My boss wont let me quit. (Updated)

[tehfeen83]

I've been in this situation myself. Worked in an electronics store with a boss I hated. After deciding to leave, I just didn't go into work for few days, then when I went in to quit I just said there was no way in hell I was working my notice. They can't make you. All that happened was that I didn't get paid for those two weeks (obviously) and I don't use it as a reference on my CV. Just leave, nothing will happen.

 

[Steve Fidler]

There is no legal reason to give two weeks notice as an employee. As an employer, yes you have to give two weeks notice. Unless there is an explicit reason that someone has to be fired right away. Otherwise he has to pay you for the two weeks anyways.

But because you are quitting, it is not your duty to stay. I've had many employers try this on me. Usually because I am in a vital position. I would not normally find another job without letting my employer know, but if I am quitting because of their behavoir of something regarding the job, fuck em.

 

[awesomebillfromdawsonville]

LOL. Fuck this dude. Two week notices are NOT mandatory for resignation at any job unless you're contractually obliged to do it. If you just so happen to be, suck it up and do your two weeks. And by "doing your two weeks" that does NOT exclude calling out 3 out of 5 days, and completely disregarding your job responsibilities the two days you're there. If you're not under some manner of contract, the assfish cant possibly sue you, so tell him to go fuck himself and leave. Just don't do anything that casn jeopardize your freedom. No stealing shit, or wrecking the place or urinating on things or spitting on customers, or anything else I've done at previous jobs once resigned. Just go about your business. If you really want to fuck the dude over, just tell him you're gonna do the two weeks and then don't. He'll have to do all the work himself for once. Enjoy your freedom, young padewan.

 

[8bitmaster]

put in your two weeks, then make sure to tell your boss that you are quitting two weeks earlier. If you boss isn't stupid enough to fall for it, tell his superiors that you want out without the two weeks and he won't let you. See if you can get your boss fired in the process.

 

[Shynobee]

I work at a bad game store. Very bad. My boss' attitude has prompted me to quit. So I did (or at least attempted to last night). But I received a voice mail from him stating that I could not quit because I NEEDED to put in a 2 weeks notice and that he'll see me at work in the morning (today).

I'm pretty sure this is slavery? Can anyone help? My boss is a kind of guy who will sue anyone for anything so I'm trying to avoid anything crazy. But advice WILL go a long way.

Did you sign a contract when u started working? If so, just stick it out for two more weeks, then, vamoose.

It's common policy in the US that you have to give a two weeks notice to your employer before you quit. Its not slavery, its just so people can't screw their bosses over by quitting the job just before something important needs to be done.

 

[AdmiralMemo]

If you boss isn't stupid enough to fall for it, tell his superiors that you want out without the two weeks and he won't let you. See if you can get your boss fired in the process.

The guy mentioned that the boss is the owner. He has no superiors.

 

[maninahat]

These are the general rules [http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/RedundancyAndLeavingYourJob/Resigningorretiring/DG_175837] for giving notice in the UK. If I were you, I'd keep to them.

 

[The Red Spy]

Have you suffered anything that can be described as harassment, witnessed widespread derogatory behaviour or you believe that being in that environment could be more harmful to you in some way (both your physical & mental health, as well as future job opportunities)? If so, then you are more than entitled to quit, contract or not. If any of the above is true, it would be wise to log a complaint against your manager to either his superiors or a relevant authority, though this is not required.

If you haven't had any of the above happen and you have signed a contract that stated you need to give two weeks (minimum) notice, then unfortunately that is what you will need to do.

 

[Fetzenfisch]

Two weeks isnt that bad. i had to do another month and i was fired. Well laws are different around the world (but actually i was happy about the fact, the job was annoying, but i had another month worth of money and time to find a new job)

 

[emeraldrafael]

Snip

Technically he can't force you to show up, but he can withhold your last paycheck till a replacement is found because you are wasting time and resources as well as making the company lose the revenue that another employee would bring in and hurting the company by not giving a timely notice. So maybe he just wnats to get you all the money you earn or (more likely) he's a complete and utter prick who thinks that because you were hired there and worked there for an undisclosed period of time that you owe him. it certianly sounds so if he in fact likes to sue anyone for anything. Though what he would get out of you by suing you I have no idea unless you're exponentially wealthy to the point where you could blend money just so you can literally piss it away.

