The Basics
Many readers will be surprised to learn that the obligation to
give notice of termination of employment is two-sided. The
requirement that an employer give advance notice to an employee is
well known. Just as the company is obliged by law to do so, the
employee has the same legal obligation when resigning from a job.
This is not as well known or understood.
The damage claim an employer may make against an employee who
fails to give proper notice is considerable. Take, for example, an
extreme situation to illustrate the principle. A senior marketing
vice-president of a large company is in the middle of presenting a
bid for a major contract in a competitive market. The contest is
down to two finalists. His presence is critical to the success of
the bid. He resigns abruptly prior to the final presentation, and
his company loses the bid.
