When you have decided to quit your job, you should know the rules for giving notice. These will most often be according to the Act on Salaried Employees or your employment contract.
If you are included in the Act on Salaried Employees, you can resign by giving one month’s notice to the first of that month. For example, if you wish to leave by April 30, your employer should receive your notice by March 31.
If you are not included in the Act on Salaried Employees’ rules for giving notice, it is the rules of your contract which apply. If there is nothing in your contract about giving notice, you can quit with one day’s notice. In the sector of academic professionals, it is typically teaching or journalist work that is not regulated by the Act on Salaried Employees.
If you wish to leave earlier than is allowed by your rules of notice, you should make an agreement with your employer.
How to resign
When you decide to resign you should do it in written form, so that you can document that you have given your notice.
You can formulate your resignation as such:
“I (name), am quitting my position on today’s date, taking effect on (your last day of work).”
Your resignation does not need to include a reason for why you have decided to quit.
DM recommends that you turn in your resignation personally to your closest manager with personnel responsibilities. It is your responsibility that the notice of resignation is received in time. If it cannot be done, for example if you are sick, you can send a registered letter in the mail and ask for a receipt that it has been accepted.
Unemployment benefits
If your unemployment insurance fund evaluates that you do not have a valid reason to quit, you will be place in quarantine before your unemployment benefits can be paid out.
Contact your unemployment insurance fund for advice on the consequences of your resignation for your right to unemployment benefits.
Are you starting a new job?
If you are starting a new job, it is typically a good idea to wait with resigning until you have signed your new employment contract.
Contact DM for advice if you are going to negotiate a new contract.
Who is included in the Act on Salaried Employees?
You are included in the Act on Salaried Employees’ rules of notice, if you are employed according to an academic collective agreement in the public sector.
As an employee in the private sector, you will be included in the Act’s rules of notice if it says so in your employment contract.
If it does not say in your contract whether you are included in the Act, the rules of notice could still apply to you. This would be in situations where your work gives you functionary status.
DM can help you evaluate if you have functionary status.
Extended notice
You can agree on a reciprocal extended notice period with your employer. If you have this kind of agreement in your contract, it will be this term of notice that applies—even if you are otherwise covered by the Act on Salaried Employees.
Trial period
You will typically begin your employment with a trial period of up to three months. In the trial period, the requirement to give notice from your employer’s side will be shortened to 14 days, unless something else is agreed upon. A trial period of three month means that a resignation notice should fall within the three months and therefore that a potential resignation should occur at the latest after 2 ½ months.
If the 14 days extend past the 3 months, you have the right to 1 month’s termination notice.
Remember that the trial period should be agreed upon in the employment contract or in an addendum to the contract, in order for you or your employer to consider it applicable.
Have you become unemployed and are switching over to unemployment benefits?
If you become unemployed and go on unemployment benefits, you can apply for a reduced membership fee at DM. You can do this through Mit DM.
