Resignation Question

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Specializes in Neurosurgical ICU, Emergency, Psych, Art Therapy.

Hi,

I recently resigned from a nursing position at a hospital, as I was offered a new job out of state. Due to covid, the hiring process was a little slow, but I let my manager know as soon as I was certain about my new position. My current job policy is to give 4 working weeks notice, but I gave about 3 1/2 weeks notice and I was not able to change or adjust my end date. The policy states employees who do not give 4 or more weeks notice “may be considered ineligible for rehire” - key word is “may” but honestly I accepted the possibility of being ineligible for rehire bc that’s just the situation I’m in and I don’t anticipate working for this hospital again.

Long story short, I have a little over 2 weeks of work scheduled and my manager told me today that she spoke with HR and beyond being ineligible for rehire, they actually wanted me to submit my badge today. Despite being scheduled to work for over two more weeks, I will be paid my regularly scheduled hours until my chosen “resignation date”. Why would they literally pay me for shifts I’m literally not working? This isn’t coming out of my PTO either, apparently I will be paid as if I’m working my scheduled hours.
This was totally unexpected. I feel like I’m being tricked bc it seems too good to be true. I asked my manager to send me these stipulations in writing, and she did, which clearly states “You will not to work your remaining scheduled shifts and are ineligible for rehire. You will be paid as you would regularly for your full time hours until your resignation date.” My next pay day is next Friday so I hope this is completely true, but has anyone ever experienced or heard of anything like this?

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Let me preface by saying I'm no attorney and you can/should seek the help of one if you feel uneasy about it.

Having said that, most jobs have the right to end your employment as soon as you turn in your resignation despite how much notice you give. Many won't pay you until then but if they are willing to, appreciate it as a parting gift.

Are they paying you PTO you have left along with the wages as if you were still working or is some of it your PTO? Many jobs pay your PTO out when you resign.

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Specializes in Neurosurgical ICU, Emergency, Psych, Art Therapy.
2 minutes ago, NurseBlaq said:

Let me preface by saying I'm no attorney and you can/should seek the help of one if you feel uneasy about it.

Having said that, most jobs have the right to end your employment as soon as you turn in your resignation despite how much notice you give. Many won't pay you until then but if they are willing to, appreciate it as a parting gift.

Are they paying you PTO you have left along with the wages as if you were still working or is some of it your PTO? Many jobs pay your PTO out when you resign.

The policy is to pay out PTO at 50% but my manager clearly stated I’d be paid my regular hours as if I was working, then after my end date HR handles the PTO part. I’m on good terms with my manager and coworkers. I’m only suspicious bc it seems like a really generous thing to do, especially given the fact that I did not adhere to the policy. A few coworkers that have left were in similar situations where their end date was shy of 4 weeks, so they changed their end date then called out sick on days they didn’t want to work. I honestly just couldn’t commit to working the full 4 weeks so I ended up breaking the policy, but now I feel like I’m being rewarded...

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3 minutes ago, rubyagnes said:

The policy is to pay out PTO at 50% but my manager clearly stated I’d be paid my regular hours as if I was working, then after my end date HR handles the PTO part. I’m on good terms with my manager and coworkers. I’m only suspicious bc it seems like a really generous thing to do, especially given the fact that I did not adhere to the policy. A few coworkers that have left were in similar situations where their end date was shy of 4 weeks, so they changed their end date then called out sick on days they didn’t want to work. I honestly just couldn’t commit to working the full 4 weeks so I ended up breaking the policy, but now I feel like I’m being rewarded...

Well, you said you're on good terms with your manager and coworkers. Maybe they know you're unable to work the full 4 weeks and are appreciative of you willing to work until you can't knowing it will still make you ineligible for rehire. You're moving out of state right? That may be a parting gift since you were an unproblematic employee. Were those employees also paid their full schedule? They seem to like you. It's a possibility they're giving you the time off to get your affairs in order before you relocate. I would be thankful and not question it too much. It's not like you're committing armed robbery, they're volunteering to do it themselves.

FYI: From my understanding, if you give notice and call out during your notice, it could possibly make you ineligible for rehire. I don't work HR but have heard that may be the case depending on the facility and the employee.

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Specializes in Neurosurgical ICU, Emergency, Psych, Art Therapy.
Just now, NurseBlaq said:

Well, you said you're on good terms with your manager and coworkers. Maybe they know you're unable to work the full 4 weeks and are appreciative of you willing to work until you can't knowing it will still make you ineligible for rehire. You're moving out of state right? That may be a parting gift since you were an unproblematic employee. Were those employees also paid their full schedule? They seem to like you. It's a possibility they're giving you the time off to get your affairs in order before you relocate. I would be thankful and not question it too much. It's not like you're committing armed robbery, they're volunteering to do it themselves.

