Starting new job whilst on annual leave from current job

lplp123

I received an offer for a new position on Wednesday 11th last week. They asked for a start date and keeping in mind my current notice period (4 weeks), I gave them a date four weeks from the closest Monday (which was today, Monday 16th, so starting Monday 13th June).

I'd expected to have been able to hand my notice in shortly after the phone call, but they have delayed in sending over the formal contract and I haven't yet resigned from my current place of work, as I wouldn't feel comfortable to do so without a signed contract in-hand (I have had an informal offer letter, but this isn't reassuring enough for me). 

Assuming the contract comes through, I'm now in a position where I feel I'll have to start my new job whilst technically being on notice from my current job. Luckily I have some holiday, but not sure whether it would be ok to start a new job whilst on annual leave?

Alternatively, do you think there would be any scope to re-negotiate a start date, just by a day or two, or would this be a bad look? 

Any and all advice is appreciated!

Jillanddy

It depends on your current employer - if they have policy that prevents you from being employed elsewhere, then that applies until the end of your contract. It probably isn't going to be a problem, but nobody can give you a guarantee of that. There's no guarantee the current employer will give you the leave either. They can refuse and pay you the holiday pay outstanding when you leave.

You are aware that getting a "contract" is not a reassurance of anything? the offer can still be rescinded or notice (whatever applies) given to you. 

Notice starts from the day after you give it, so even if you had handed your notice in today, unless your current employer let you leave earlier, you couldn't have started on 13th June as that isn't four weeks!

You either need to push back on the start date you have given, or have a conversation with your current employer. The longer you leave it, the more of an issue it may become. 

Sandtree

lplp123 said:

I received an offer for a new position on Wednesday 11th last week. They asked for a start date and keeping in mind my current notice period (4 weeks), I gave them a date four weeks from the closest Monday (which was today, Monday 16th, so starting Monday 13th June).

I'd expected to have been able to hand my notice in shortly after the phone call, but they have delayed in sending over the formal contract and I haven't yet resigned from my current place of work, as I wouldn't feel comfortable to do so without a signed contract in-hand (I have had an informal offer letter, but this isn't reassuring enough for me). 

Assuming the contract comes through, I'm now in a position where I feel I'll have to start my new job whilst technically being on notice from my current job. Luckily I have some holiday, but not sure whether it would be ok to start a new job whilst on annual leave?

Alternatively, do you think there would be any scope to re-negotiate a start date, just by a day or two, or would this be a bad look? 

Any and all advice is appreciated!

Many places wont give you the contract of employment to sign until day 1 of your new job... could cause issues for your wont resign until I've signed the contract approach.

Your current contract of employment will cover their position on you having more than one job... some companies dont care, some say its ok as long as its not a competitor and others will say you can't. You are also however reliant on them saying you can have the holiday... they may decide they're too busy and you can't have time off so your holiday will just be paid as cash at the end of your notice period.

You can renegotiate your start date, certainly as a hiring manager I would ask why you need to change it and my answer may vary depending on the reason given. Personally I would be unimpressed if things were changing were because you had held off handing in your resignation... sufficiently so to rescind the offer? Probably not but it depends on how the other interviewees were and if I have any in holding pattern.