What to Do before You Quit Your Job

While quitting your job may promise to be an exciting game changer, it is also a huge decision that should not be executed impulsively. Before you walk out the door of your current position, be sure you have taken the following steps:

• Know your company’s rules and regulations. Learn how your voluntary termination impacts salary, bonus pay, health insurance, PTO (vacation and sick leave), expense reimbursement, and the handling of retirement accounts. If any of the issues are unclear, speak with your company’s Human Resources department.

• Protect yourself. Before you go work for a company who can be considered a competitor, be sure there isn’t a non-compete agreement in place which prevents that from happening.

• Be in the know during your search for a different job. If you don’t wait until you are unemployed to begin the job hunt process (think: A continuing paycheck will enable you to be pickier about your next position and employers are typically more interested in job seekers who are currently employed), you should still be careful about voicing your job search either online or even to coworkers.  If your employer finds out you’re in the market for another job, that alone could be ripe grounds for a potential termination.  Moreover, balancing your existing job and job hunting generates its own set of suggested guidelines.

  • Establish non-work contact information. The email account and telephone number you provide and use in your job search should be independent of where you work.

  • Do not use your current company’s technology network when looking for future jobs. Things such as internet searches and phone calls should never be made on company-owned computers or cell phones.

  • Increase your visibility on LinkedIn. Without doing an overhaul all at once (which may generate suspicion of your desired departure), be sure your LinkedIn profile is up-t0-date, thorough and public.

• Do not take or keep any company property. While you may want to consider taking home important personal items you have at work (since quitting can sometimes lead to being escorted out of the building), do not remove anything belonging to your employer, especially anything that could be considered confidential.  If you’re not sure—talk to an lawyer.

• Get your money first. Many companies have written policies indicating that you must be employed with them at the time the bonus is paid to receive it. So try to stay long enough to collect any incentive money you are owed.  What about your final paycheck?  Typically, an employer only has to pay you for the time that you’ve actually worked, so if you’re let go after putting in your two weeks—you may not end up getting paid for that time you aren’t working.

• Leave on the best terms possible with your current employer. While you may dislike what you’re doing now, you never know when you’ll need a recommendation or end up crossing paths again. Therefore, it’s a smart decision not to burn any bridges.

To discuss your employment law issues with a labor law expert, please contact us online or call our offices at (561) 653-0008 to learn how we can help you. At Scott Law Team, our approachable and knowledgeable lawyers are dedicated to providing skilled legal representation for your unique situation.