Accepted University offer, now need to resign

Naf

I've only been with my current employer for about 7 months, but have just accepted an offer of a place at university. I didn't tell my employer that I had applied for Uni because if I wasn't successful I didn't want them to know I was looking to leave. Now that I have (just) found out, I would really prefer to give them as much notice as possible of my leave date (30th August).
My problem is that I know that they have a habit of just telling people to leave, and paying their notice. Obviously at present I would be giving them 2 month's notice, but if they turned round and sacked me I'd only get a week's notice pay (plus some holidays), with little recourse to do anything about it.
As I've been there less than a year they don't even need to give a reason, right? Would I have any argument along the lines that they must be happy with the work I'm doing, as they made me a manager since taking me on, I wasn't employed as such originally?
I can (barely) scrape by on JSA and my other benefits until my grants etc. come in, and maybe I'd find another job just for the summer if I'm lucky.
Or should I just wait and give them the minimum notice, to save my skin?

BristolBob

Wait and give them the notice that would prevent them from shafting you.

PasturesNew

Wait.... no contest.

DVardysShadow

Naf wrote: »

... Now that I have (just) found out, I would really prefer to give them as much notice as possible of my leave date (30th August).
My problem is that I know that they have a habit of just telling people to leave, and paying their notice.

You have seen how they treat former colleagues. You have no reason to think they will be any different with you.

You don't owe them the courtesy of telling them anything. In your position, I would be booking a week's holiday from 31 August and giving them a week's notice on 30 August.

Sambucus_Nigra

a - read in your contract what your notice period is
b - give them that.

RexBanner

DVardysShadow wrote: »

You have seen how they treat former colleagues. You have no reason to think they will be any different with you.

You don't owe them the courtesy of telling them anything. In your position, I would be booking a week's holiday from 31 August and giving them a week's notice on 30 August.

good advice, although I'd use up my holiday allowance beforehand in the hope that they wouldn't ask you to work you notice anyway, resulting in an extra week off.

Person_one

Are you sure you want to leave on the 31st of August? Check when your course starts, lots aren't until the 17th or the 24th of September.

Dunroamin

Give them the appropriate notice but try to leave on good terms - you might need the reference.

Naf

Person_one wrote: »

Are you sure you want to leave on the 31st of August? Check when your course starts, lots aren't until the 17th or the 24th of September.

Course doesn't start until October, admittedly. Decided I'm taking September off with my family.

I'm surprised there seems to be nobody arguing to give them as much notice as possible.
Not everybody who has left has been told to just go like that; one previous manager and two staff members were just dropped. However one girl gave them weeks and weeks notice that she was moving to Canada, and she worked right up until the last minute.
I kinda feel like I do owe them a little: they were really helpful when I moved house; let me borrow their carpet cleaning machine; took me home themselves after I had a nasty fall at work, and then gave me a pair of DM safety boots.
I think if I leave it until the last minute it'll be difficult to leave on the best of terms as they'll know that I've known for a while and not told them... And if they ask why I didn't tell them sooner, I'll only have the one answer; the truth.

t0rt0ise

How much notice do you have to give? If it really is short notice as you imply when you say "at the last moment" then it is their own fault for not asking for a month's notice like other places. I'd leave it until notice is due. If you give notice early they can accept your notice but adjust the leaving date to comply with the notice period you are supposed to give which can mean leaving rather earlier than you expected.

Person_one

Naf wrote: »

Course doesn't start until October, admittedly. Decided I'm taking September off with my family.

I'm surprised there seems to be nobody arguing to give them as much notice as possible.
Not everybody who has left has been told to just go like that; one previous manager and two staff members were just dropped. However one girl gave them weeks and weeks notice that she was moving to Canada, and she worked right up until the last minute.
I kinda feel like I do owe them a little: they were really helpful when I moved house; let me borrow their carpet cleaning machine; took me home themselves after I had a nasty fall at work, and then gave me a pair of DM safety boots.
I think if I leave it until the last minute it'll be difficult to leave on the best of terms as they'll know that I've known for a while and not told them... And if they ask why I didn't tell them sooner, I'll only have the one answer; the truth.

People give advice based on the info you provide. The picture you paint of your employer in this post is quite different from the impression you gave us in the OP!

My employers knew I'd be leaving to go to university 6 months in advance, but then, they're paying for it so it would have been hard to keep it from them.

You'll just have to do what you feel is right, maybe work out how early you can afford to stop working if they do let you go when you give notice and plan it round that.