# Jumping ship. Up and leave? 2 weeks notice?



## Audidriver19 (Jul 27, 2013)

Looking to move on from my current company. I have a new job setup and they want to take me onboard ASAP. The shop that I'm leaving is currently busy with work but I just am not happy working there anymore. I told the new company I need to give a 2 weeks notice to my current employer and will be doing so tomorrow, but I'm thinking they may just tell me to scram. I'm sitting here playing different scenarios in my head, thinking of what to say.. Any advice?


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

They might just say scram or, they might not...
It would say a lot about the true character of the company and you know more than I do...

Giving notice says a lot about your character and may have a bearing on whether or not you are rehired if you ever want to return to your present employer...

If a new company is demanding that you start immediately without giving 2 weeks notice to your present employer it may be saying something about the character of that company...

I've left employers both ways throughout my life....

Most I did not burn any bridges with and have often asked me to come back...

There are a select few that not only did I burn the bridge with, but I nuked it!
Those select few are places that I would *never* work for again!
Not even if I was eating dirt, and living in a cardboard box on top of ice under a bridge! :no:

Make your choice!


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## HSI (Jun 3, 2011)

Do the right thing and give them a notice. Always take the high road unless your in danger. 
If they tell you to go now just go and either enjoy the time off or let the new company know your available.


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Either way you win. Your current employer may well tell you to move on but even then you are okay.


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## Audidriver19 (Jul 27, 2013)

Thanks for the advice!

The new company I will be starting with said to take the time I need to give a formal resignation, however if my current employer tells me to scram, I can show up to work the next day, and they'll be glad to have me early. 

I'll give the 2 weeks and hope for the best. I have never done this before but it seems like its gonna be 2 awkward weeks!


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## Plumbbum0203 (Dec 14, 2011)

I just went through this. Give the two weeks notice and let it play out. Good luck on the new job.


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## Leach713 (Nov 1, 2013)

Lol I quit my job and got bash ..

Leave a 2 wk notice


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

redwood said:


> they might just say scram or, they might not...
> It would say a lot about the true character of the company and you know more than i do...
> 
> Giving notice says a lot about your character and may have a bearing on whether or not you are rehired if you ever want to return to your present employer...
> ...


i would listen to redwood !
I have done the same but here is a interesting fact five or ten years down the road you might want to have business relationship with that company and you will be glad you did not burn that bridge ! !


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## redbeardplumber (Dec 4, 2012)

I was always so loyal, quitting was worse than breaking up with a girl, tough.....but real men/women do it.... With the proper notice


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## Pac Rim Plumber (Jun 23, 2010)

I also just went though this, give the 2 weeks notice and stay professional no matter what is said or done, and you will walk away with no regrets. Remember you opinion of yourself only matters to you so do what you know is right.

Good luck with the new position.


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## matkg (Mar 3, 2013)

They don't give you 2 weeks notice when they lay you off just saying


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

matkg said:


> They don't give you 2 weeks notice when they lay you off just saying


Apples and oranges.

An employee that gives advance notice of leaving is not opened up to financial and reputation ruin by the employer. The employee can get another job infinitely easier than an employer can replace lost customers and equipment.

An employer giving notice of termination or a layoff opens themselves up to unimaginable risks of financial ruin by terminating an employe and then sending them out with unsupervised access to their customers and 10's of 1,000's of dollars in equipment and inventory.

If that seems unfair then getting another job may not be the best choice. Maybe the employee should hang their own shingle and walk a mile in another man's shoes.


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## matkg (Mar 3, 2013)

So as an employee we should be loyal and give it our all everyday I agree with that but loyalty should be a two way street it hasn't been in my experience and I have been in your shoes still would be if my father hadn't passed away


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## CaberTosser (Mar 7, 2013)

A company worth working for will respect that giving notice is a moral thing to do. Not all employers that one is leaving for greener pastures might be all that worthy of being given notice, but it speaks to ones character to at least try. I actually gave only 4 days notice on my last departure, but that outfit didn't even deserve 1. The pastures remain much, much greener and any career moves I make will only be to self-employment from this point (if things remain the same at least).


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

matkg said:


> So as an employee we should be loyal and give it our all everyday I agree with that but loyalty should be a two way street it hasn't been in my experience and I have been in your shoes still would be if my father hadn't passed away


Fair enough...and I am sorry for the loss of your father.

Absolutely, loyalty should be a 2-way street but as you and I both know, it seldom is. Even on a good day, the level of loyalty differs. However, I do not think this is so much a loyalty issue as it is an ethics issue. I believe it is unethical to leave an employer high and dry with no notice. 

