Notice of resignation given, Manager starts behaving badly... help

uva33188

Hello,

Sorry for the long post, but I need help.

I work in IT, computer programming.

I have worked at my current employer for 3 years 11 months. In December 2014 a new manager was appointed to lead the team. I had a personality conflict with this person, so I started job hunting.

I recently secured a job with better pay and promotion included. I handed in my notice of resignation today morning. The letter was politely worded and formal. I gave 4 weeks notice as required by my contract and wished the team good luck for the project.

The letter was in an envelope, the manager did not open it. She retorted sarcastically "That explains a few things". I was taken aback and asked what she meant. She said that my work was lacking motivation and I had been taking phone calls etc.. (I forget the rest).

This was completely untrue. I was doing my best to do my job every day. I was doing full hours every day. In fact I had another job to go to and there was no incentive for me to burn bridges. So I replied to her that I had worked very hard for the company, and I found her remarks very rude. She dismissed this and said she had a meeting to attend and we should talk later.

At this point I approached the senior manager (her boss) and asked to have a word. She noticed this and immediately objected and said he should speak to her first. I firmly said no, but she insisted and I said she was welcome to join us. So three of us went to the managers room. I explained that I had handed in my notice with good intentions and found her remarks offensive. She immediately started giving negative feedback about me to the senior manager. At the same time she said that she had not meant any harm with her initial words.

The senior manager asked me to leave the room. Ten minutes later he invited me back and said he accepted my resignation and that I should go home immediately. I should come back on Monday when he and HR would discuss my notice period. I appealed to him to be reasonable, that I had worked under him directly for over an year. I asked him also for a reference and he said he would provide that.

I collected my belongings and left the office feeling very humiliated. As far as I am aware my HR record is clean.

Now back at home, I am not sure what will transpire Monday. The HR director is due to visit us because our dept is not doing too well in employee satisfaction. I fear that I may become the scape goat and all blame may be placed on me. I also fear that they will pretend that I never handed in my notice and simply walked out of the office on Friday morning after having an altercation with my manager.

My new job is subject to two references from the current employer.
I don't know my rights and would appreciate some advice.

WestonDave

My advice is to calm down over the weekend and let it blow over.

You went in knowing you were handing your notice in - to her it came as a bolt from the blue. Whilst her reaction was somewhat unprofessional, the wise course would have been to allow for her being caught off guard and let her initial comment ride. From there you escalated it with her boss and put them in a situation where they either had to undermine her by telling her off in front of you, or defuse the situation by removing you temporarily whilst everyone calmed down. That was the course they took and I can see little wrong in that.

You are leaving there, so don't waste energy and goodwill defending your reputation there by starting fights with people you may need to give you a reference. You'll do better by going in on Monday and acknowledging that you were perhaps a bit assertive today and that you could have made more allowance for the shock value of your resignation than you will trying to tough out being right.

TELLIT01

I wouldn't be in the least surprised if you are asked to leave immediately on Monday. It's nothing to do with the problems between yourself and your immediate manager, it's pretty much standard practice in IT due to the perceived danger of a disgruntled employee doing damage to the systems.

tocs23

I agree with WestonDave - try not to worry about it too much over the weekend. They may take the view that it is best you leave on Monday, but as far as I'm aware they will need to pay you for the remainder of your notice period as you are willing to work it.

As for references, they can't give you a 'bad reference' - they could include any disciplinary action taken during your employment, but it doesn't sound like that's been the case. Worst case scenario, they could refuse to provide a reference, but I'd say this is unlikely. I'd follow earlier advice and go in with a professional attitude on Monday, re-iterating all the positive things you said in your resignation letter.

Good luck with it, and with the new job.

JReacher1

You're leaving so who really cares.

Worse case scenario you're going to get a month on gardening leave which isn't the end of the world as it's basically a free holiday.

Your employer will support the manager who is staying at the company. They're not going to care about a guy who is leaving in four weeks.

I would turn up on Monday and see what happens but be prepared to be going home.

Just make sure you get everything that is due to you financially.

Charlotte17

I guess the boss had their nose put out of joint knowing you are leaving.

To add if you are asked to leave on Monday make sure you get it in writing that they do not require you to work your notice and that you resigned not that they sacked you as they can't anyway without a disciplinary etc

Make sure also you get all holiday outstanding

Good luck in the new job

Takeaway_Addict

tocs23 wrote: »

I agree with WestonDave - try not to worry about it too much over the weekend. They may take the view that it is best you leave on Monday, but as far as I'm aware they will need to pay you for the remainder of your notice period as you are willing to work it.

As for references, they can't give you a 'bad reference' - they could include any disciplinary action taken during your employment, but it doesn't sound like that's been the case. Worst case scenario, they could refuse to provide a reference, but I'd say this is unlikely. I'd follow earlier advice and go in with a professional attitude on Monday, re-iterating all the positive things you said in your resignation letter.

Good luck with it, and with the new job.

So, having cases of disciplinary actions in your reference is deemed as not bad?

The fact is a reference can be bad as long as it is factually true.

As for the OP, the employer is being reasonable, your bosses boss stopped the issue escalating by getting you to go home and it will be sorted on Monday. Do not see this as a reflection on you but the bosses boss seeing the bigger picture, you are leaving, your boss is staying.

System

As for references, they can't give you a 'bad reference'

They can

If a reference is given then it must be factually correct. Depending on content that can be good, bad or indifferent.

dori2o

If it were me I go into the meeting happy for them to terminate my employment from that day, as long as (as already suggested) I had it in writing that I was leaving after handing in a written letter of resignation, that the resignation had been accepted, that I had offered 4 weeks notice so that the business had time to recruit/find a replacement for my role. that the business is happy for me to leave without working the notice period.

Also whilst in the meeting you should discuss with the employer the content/information that will be included in any reference from the business, at least then you will have peace of mind when it comes to that issue.

PlutoinCapricorn

http://www.alexanderlloyd.co.uk/candidate/handing_in_your_notice.asp

FBaby

You gave notice before given an official offer, rather than one subject to references? That was a dangerous thing to do despite your haste to get out. They are now holding you at ransom in that they could decide not to give you a satisfactory reference that could influence your final offer with this new job.

Thankfully, it is likely that they will want you out anyway, and so would find a bad reference counter-productive. A good lesson to learn. Never accept a job before you get a final offer, and don't give notice before that time. When you know you're out, just keep your head low. There was no need to confront your manager, knowing you were never going to have to deal with them should have been enough of a satisfaction to keep you going for another 4 weeks.