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Somiron Das (Associate)     10 July 2012

Advice needed on terminating without serving notice period

Dear experts,

The termination clause in my appointment letter says: "This employment can be terminated by either side, by giving one month notice or salary in lieu of the notice period. However under no circumstances the releiving period can be less than one (1) month from the date of acceptance of your resignation".

The present scenario is that I can serve only one week's notice. I have got an offer to join a company and under no circumstance they are willing to postpone the joining date.

1. As per the above clause, am I eligible to pay the company proportionate amount of salary for the number of days I do not serve the notice period ?

2. Can the existing company take any legal action if I do not go to office after one week ? I have sent my resignation mail where I have mentioned that I am ready to pay proportionate amount of salary. It has been accepted but they are asking me to serve one month's notice period.

Kindly advice.

Thanks and best regards.



Learning

 10 Replies

Adv Rohit Dalmia 9324538481 (Lawyer)     10 July 2012

Dear Somiron,

 

First tell me since when you are working in the present company and do you have any balance paid leaves which you can adjust against the balance notice period??? so that you shall not be liable to pay any salary to the organization.

Kindly confirm this issue first.

Also, if you have good repo with your boss then he can waive off your notice period too.

As you have asked that if you don't go after one week then the company shall not give your reliving letter which you may require for the new company. Also they may communicate about this issue to your new company too which might affect your reputation in the new company.

Somiron Das (Associate)     10 July 2012

Dear Mr. Dalmia,

I worked in a company for almost 3 yrs 6 months which was taken over 2 weeks back. I have the release letter from that organization. Thus, no leaves as of now and the HR is insiting to stay and serve the notice period. The new company is willing to buy out and they do not need a release letter. They simply need my resignation mail which I have already sent and they are good with it.

Now, will it be an issue if I do not go to office from Monday ? I will obviously send an official mail on my last working day.

Can the company take any legal action against me ?

Does the termination clause allow me to pay out ?

Thanks and best regards.

Somiron Das (Associate)     11 July 2012

My HR is saying that the termination clause also includes “However under no circumstances the relieving period can be less than one (1) month from the date of acceptance of your resignation.”

Then what is the implication of the clause “This employment can be terminated by either side, by giving one month notice or salary in lieu of the notice period” ?

Can I leave without serving the notice period by paying my salary parportionate to the amount of days for which I will not serve the notice period ?

Adv Rohit Dalmia 9324538481 (Lawyer)     11 July 2012

Kindly call me up on 09324538481.

Kumar Doab (FIN)     11 July 2012

Mr. Dalmia has given valuable advice. Kindly follow it.

In a given situation employee can  invoke the provisions of Industrial Employment Standing Orders Act, SE act applicable to the state, Payment of Wages Act, ID act as per explanation of employee under these enactments or approach civil court.

You may apply your goodwill, rapport, and persuasion, persistence, reasoning, negotiation, skills and minute the pending tasks/assignments and resolve the matter in your favor.

You may carefully look into the task/assignments on hand and exit formalities/exit format of your company and submit a written representation under acknowledgment addressed to good offices of your appointing authority, MD, CEO, Company Secretary and conclude that tasks on hand shall be completed by you within ………(say 7 days) and company should inform you in writing the designated employee for knowledge transfer, handing over the charge and company property by you immediately so that you can perform the task from your end. You may clearly mention the effective date of your resignation/last day in office in your notice of resignation. The contract can be terminated by employee or employer. In your case you are initiating the termination and you may mention that notice pay be adjusted in FNF statement.

You have posted that:

--“The new company is willing to buy out and they do not need a release letter.”

You may ask the current employer to adjust notice pay for shortfall in notice period ( basic+DA or as agreeable to you), encash paid/privileged leave, wages for the period you have worked, incentive etc, in FNF statement and affirm that if any amounts in correct FNF statement is payable by you  shall pay the same by a/c payee cheque against a proper acknowledgment on the spot. Thus you shall get form16 as per FNF statement and as your new employer is buying out the notice pay, you shall not be subjected to double taxation.

--“They simply need my resignation mail which I have already sent and they are good with it.” Try and obtain an agreement even if by email or you may minute the essence of the agreement even if by email. Verbal committements may not rescue you in case of a situation.

You must keep your new employer on your side and in case last employer/HR becomes adventurous and barges into writing to your next employer to malign you, you may explain the situation in writing to new HR and ask them to forward their reply with a copy to you. You may charge the last HR/employer by name for criminal defamation. Let them drag their feet to courts at their expense.

--The clauses mentioned in appointment letter are conflicting. Employer on its own must not implement or push the penultimate and bad clauses. Al clauses mentioned in a contract even if accepted may not be legally enforceable. The craftsman who craft the appointment letter do include the inner wishes of employer knowing that majority of the employees may not muster courage to challenge them, and majority of the employees easily get subdued by tactics employers/HR use.

--“My HR is saying”. You may come out of saying and telling and better be in written mode and build record in your favor. This HR should acknowledge the receipt of notice and communicate their version in writing to you. You may demand acknowledgment and acceptance be supplied to you in writing.

--You may write to your employer to let you examine your personnel file maintained in their office and contest the adverse comments if any.

While in employment you may take out the copies of certified standing orders of the company (if any), leave rules, employee rule book, HR policy etc and all other relevant records which may help you later.