This is not as some have suggested, because of a romantic memory of my own apprenticeship. It is a standard that was instilled in me at an early age by my parents and older brother. I also saw my father break that principle with an employer that was out of line. FatherBiz quit with no notice and left the employer in a HUGE bind. But the employer did not operate in good faith. This may have been what you were referring to as one-sided loyalty.

I believe the ethics most certainly should be displayed by employee and employer alike. In a perfect world, the employer should see the signs of an employee preparing to leave. Those signs can come in the form of attitude changes and negative comments about working conditions and/or benefits and wages. When the employee that has been dealt with poorly by unsafe conditions or less pay than expected leaves, the employer should have seen it coming. That is IF the employee had the decency to give the employer opportunity to correct the situation. Hopefully the shortcomings were not malicious and could be adjusted. Aside from outright dishonesty or malicious behavior, there is seldom if ever a good reason for not giving notice before quitting. A minimum of two weeks, but sometimes much longer depending on the position being vacated and other circumstances. If not, the employer has made his own bed.

On the other hand, the employer should not blindside an employee with termination for bad behavior or substandard performance without clearly identifying the problem. After that, there should be diligent effort on the part of the employer to get the employee back on track and salvage the situation to everyone's benefit. The employer must have the decency to try. Aside from outright dishonesty or malicious behavior, there is seldom if ever a good reason for to terminate an employee with trying to salvage the situation. An employee terminated after not taking corrective action, made their own bed.

Then there are regrettable things that life throws at us for no good reason. Family trauma and upheaval can be the worst. It could be illness, death, infidelity, drugs, or something else. These events can leave an employee or employer in a tailspin and they may make decisions that from the outside looking in, seem horrible. It may take the form of suddenly leaving a job that was not really the problem or terminating employees that were not the problem. It is ugly and sad when this happens and I always hope for everyone that it remains an exception rather than the norm.

Then finally are the employers and employees that make full use of what the One Minute Manager called the Leave Alone Zap. Problems are ignored and people are left alone until one day the straw breaks the camel's back and....ZAP!!! Those are the most avoidable if people would just deal with the little misunderstandings and expectations as they happen rather than storing them up for a tantrum that results in walking off the job or a sudden termination. I believe there has to be a way for both sides to get it right without resorting to the L.A.Z. 

I also believe that the L.A.Z. is LAZy whether in the form of and employee quitting without notice, or in the form of an employer not mentoring and coaching.


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## HSI (Jun 3, 2011)

To add one more to Mr Biz if I may. Being laid off is much different than being terminated. Outside of the service side of this profession you work to completion of a project. If there is not another place to go it results in a lay off. That's not to put blame on anyone it's just part of what we signed up for when becoming Plumbers. 
Service side is different and definitely has it's busy and slow times. Again if business isn't picking up lay offs happen. 
I know of few if any contractors who pull the rug sort of speak to their best employees. If you ain't workin we ain't making any money either.


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

I laid a guy off once who deserved it. However, he didn't think so. After a chat with a foreman of a GC whose job he had been working on, he saw the light. As the foreman related to me, he said that being let go is not a personal affront, but rather a business decision with lots of variables taken into account. I guess he bought into this, because it stopped his whining. Had he pushed, I would have told him the truth which was that he was an under achiever (who was costing me money). He had the tools, but he always took the easy (lazy) path.


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## Rando (Dec 31, 2012)

plbgbiz said:


> Apples and oranges.
> 
> An employee that gives advance notice of leaving is not opened up to financial and reputation ruin by the employer. The employee can get another job infinitely easier than an employer can replace lost customers and equipment.
> 
> ...


So, am I correct that you're assuming some one who gives notice wouldn't do the same thing? 
In my experience any field person that gives notice is let go on the spot for that exact reason.


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## matkg (Mar 3, 2013)

I agree with all of Mr Biz's statements unfortunately in my area personality conflicts can and do play a role in layoffs I've never had the issue myself but I've seen firsthand good plumbers get let go because the foreman/superintendent didn't like them personality


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Rando said:


> So, am I correct that you're assuming some one who gives notice wouldn't do the same thing?
> In my experience any field person that gives notice is let go on the spot for that exact reason.


I am not saying there are not reasons, just that the reasons are very different.

One who gives notice does not have to worry about the employer taking the employee's vehicle, tools, or clients on a rampage out of retaliation. But to be fair, if an employee were that type of person, they probably already had done damage.

Most often the reason for the immediate termination is because the employer knows the employee wants to leave and as a result, is not fully devoted to the tasks at hand. They will not feel the same responsibility as if they knew they would have to answer for their work next month.