FYI: From my understanding, if you give notice and call out during your notice, it could possibly make you ineligible for rehire. I don't work HR but have heard that may be the case depending on the facility and the employee.

Thanks. I think I’ll feel a lot more secure once I’m actually paid as expected next week. The coworkers I’m referring to extended their 4 week expectation to adhere to the policy, but the policy also states employees can call out sick during that time frame bc I don’t think they can legally take sick leave away. Those employees still worked their regular hours, but also called out sick during that time period. Either way, perhaps it is a very generous and thoughtful parting gift - and if so, I am extremely thankful. Definitely not what I was expecting considering the fact that I knowingly broke the policy. Anyway, thanks for your advice!

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Just look at it like they know you broke the policy and more than likely know why but it's not because you were being a jerk, it's because you had to. That's better than just jumping ship and leaving because you could have done that, but you didn't. The extra pay may be in recognition of that. Either way, hope you get paid as expected and good luck!

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Specializes in retired LTC.

OP - PROMISE, PROMISE us that you'll check back in with us when you've moved on when your dealings with your employer finishes up. MAYBE this is a beneficent measure on their behalf; I hope so.

My concern is your PTO - that to me is iffy. But then I question everything and don't trust employers. ?

Hope it all works out for you & good luck.

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Specializes in Neurosurgical ICU, Emergency, Psych, Art Therapy.
10 hours ago, amoLucia said:

OP - PROMISE, PROMISE us that you'll check back in with us when you've moved on when your dealings with your employer finishes up. MAYBE this is a beneficent measure on their behalf; I hope so.

My concern is your PTO - that to me is iffy. But then I question everything and don't trust employers. ?

Hope it all works out for you & good luck.

I’ll def follow up next week. Honestly don’t have much PTO and it’s only paid out at 50% so I’m more interested in my expected pay. I have written documentation from my manager clearly stating I will be paid my regular hours up until my chosen resignation date which is two weeks from now - just seems like a good deal, which def makes me suspicious. Hopefully it just works out and I can move on ?

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Again, good luck to you.

***** Just for general info for others reading this post - I learned a looooong time ago, that the whims of Admin can be very vicarious. I learned the HARD way to use my PTO/benefits 'bank' in a timely fashion to keep it pretty much on the low side to cut any losses. I know of facilities where workers/employees would 'SAVE' up their time (vaca, holiday, educ days, etc) and then use them for one grand vacation. RISKY BUSINESS!

If you're working in an 'iffy' facility, you can lose those benefits. Even though you 'earned' them, they're meant to be USED while employed. NOT meant to be 'paid out' if you leave. So Admin can make a 'small bundle' off your benes if you're not too aware.

Just a word of caution to any of you out there thinking of an imminent departure, make sure your PTO benes won't become sacrificial fodder.

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Specializes in Oncology.

I am in the same boat. I turned in my 2 weeks notice today. My manager is very toxic, one of the reasons why I am leaving. My new job wants me to start Sept 1st. My manager called me saying that leaving with less than 4 weeks of notice during pandemic is called job abandonment. I would be ineligible for rehire and possibly lose my 100 hours of PTO I have built up. The manager told me they just received a memo the afternoon before that made the 4 weeks mandatory but nothing has been sent out to rest of the staff. I called HR and they have not heard of that policy and that 2 weeks is the minimum. My manager is giving me until Friday to change the date. I am in Georgia which sucks for the employees because they care about corporations more. If they refuse to pay my PTO I am looking to get a lawyer.

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Ask HR for a written policy on notice and PTO payout upon resignation. Do NOT change your date. You don't owe your manager anything. She's just trying to create a hostile work environment and bully you into staying because .... whatever her reason. If HR doesn't know anything about it, it doesn't exist!

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Specializes in Oncology.

The hospital is using coronavirus pandemic as a way of forcing people to give 4 weeks notice or its considered job abandonment and you lose your PTO payout. How can this be job abandonment when I give a typical 2 weeks notice and fulfill the shifts I am scheduled for those last two weeks? This supposedly went into effect this week but HR said it hasn't been widely distributed to everyone. I checked the policies and nothing from HR about minimum notice time. HR told me it is under the Covid policies. Hiding HR policies in something else is shady. I printed off the policies of PTO payout and what policies were in the HR folders, showing that there was no such policy readily available. The hospital has been having a high turnover especially on the two floors that my manager runs because of low morale and manipulative behavior from her.

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