Leaving a job after only being there a few weeks

andan · 11 May 2008 at 11:56AM

My sister started a new job recently and has found that her new job isn't all its cracked up to be. She's only been there two weeks now but finds the lack of support and being given all the rubbish jobs just isn't for her! She says she hasn't signed a contract, but has seen another job to go for. She is thinking about just leaving and not going back, but i think that looks bad if she does that. What kind of notice would she be expected to give if she's only been there a few weeks? If she walks out surely then they won't pay her?

Any advice would be great as i don't know much about these things and i don't want her to make a decision she may end up regretting.

needaspirin · 11 May 2008 at 12:13PM

The notice that an employee should give her/his employer before resigning should be in the contract. If the employee has no notice provision in her/his contract, then if the employee has worked for one month or more, the statutory minimum notice s/he should give is one week. If s/he has worked for less than one month, the notice period should be reasonable.

If an employee leaves without giving proper notice, the employer may try to withhold part or all of the money owed to the employee. In general, employers are not legally entitled to withhold money owed unless the employment contract allows for it. If the employer withholds wages or other sums owing, for example, holiday pay, the employee should make a claim to an employment tribunal for unlawful deduction from wages. An employee must raise a written grievance with her/his employer about an unlawful deduction of wages before s/he can make a claim for it to a tribunal.

LittleVoice · 11 May 2008 at 12:22PM

Whether she has "signed a contract" is not important. The fact that she has been working there as an employee means that a contract exists. What is important is whether she has been given written particulars of employment. If she has and it includes that she needs to give notice from the time her employment began, then she will be due to give that notice. If she has not received the written particulars yet (and this is legal), then she need give no notice while she is in the first month of her employment. She would be entitled to be paid for the time she had worked.

Conor_3 · 11 May 2008 at 7:28PM

andan wrote: »

My sister started a new job recently and has found that her new job isn't all its cracked up to be. She's only been there two weeks now but finds the lack of support and being given all the rubbish jobs just isn't for her!

What does she think is likely to happen if she gets another job? The newbies always get the rubbish jobs for the first few weeks or so. Is she going to leave that one as well and the one after?

BTW, is she 30 or younger? Just ask as it seems to be 16-30 year olds who seem to think that they can walk into a new job and get the best stuff straight off the bat. Doesn't work like that and perhaps it might be worth educating her.

glossgal · 11 May 2008 at 7:29PM

Employment laws are in place but I think people often get blinkered by these and forget what happens in the real world. She's been there two weeks-if she didn't show up for work tomorrow the chances of her being taken to court for breach of contract are pretty much zero. The employer would probably try not to pay her for work done. Personally I would wait for my first wage packet then leave. As for it looking bad, well yes but at risk of sounding flippant-unless she's planning to work for a similar employer in a close knit trade or community-who cares?

G-G_4 · 11 May 2008 at 7:33PM

Embarrasingly I've walked out of quite a few jobs for similar reasons.. (no, i'm not proud)..

But, thinking back, I don't think there has ever been a problem over being paid for what I have done.

I even got paid £800 for 7 days work once, just because that was there policy!?!

Hope she finds something she enjoys.. Maybe look at something she is into next time so she will be more enthusiastic.

andan · 11 May 2008 at 9:21PM

Thanks for all the advice guys, weve been talking about it tonight and she's decided to stay until she finds another job at least.

Conor, yes she is young, only 21, but i think her problem was more to do with the fact that the job is changing to what she originally agreed to and that she is working with vulnerable adults, but being placed in vulnerable situations with them. I do wonder like you though, whether she will move onto another job and find the same problem. I'm hoping to have a proper sit down with her and get her to look at what she's really interested in doing.

Thanks for all the advice though and being able to see things from lots of peoples points of view, i will show her this thread later.

needaspirin · 12 May 2008 at 12:14PM

Hi Andan,

My post was an excerpt from CAB AdviceGuide. Here is the page http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/employment/basic_rights_at_work.htm#How_much_notice_is_an_employer_entitled_
It does say "reasonable notice" but this is the first I have seen of this in all my years and wonder if it is a recent addition to the rules. previously no notice was required if employed for less that 1 month.

The guide may be of further help to your sister.

floss2 · 12 May 2008 at 1:44PM

Everybody is entitled to make a mistake.....however, it is generally easier to find a new job whilst still employed (don't know why!)

I would suggest she speaks to her line manager, and asks what her induction plan is, what she can expect to happen, are things likely to change...then thinks about whether she wants to move on.

Better to give it a chance to prove itself as the job she applied for, before leaping into the next job.

Leaving a job after only being there a few weeks

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