Either dont show up and say fuck you (its waht I would do. In fact, I'd show up just to do, right when its busiest so I could say it loudly and everyone could here and walk out, leaving anything that the company provided you so you dont get charged with that). But thats not advisable, because if you go for another job and list this job as your previous employment/references the boss will relate that little exchange and management of the hiring company is likely to side with other management unless they receive many validated stories about your boss being a dick.

So you could go with option two, which is show up, suck it up, and get all the money you can while putting in an official two weeks. And then to spite him you could just do a piss poor job that is bad for the company and its name but doesnt get you fired (because that will look bad whne trying to get employed by another company).

So its up to you really. But its definately not slavery.

 

[tahrey]

Same sentiment as pretty much everyone above - did you sign your name to anything when taking on the job that included a clause obliging you to give notice when leaving or face action? (You did READ the boilerplate, yeah?)

Or is this a strictly temp-casual kind of affair, like most high street retail jobs are, where if things are going well they'll be happy to keep you on for life, but if you suck - they suck - or the market sucks and there's no more money, you can walk (or be told to) at the end of the week / end of the day / end of this sentence?

I'm pretty sure there's even certain legal things involved in it depending on where you live. Here in the UK, if you've worked a "permanent" (ie indefinite, rolling or long-term contract) job for more than six months (or I think it's two years?) you HAVE to be given - and give - a certain amount of notice of termination ... so, having been mutually wrenched out of your happy little relationship, you can find a new job to replace your steady one, and your employer can at least start looking for someone else to take your place, and instigate damage control measures until they're in-post. Before that period has been worked, you have no enshrined rights - or obligations. It's all up to what you may have signed. A lot of employers make the first few weeks or months an explicit "probation" period where if they don't like you, or you don't like them, it's game over as soon as you like. (And in my immediate predecessor's case, they offer the job to the second place interviewee... namely moi, who leaps at it on the offchance it was "wrong employee" not "wrong job" and isn't disappointed).

I've been there, I'm sure we all have. Some jobs and/or some bosses just suck choad. It can even be that the job is excellent but the people suck, and vice versa (I've had both) and all you can do is cut your losses and GTFO. It's hard on the other people you leave behind who have to cover for you, but in such environments, you have to look after yourself first of all. Once you find somewhere that it all actually clicks, you'll forget it and instead laugh at them for sticking it out so long.

I would be willing to bet that he hasn't got a legal leg to stand on here, either contractural or regulatory, and he's just apprehensive of having all manner of problems in the shop over the next -however long- until a suitable replacement buttmonkey can be conned into the job. Two weeks should be long enough to advertise for, briefly interview and hire someone to cover you, but 24 hours isn't.

Tell him to shove it and go find somewhere and someone better. Send a long voicemail consisting of David Allen Coe's "Take This Job..." and A's "Starbucks" on repeat. And if all else fails, give your notice and just call in sick for two straight weeks. By the time you're called upon to self certify or provide a doctor's note, you're out of there.

 

[loc978]

Two weeks notice is a courtesy. Nothing is physically preventing you from not going in to work after you quit, just expect a very negative reference from this employer to any future employer you may have. Not giving two weeks notice is tantamount to burning the proverbial bridge as you leave.
**edit**
...at least in the US...
looking at other posts... uh, did you have to sign a contract or something to work at a video game store?
that just strikes me as silly.

 

[Plurralbles]

umm... don't show up. He can't do a damn thing. You didn't sign much or anything.

 

[tahrey]

See if you can get your boss fired in the process

The boss was the owner, he has no superiors

Ha... now the latter may be true, but if it's even vaguely part of a chain, there will likely be an area manager. If it's a full on nationwide franchise, then even better...

Yeah, I've quit a(n otherwise ... "ok") job thanks to a ridiculous, unfairly demanding harpy of a boss... and when I did so, wrote a rather nasty letter copied to them and the AM detailing the various failings and all the shit that went on there. Next time I dared go in ... no sign of her highness' usually glaring presence. But I do think I saw her working a much smaller, crappier example of the same chain many miles distant a year later. As a cashier. Karma, guys, it can be a *****.

