Should An Employee Resign or Wait to Be Fired – Ask #HR Bartender
Today’s reader question is a tough one. Should an employee resign or wait to get fired?
I have been asked to resign for breaking a company policy. It was not my job to report an incident that occurred. But I did anyway and notified my supervisor, who says I did not. I have no witnesses or documentation to prove my story. Do I have a leg to stand on?
Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of detail here. But in thinking about a response, it occurred to me that we’ve talked about some similar scenarios in the past. So, I’ve put together this list of resources that hopefully can help.
Sometimes before employees are asked to resign or directly terminated, they’re placed on suspension. This article goes into “What to Do If You’re Placed on Suspension”.
The reader note doesn’t mention HR at all so I’m not sure if they play a role in this situation. But here’s a good read on what to consider when “HR Failed to Investigate an Incident”.
And if HR was involved and they call you in for a meeting. Here’s the answer to your question about “Can You Bring Your Mother to a Meeting With HR”.
The reader note does mention that “Management Is Not Helping Me”.
This situation deals with failure to report an incident. This article focuses specifically on whether an employee “Can I Get Fired for an Accident”.
This article addresses the question “Should I Quit or Wait to Get Fired”. Different employee situation. The logic might apply.
Should an employee choose to resign, here’s “How to Resign from Your Job Properly”.
This post on “Ending the Employment Relationship” talks about requests to get copies of your personnel file. And this article on “Final Paychecks: Do’s and Don’ts” can give you some background information about when and how your final paycheck should be processed.
Finally, I’m not advocating that every employee takes this route but sometimes it might make sense. “Employees: Know When Should You Lawyer Up”
I want to extend a huge thanks to the attorneys who help me answer these questions on a regular basis. They don’t have to say “yes” when I call, but they do. And for that, I’m eternally grateful. I hope their words of wisdom help.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby at the 34th Street Graffiti Wall in Gainesville, FL
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