeks.

Most professional positions won't let you go before your notice unless you could provide a security breach or damage programs.

Technically you could give 4 weeks and they pay you for 2 weeks and let you go the same day.

Answer 8

Unless you were offered somthing special in a contract then no. They can let you go the minute you tell them your leaving. They don't have to pay anything. I lost two weeks of work by doing this once. It won't happen again.

Answer 9

You have to look and see what is in your job description, employee handbook, or any contract or other document that you may have signed. Depending on your state laws, they may let you go sooner, and depending on what you signed they may or not be liable to pay you anything if you are let go. If you are fired you may draw unemployment. If you quit, you cannot.

Answer 10

Most contracts are "Termination at will", so of course they
can fire you if you don't leave when they want you to.

So ... no, your company is not required to pay you for the
four weeks.