Can I give my employer more notice to resign than is expected?

Sindon

Hi I am new to this forum. I am currently A full time employee and I have just been offered a new job. The new job does not start until the 19th of August (9 weeks away) and I only have to hand in 4 weeks notice at my current job. Can my current employer dismiss me early if I hand in my notice stating that I want to resign on the 16th August (9 weeks notice) is this too early to hand in my notice? Should I wait untill I have 4 weeks left or will it be ok giving my employer more notice?
Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks

Tahlullah

Yes you can give more notice. A lot of employers would appreciate a longer notice period as it allows them more time to recruit to fill your position and perhaps build in a handover period.

It would be unusual for an employer to dismiss you when you have already resigned.

Les79

I must ask but why do you want to hand in your notice earlier than the absolute minimum amount?

[Deleted User]

Depends on how busy your current employer is? Which most surely only you would know how they would react. (Sure that's as helpful as most have responded to me in the past)

But I just write as someone whose lastest interview was with a zero hours employer who needs to protect themselves. And latest resignation of a week required quoted by agency which turned out to be 1 day.

If it was me, I would give the time stipulated only. But again honestly I don't know your employer.

TELLIT01

If you hand your notice in early there is always a risk that the employer will dispense with your services earlier than you want to leave. If you have under 2 years employment with your current employer I would not hand it in early.
If you have worked there for a number of years, and have a particularly good relationship with management, you may wish to give them additional time to recruit a replacement. Alternatively, with a good relationship, you could speak to your manager informally to let them know you will be handing your notice in on x date.

Masomnia

I always think this is a grey area and if anyone is aware of any legal cases around this I'd be very interested.

If less than 2 years then in theory they could give you 4 weeks notice and let you go there and then.

More than 2 years it's a bit more tricky, and you might risk it.

Personally I wouldn't give more notice than required, ultimately the risk is on you. Consider if they dismissed you for whatever reason would they give you more notice than required? Maybe, but probably not.

If they needed a longer notice period they should have insisted on it in your contract and given it to you in return.

trailingspouse

I did this, and it backfired. I thought I was doing them a favour, as I knew it was a role that they'd struggled to fill previously. I gave them more notice than I needed to, they started recruiting straight away, found someone quickly, and then let me go.

You live and learn.

bugslett

It does depend on the employer and your relationship and the nature of the job.

I've had drivers give me more than statutory notice and it's been helpful to me. My drivers know that I dont go around burning bridges.

However if you were say a consultant going to a competing firm that could take business from us, I'd want you gone soon as.

Calpol4life

trailingspouse wrote: »

I did this, and it backfired. I thought I was doing them a favour, as I knew it was a role that they'd struggled to fill previously. I gave them more notice than I needed to, they started recruiting straight away, found someone quickly, and then let me go.

You live and learn.

Same - thought I was doing them a favour.

Wait until 4 weeks - there is literally no plus side to handing in early (other than the personal relief of doing so)

From what I have read on here - a certain % of people try to evade even the minimum notice period.

So working the full notice without fuss will still be seen as positive

ohreally

Work your required notice per contract, no more.

General_Grant

Masomnia wrote: »

. . .



If less than 2 years then in theory they could give you 4 weeks notice and let you go there and then.

. . .

"In theory" they might be able to give one week's notice as employment contracts do not always include equivalent notice periods from either side. Up to those two years of employment, one week's notice is the statutory requirements.