Countless times clients have come to me dissatisfied and unhappy with their current jobs. They feel that the grass is greener on the other side. They may even be experiencing perceived problems at the office and can’t take it anymore. However, the best thing one can do when their inner voice is telling them to quit is NOT TO QUIT.
Resigning from a position could be a catastrophic move for many reasons. First, by resigning, you may forfeit your ability to collect additional paid-for-employer medical benefits. If you are not working, paid medical coverage usually ceases as soon as you walk out the door. One must assess if this is something you cannot afford to live without.
Another reason why you should not resign is that by quitting, you usually forfeit any opportunity to collect unemployment insurance benefits (unless you had a good reason for quitting, which is often difficult to prove). Unemployment insurance benefits are crucial for any worker and helps them land on their feet as they attempt to find a new job.
Additionally, if you resign from a job you risk having a gap on your résumé limiting your chances of obtaining future employment. Having a time-gap in employment deters recruiters and job-fillers from selecting you.
Resigning from a job also puts you at a serious disadvantage when negotiating severance. If one leaves their job voluntarily, there is no requirement for the employer to give them money. Although an employer is not required by law to give severance to any employee unless stated in a signed contract or offer letter (or unless it is offered after a termination) this is not the case when one resigns from a job, so understand the consequences of your decision before doing so.
While there may be some instances in which resigning may be appropriate, leaving a job with no backup plan in most cases will not only hurt you, but be problematic regarding near-term earnings and severance compensation and might make you unattractive in the workforce.
If you are thinking of leaving your job, or you have been terminated, give the Law Offices of Andrew Ross Sack a call. Andrew Ross Sack is a New York and New Jersey employment lawyer who has considerable experience in handling the many aspects of labor and employment law. To schedule a consultation with New York City/Long Island/Westchester employment lawyer Andrew Ross Sack, call (516) 526-3319.
