Notice Period

zzzLazyDaisy

If you refuse to work your contractual notice, that is a breach of contract. The employer can sue you for compensation but that is calculated by reference to the costs they have incurred as a result of your breach.

Example - secretary leaves without giving notice, employer has to use agency staff to cover the work till they can recruit a replacement. Agency worker's fees are more expensive - the compensation is the extra cost

Example - senior project manager leaves without giving notice, an important client pulls a contract because there is no-one else to cover the job. Company loses several thousand pounds - that is the compensation claim.

You can see that for most people, even though failing to give notice is technically a breach of contract, there is either no real financial loss, or the loss isn't worth the time and expense of going to court to claim it back. So in reality it is rare for an employee to be sued for not working their notice.

However..... you may need a reference from this employer at some point, and if you simply down tools and walk that could affect the reference. So better to try and negotiate a compromise.

Victoriajayne

Have you considered raising a grievance regarding the way you have been treated ? Might make the situation better for you - or might prompt them to end your employment (which happened in my case !)