Although you have submitted resignation by email you may submit resignation by letter thru redg. post and narrate all incidences. On your last day you may submit final resignation citing effective date of termination of contract and notice of termination initiated by you.

 

 

Somiron Das (Associate)     11 July 2012

The HR as well as my manager is not willing to release me before 7th Aug. I will not be able to convince them as there is a resource crunch.

In the offer letter of the new company, they have mentioned 'Resignation letter' in the list of documents I need to submit. Moreover, my cousin is in that company and he has also confirmed that a release letter from my present organization is not required. A takeover had taken place and I posses a release letter dated 15th June, 2012. Thus, I hope there won't be any problem in the future regarding job continuity. 

My resignation has been accepted over email but they have written that my last working day will be 7th Aug. I have replied to the mail writing: "As per my appointment letter, the termination clause says, “This employment can be terminated by either side, by giving one month notice or salary in lieu of the notice period”. Thus, I would give proportionate amount of salary as I will not be able to serve the notice period till the 7th of Aug 2012. My last day in office will be 14th July 2012 and I will provide complete handover of my activities by then."

The HR has replied to my email: "Request you to go though the clause properly, it also says “However under no circumstances the relieving period can be less than one (1) month from the date of acceptance of your resignation.”" 

Can HR/company hold me back to serve notice for 1 month even if I am willing to pay out ? The new company where I am eager to join is ready to pay the buy out amount.

As adviced, on my last day, I would submit a final resignation. Can I leave without any tension ?

Thanks and regards.

Kumar Doab (FIN)     11 July 2012

If you have written effective date of your resignation/last day in office in your notice of resignation by email then you have notified the company by notice of resignation. If you have written effective date of your resignation/last day in office by your reply by email to HR then you have notified by this email.

It is felt that as you have initiated the termination, you have to notify the date of termination, and as per contract you have to compensate by tendering notice pay which you have already stated.

Once again it is felt that once company has agreed to accept notice pay in case of resignation it must not make a contradicting statement and impress that date of termination shall be decided by it. Company is calling it date of relieving.

Another fact is as mentioned by you "as there is a resource crunch."

Company may become vindictive and may chase you and deny FNF settlement, relieving letter, block or delay PF transfer, form 16, post adverse comments in your personnel file and reference check etc, and may write to your new employer, may not accept resignation, may declare you absconding, may claim that your absence has caused loss.

You may complete all tasks/assignments keeping your boss, HR in loop, build favorable written record for use at appropriate time in appropriate forum.

You must appraise new company HR, line management and take them into confidence. They must support you if current employer writes to new employer.

Let your lawyer structure your reply to current HR.

 

Somiron Das (Associate)     11 July 2012

I have mentioned my last day in office. Below are the mails which I have sent. Is it good enough for me to terminate service ? I would also send a mail on my last day. This should prevent them from saying that I am absconding. I am asking so much in detail as I want to be absolutely sure.

My resignation mail was: 

"Kindly consider this as my official resignation from my services from the Position of Associate effective from today, 9th July, 2012.

I would request you to consider 14th July, 2012 as my last working day. Proportionate amount of my salary may be adjusted, for the duration for which I will not be able to serve the notice period, from my FNF settlement.

I appreciate the opportunity provided to me."

Over mail, this was accepted but they mentioned that my last working day would be 7th Aug.

My reply was:

"Thanks for accepting my resignation

However, as per my appointment letter, the termination clause says, “This employment can be terminated by either side, by giving one month notice or salary in lieu of the notice period”. Thus, I would give proportionate amount of salary as I will not be able to serve the notice period till the 7th of Aug 2012. My last day in office will be 14th July 2012 and I will provide complete handover of my activities by then.

Again, thank you for your consideration."

HR's reply: 

"Request you to go though the clause properly, it also says “However under no circumstances the relieving period can be less than one (1) month from the date of acceptance of your resignation.”

Kumar Doab (FIN)     11 July 2012

As you are not able to serve the entire notice period you should affirm to tender notice pay, which you have.

You may approach good offices of your appointing authority, MD, CEO, Company Secretary and seek relief. Let your lawyer structure your reply to HR and representation to good offices.

Despite all steps taken by you, and despite your best efforts, and if the good offices also do not provide relief then you shall have to contest the actions of the company, and you may approach your lawyer.

Complete all tasks on hand and submit in writing under acknowledgment with a copy to you and list all assignments on hand that mention that no assignment is pending. Do not leave any room for the company to charge you on leaving assignments incomplete and having caused loss or any other count. If you have upfront customers cajole them to write that their work is completed by you. Build record in your favor.

It is reiterated that you may sound your new employer in writing that your current employer may not issue/supply acceptance of resignation, FNF statement, relieving letter, and firm up with new employer so that it stands by you in case current company approaches new employer.

You can proceed under SE act applicable to your state for service/work experience certificate.

Adv Rohit Dalmia 9324538481 (Lawyer)     12 July 2012

Dear Somiron,

 

There wont be any issue since the Termination Clause has conflicting statements therefore you need not worry. The Employer is trying to pressurize you by making you work with them till 7th August which you need not do. In the Court of Law they won't get any benefit.

 

Relax and join Your New Company from Monday. But You need to write down the HR Dept., Your Boss on your last working day i.e. 13th July, 2012 as a Good Bye Mail and also if needed you can avail the advocate services to prepare a latter for you.

Incase you need any further assistance you may call me again on 09324538481.

 

Regards,


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