Resignation Help

[kme]

So my H has worked for a consulting firm (company A) for the past 1.5yrs. His current project (that ends this week) has extended him a job offer (company B) that we will take but it starts 6/17. He will have about a month the break with no project. Also on 6/14 he is scheduled to receive a $30k bonus (company A, we’ve confirmed he just needs to be on payroll to receive this even if he placed his resignation). He was planning on giving a 2 week notice.

Typically in his field once one project ends, he is sourced to another one. It is common to have a couple days to a few weeks break between projects (depending on starts and end dates). Because he is leaving Company A and his current project is ending, he is learning towards not sourcing for another project and just waiting out the month (This was advice from another person who left the company). So essentially, company A would still paying his salary but no revenue is bringing generated.

He feels super bad on leaving and is trying to take the burden. Now, I think waiting out the month with no project is a huge risk that he would just be let go. I think he should move forward with another project (he has an offer to start a new one this Monday) and just plan on resigning 2 weeks before. He did say he wants to propose an “office project” during the month break so the company still gets value from him.... thoughts?

[hamster]

Not what you are asking, but I would try and push back the start date with company B thay allows him to turn in his resignation after he gets the 30k. It's not uncommon for a company to let a person walk out early during their 2 week notice, and I would imagine the odds of that are even higher if they have 30k on the line.

[puppylove64]

I would not give my notice until after I received that $30k bonus! I can see them finding a way to get out of it otherwise

[k3am]

No notice until he's collected that bonus. DH has at least one employee quit on him the day/day after quarterly and annual bonuses are paid out.

Is it common for his firm to let go of people who are on the bench? Most consulting companies expect to have employees on the bench from time to time and build it into their model - unless someone is consistently unstaffed, they wouldn't be let go over it. And while he won't be generating billable hours on the bench, he's not just sitting and twiddling his thumbs - DH seems to put in MORE work when he's on the bench than when he's staffed.

[konapoppy]

Has he asked company B to pay his bonus as a sign on? If not, they should be willing to push out his start date.

As PP said, it is VERY normal for people to resign right after bonuses are paid out.

[madringal]

So at my previous company, you had to be on the payroll to receive your bonus. But if you gave your resignation and you are leaving for a competitor then they basically call it a day, and pay you out for your two weeks and all remaining vacation days and your effective date is that day. So....like PPs said I wouldn't give any kind of notice until that bonus was in my account. And again, it's very common. This is nothing to feel bad about.

[madringal]

Oh and Feb 15th was bonus day and Feb 16 was referred to as "resignation day".

[kme]

All great advice. It’s all just a mess. I’ll see if he can change the start date.

To follow up on questions:
- no his company doesn’t let people go in the bench. They’re a smaller firm and have consistent projects. He himself has never been benched.
- We are getting a sign on bonus from Comp B and was able to push back the date to June 17th so we could get the bonus from Comp A. They actually wanted him to start sooner.
- yes that was my concern that if his resigned was he would
Not be eligible to receive the $30k bonus. H said he looked through all policies and spoke with previous company higher ups that have resigned and has found nothing that he can’t submit a resignation- he just needs to be on payroll.
- He has no non-compete. He’s actually overseeing contractor projects/contracts at Comp B. I would think that is Comp A ever wanted to sell work again there they would want to stay on his good side...

[k3am]

So.. your OP says it's common to go days/weeks between projects without being staffed. It says that YH talked to a prior employee at his current firm that recommends not getting staffed on a project in the interim. Your followup says that this isn't allowed, but I'm guessing based on your original post and his discussions with prior employees, it would not be unheard of for him to spend a couple weeks on the bench.

So I don't think the big issue here is whether he actively persues getting staffed in the interim.

Basically, you're worried about his start date and his bonus. I would not rely on YH being on payroll at 6/14 if he gives notice 6/1. Are all companies jerks that would pay someone out on their two weeks notice and avoid paying a bonus? Nope. But a lot of them are, so you have to be aware of the risk.

If you want to ensure that he gets his bonus, he provides his notice the minute those funds hit his account.

DH is currently doing the same thing - leaving consulting, going to work for his Company B. Company B is paying him a sign on bonus that replaces his quarterly bonus (and then some) so that he starts there sooner. This was all considered and discussed during the negotiation phase.

[lolalolalola]

May 15, 2019 10:47:24 GMT -5 k3am said:

Basically, you're worried about his start date and his bonus. I would not rely on YH being on payroll at 6/14 if he gives notice 6/1. Are all companies jerks that would pay someone out on their two weeks notice and avoid paying a bonus? Nope. But a lot of them are, so you have to be aware of the risk.

This x 1000%

The best way to reduce the likelihood of this happening is for him to start a new engagement ASAP, so that there needs to be a handover when he leaves. If he is sitting on the bench, it makes it that much easier for him to be walked out the door on the day he gives his resignation.

[waverly]

My H is a little nutty lol, but he has actually started new jobs while on the bench. He’s had some rough jobs after leaving consulting so being on the bench allows him to try out the new job without having to quit his original job. In one case he kept original job and in the second case he did resign eventually, but no bonus on the line timing wise. Maybe doesn’t apply in your situation.

He was at a large company that does not let go of people when they are on the bench. They will let them go if they don’t hit billable but not for being benched.

[k3am]

May 15, 2019 19:41:15 GMT -5 waverly said:

My H is a little nutty lol, but he has actually started new jobs while on the bench. He’s had some rough jobs after leaving consulting so being on the bench allows him to try out the new job without having to quit his original job. In one case he kept original job and in the second case he did resign eventually, but no bonus on the line timing wise. Maybe doesn’t apply in your situation.

He was at a large company that does not let go of people when they are on the bench. They will let them go if they don’t hit billable but not for being benched.

Does his company know that’s what he’s doing when he’s on the bench? At the very least, this just seems unethical to me, unless he’s on the bench AND taking vacation time. And even then, I don’t see how or why his current company would be okay with it.

[kme]

Good update: His contract is being extended until 6/7. He’ll only be 1 week without a project. That’s a great relief...

[waverly]

May 15, 2019 20:18:56 GMT -5 k3am said:

May 15, 2019 19:41:15 GMT -5 waverly said:

My H is a little nutty lol, but he has actually started new jobs while on the bench. He’s had some rough jobs after leaving consulting so being on the bench allows him to try out the new job without having to quit his original job. In one case he kept original job and in the second case he did resign eventually, but no bonus on the line timing wise. Maybe doesn’t apply in your situation.

He was at a large company that does not let go of people when they are on the bench. They will let them go if they don’t hit billable but not for being benched.

Does his company know that’s what he’s doing when he’s on the bench? At the very least, this just seems unethical to me, unless he’s on the bench AND taking vacation time. And even then, I don’t see how or why his current company would be okay with it.

He did take vacation time for the second time. I think the first time he was just going to resign and realized the job sucked so he had to rethink it all and stop his resignation from going further. I think he talked to his boss but didn’t put it to HR yet. They allow people to take leaves of absences for up to a year I think like if someone wants to work at a start up, so they are open to it in the right way. Since I wasn’t super involved I can’t say he did it 100% the right way but HR which is pretty far removed didn’t say they had an issue but his boss was mad he was quitting in general.