(And went straight from that job, to full time in another one i'd been working part time at, including cranking it up to 80 hours a week at one point for the sweet overtime. It was actually much harder graft, but I was far happier to give my sweat to someone who appreciated it, rewarded it, and understood that their employees were actually human)

Naturally I never mentioned it on my CV ever again, much like the job I'd worked for one week the previous summer at a children's clothing store from the very bowels of hell itself. Not like there'd be room for it anymore anyway the amount of temping I've done.

they can sue you for money you've received for work you haven't yet done

...boy, would I ever like to work a job where you don't exclusively get paid in arrears? And in fact have to fight for (or just abandon) your last week's pay if you do quit?
I know you can ask for an advance if you're in a sticky spot, but it's not that common, and if you've decided it's horrible whilst still working an advance period it's probably worth just taking the lumps and sticking out those few days until you're all-square with them.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/RedundancyAndLeavingYourJob/Resigningorretiring/DG_175837

Hmmm ... interesting. I retract my previous musings on legal notice periods in the UK then. Either I was properly ignorant of this, or it's changed since I last checked. However, the stated periods probably only apply if there's no dispute involved. EG as said before, if he's subjecting you to severe harrassment etc - if there are "extenguating circumstances" (have I spelt that right?) then it could be considered a breach of your human rights et al, which trump a contract of employment. It'd be a bit rich to go waving a human rights act at him if he was just being a continual asshole then got sore when you tried to walk off, but may be worth a go.

 

[almostgold]

Who 'quits' without putting in a two week? Thats kinda standard procedure....

Really, how the hell did you expect that to happen?

 

[MurderTrainAComing]

Some things to consider.

1.) What State do you live in? I live in a "Right to Work" state and that designation means that employment is a two way agreement between you and the employer and can be broken at any time for any reason by either party. That would make any contract that binds you to a position like what you are describing in violation of the state law. The most they can do is have a non compete clause where you could not have a job in the same field with a known direct competitor within a certain time period and cannot use any resources (Sales leads, templates etc.) you recieved from your previous job at your new job.

2.)You may not need to worry too much about getting a good recommendation from this guy as they way you are describing him he may not give you a good recommendation anyway.

3.)Any threat of legal recourse for terminating your own employment would simply be that, a threat. Most people that threaten lawsuits constantly and are not themselves attorneys probably have very little experience in the legal arena and are unaware of the high costs and would rather let you go than actually try and force you to stay.

4.) No state actually requires you to list all of your previous employment history on a job application so unless you were really counting on getting a positive recommendation from him, which seems likely, you never even have to inform future employers of your time there.

Taking that into consideration it really is up to you what you want. If you went back and finished out your two weeks you could just slack off and get fired and attempt to collect a severance but your former employer does not have to give you one. Since you have another job there is also no ability to collect Unemployment benefits that you would be entitled to after being laid off. As such unless you really wanted the additional wages or feel as though your former employer would give you a favorable recommendation there is really no reason to go back there and finish. Also if you really don't want the full two weeks just offer to meet him in the middle and finish out the weeks schedule. Or give shifts away to your coworkers looking for more hours.

 

[J.McMillen]

I have worked a number of different retail jobs over the years and have NEVER signed a contract of any kind. In fact, at most lower end jobs I've never heard of anyone having to sign a contract. Usually the only thing I have to sign when I got hired somewhere was my W-2 form.

So unless you actually signed some kind of contract that states you must give 2 weeks notice, you have no legal obligation to work the 2 weeks. The reason the 2 weeks notice exists is to give your boss some time to find a replacement before the worker leaves.

 

[tahrey]

Who 'quits' without putting in a two week? Thats kinda standard procedure....

Really, how the hell did you expect that to happen?

Jeez man, read the rest of the thread. It's not always SOP, and particularly if it's a temp job in a crappy store, it's not without precedent. It's good manners, yes, but if they're treating you like crap as well and you can more or less walk into a better job, why give them the misplaced courtesy of another fortnight of your life?

Heck most times I've worked jobs like that it was either cash in hand (no tax, no official record, just an envelope with notes in at the end of the week... and they knew i was leaving at the end of the summer anyway - just not exactly when), or it was a fairly friendly family affair where you got a proper paycheque, or payslip evidence of a direct bank transfer, but they were reasonably free and easy about how many hours you had to work, if you even managed to come in at all (or if they even asked for you). Not everything is a fully contracted 9-5.