It would be wrong for the employee to try and make some kind of personal offense out of it. They have a new job to go to. They have nothing to lose. It is a professional courtesy that should be expected. If the employer releases them, they still have lost nothing.


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

plbgbiz said:


> If the employer releases them, they still have lost nothing.


Even if they don't have an immediate job lined up, they at least have unemployment benefits due to them until they do line one up.


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## leakfree (Apr 3, 2011)

Been thinking of doing the same thing the last couple of weeks,I'm pretty sure I'll be told to leave right away but I'm still going to give him 2 weeks notice anyway if I decide to leave him,what to do with me will be his decision.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

a person who gives me a two week notice , even if I did not care for the guy, at least I can respect.. and if I see him some day down the road at a supply house I would probably stop and talk to him...ask him how he is doing ect.... 

I have told a few of them in a freindly way to go ahead and take off that day if they wanted to..and I would find a way to get by ok...
I was not mad at them at all but I had the gut feeling their was gonna be a pulled back or torn shoulder ligament or some other injury might happen over the next two weeks......those "back injuries" have cost the insurance company a ton of money over the years, so I politely sent them on their way.....all in one peice..... 
free and clear of me.:yes:

I once had a guy leave my office , punch the wall and call me a sob... all becasue the health benefits I had set up for him and his family would not come onto line for another two weeks:blink:

this moron certainly burned his bridges and I 
would not stop to piss on him even if he were on fire.... 
no, on second thought I think I would piss on him...
but mostly all in his face.....:thumbsup:

you got to deal with all kinds of folks in your life, and its just
 wiser to be tactful and try to keep things civil...:yes:


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## Audidriver19 (Jul 27, 2013)

leakfree said:


> Been thinking of doing the same thing the last couple of weeks,I'm pretty sure I'll be told to leave right away but I'm still going to give him 2 weeks notice anyway if I decide to leave him,what to do with me will be his decision.


Ah good to see I'm not alone I guess. I did not give my notice today, I guess in my head I had thought there would be a "right moment".

On my drive home from the shop I realized there will never be a right moment, these guys will most likely be pissed. I need to do it in private, in person, and professionaly, and thats all I can control. Maybe tomorrow.


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## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

Give two weeks, for your own reputation and to leave the bridges open if need be.

If your current company tells you to scram bad on them, you took the appropriate action.

Last full time I left, I gave my employer a full month notice. Still friends to this day and get to go to their X-mas parties Woo Hoo.


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## victoryplbaz (May 19, 2012)

I gave my dad two week notice when I decided to move on. I went in the next day and he said he was firing me. Not sure where he was going with that. But I didn't care and I had things lined up already. 

Now being the owner...if a guy was to give two weeks I may let him finish it out in the office for now on. Had one do it and I let him work...funny thing happened. Somehow he hurt his back...hummmm interesting. Now when I decide to fire someone it's right away. I have had to lay off people and I gave them a month notice we will be cutting people and they are free to find other employment. Even kept two guys way beyond I should have just to help them out.


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## Leach713 (Nov 1, 2013)

Some times you can't give 2 week notice especial when you have to chase your money


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## ASUPERTECH (Jun 22, 2008)

I actually had a sit down with my last employer, my current employer, wanted me that day, I told then I would get back to them in 24hrs w/ start date. Sat down with old boss and just asked him how long he needed, I'd've been happy to even train some one 2-3-4 wks, good people + good employer= successe. They know it, you should too. Make it as professional as possible = no regrets...


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## Audidriver19 (Jul 27, 2013)

Well, I thought I'd let you guys know I gave my notice. They are utilizing my notice of leave and keeping me on for another week. My boss requested that I go out to breakfast with him tomorrow and discuss what made me leave/ seek other employment, which I will be honest with him, hopefully to make him realize some changes need to be made. May be awkward, hopefully not though. Thank you everyone for your imput.


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## JWBII (Dec 23, 2012)

Now IMO more employers should ask one's opinion as to why someone is leaving like your boss is. It's a smart move I think.


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## plumbing ninja (Jan 15, 2012)

Do an inventory so you don't forget anything when you've left. I forgotten things that were personally mine or given to me by sales reps

Some of the things I've forgotten when I've left...
CD's & glasses still in the vehicle!
Coffee cups, plates and tupperware in the lunchroom
Cell phone chargers in the car and office
torch pens
microscope pens
telescopic pen mirrors
magnifying glasses
cargo ratchets
socket sets and other tools
calculators (scientific)
reference books
fishing rods


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