- Is it okay to resign effective immediately?
- What is a good resignation letter with immediate effect?
- 1. Mention your last day
- 2. State the reason for resignation
- 3. Keep the tone professional
- 4. Add your contact details
- 5. Ask the right questions
- 6. Thoroughly proofread the letter
- Key takeaways
Contrary to popular belief, resigning without serving your notice period is not illegal. In some cases, it becomes a necessity. Here’s how you can write a proper resignation letter effective immediately.
The laws of workplace professionalism often dictate that you must give your employer sufficient notice if you’re planning to quit your job. After that, you have to serve your notice period. However, there might be instances where you must leave your job abruptly. And this is where a resignation letter effective immediately comes in.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at:
The circumstances that may require leaving your job abruptly
How to write a proper resignation letter that’s effective immediately
Is it okay to resign effective immediately?
In most cases, it’s considered professional courtesy to give an employer at least a two-week notice when handing over your resignation letter. This period is important as it allows you to wrap up your work and any pending projects, and it also gives your supervisor the time to consider knowledge transfer. However, there are situations where you might feel unable to give this notice.
These situations include the following:
You’re dealing with a personal crisis. Examples include the death of a loved one, a serious medical diagnosis, or other health reasons.
You’re not being compensated for your work. Your salary has not been paid in a while now.
You’ve experienced some form of harassment. Whether harassment or violence at the workplace, you may no longer feel safe working there.
Your employer has asked you to partake in an illegal or immoral activity. They asked for your participation and are threatening you with consequences if you disobey.
You have evidence of illegal action. Your organization has engaged in illicit activities, and you’re required to disclose this information by law.
What is a good resignation letter with immediate effect?
Even if you want to leave your employer as soon as possible, you still need to send them a resignation letter. Here are six tips to consider when writing a resignation letter effective immediately:
Expert Tip
Before preparing a resignation letter with immediate effect, review your employment contract carefully. Some organizations insert competing clauses in their contracts that prevent former employees from working with a competitor. Also, consider talking to a legal expert if there are any complex stipulations that prevent you from resigning without giving notice.
1. Mention your last day
After stating your intent to resign from your current job role, the most important thing to mention in your resignation letter is your last day at work. Your employer needs to know the date you’re leaving so that they can complete the exit formalities, such as conducting an exit interview and settling your dues, if any.
2. State the reason for resignation
While it’s important to state the reason you want to leave your employer, you don’t have to delve into the details. For example, if you’re quitting your job because of a debilitating health condition, you can simply mention that you’re resigning due to illness. You can tell your employer about the details during your exit interview later.
3. Keep the tone professional
Irrespective of your reason for resignation, keep that letter professional. Maintain a professional and positive tone throughout. Thank the employer for providing you with the career opportunity and mention how much you’ve learned and grown during your tenure.
4. Add your contact details
Whether you’re typing a resignation letter or sending an email, include your contact details. This way, your employer can send your final paycheck and any other outstanding amounts.
5. Ask the right questions
Since you’re leaving the company, you probably have some questions. These could include how your final paycheck will be delivered to you and how the organization will pay off any outstanding amounts. Your resignation letter is the right place to ask these questions and obtain some clarity from the HR manager.
6. Thoroughly proofread the letter
Like all professional documents, a resignation letter must be thoroughly proofread before it is submitted. After all, it’s your last chance to leave a good impression on your employer. For this reason, ensure your final communication is free from basic grammatical errors that could’ve been easily caught.
Here is a sample resignation letter effective immediately that you can consider using.
[Your full name] [Your address] [Your phone number and email address] [Date]
[Full name of your supervisor or HR manager] [Company name]
Dear [Name],
I am writing to provide my formal notice of immediate resignation from my [job title] role at [company name] due to [reason for departure]. Given the nature of the circumstances, I regret to inform you that I will not be able to give the customary two-week notice; my last day of work will be [date]. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience my departure may cause and I appreciate your understanding.
Please advise me on what steps I need to take to have my final paycheck processed as well as any paperwork I may need to complete. I am available for a meeting with Human Resources, if necessary.
I would like to thank you for providing me with this amazing opportunity. I am grateful to this organization, and all the guidance I have received throughout my tenure that has helped me grow professionally.
Sincerely, [Your full name]
Writing an effective resignation letter is just one of the many facets of corporate life. To learn more about the skills you need to succeed in your career, check out our career coaching services.
Key takeaways
While providing notice before you leave a job is customary, it’s not a legal requirement.
Writing a resignation letter effective immediately is one way to skip your notice period.
If you want to resign effective immediately, you should have a compelling reason to do so.
