Can I resign immediately for health reasons

[Dannydee]

Hi,

I've recently come back to the office full-time after losing one of my sisters in August. For September I was working from home after a few weeks off in August, and now I'm back in the office.

I now have crippling anxiety, though, in the aftermath of losing my sister. I haven't had time to process it properly, and it's a real struggle to get through the day, trying to put a brave face on. For about 2 hours on Tuesday I just about refrained from bursting into tears, but I managed to hold it in. Only just. In fact some tears did get out but thankfully nobody noticed.

The lady acting head of ops at the moment has always been very assertive and reasonable. She emphasises how important it is for me to be in the office, but I'm dying trying to hold it together.

Is resigning with immediate effect under such circumstances a thing? If anything I'd probably speak to her before, just to gather her thoughts on it. Rather than just dropping the bombshell. It's a relatively new company only just moving into its second year from launch and I've been there from the very beginning.

I have another freelance, flexible, remote editing and proofreading job on the side that I can probably increase my hours on. Right now I need an environment that isn't so stressful and heavy on me, and my side job is exactly that.

Anyone know anything about this?

 

[AlanJ1]

Hi,

Sorry to hear about you losing one of your sisters.

I would speak to your manager or the lady acting head of ops and be totally open about this.

To answer the direct question you have, you will be contracted to a notice period. However how enforceable this would be under your circumstances if they did decide to take it further could be very dubious.

 

[MBE2017]

Yes you can, but I would suggest you talk to your employer regarding your stressful mental condition at the moment, and hopefully avoid resignation altogether. Most employers would be sympathetic under such circumstances, if they are not then maybe you are better off leaving anyway.

 

[WaveJumper]

Sorry to hear about your loss truly devastating. As above you need to speak to your manager or HR and let them know how you are feeling. The mark of a good company is how they support you through this. I have had staff face just the same situation you are in now and for the grace of god it could be anyone of us in the same situation please speak to you manager / HR before doing anything else.

 

[Deleted member 59730]

From experience this is a problem that only afflicts employees. The self employed don't have this problem. This suggests that there an underlying problem with job satisfaction.

 

[IanSuth]

From experience this is a problem that only afflicts employees. The self employed don't have this problem. This suggests that there an underlying problem with job satisfaction.

I know a self employed person who ended up personally bankrupt after becoming agoraphobic due to stress and hiding from all his responsibilities and not seeking new business - so it doesn't just happen to employees. Mental health crisis can affect anyone without warning

 

[Deleted member 59730]

I know a self employed person who ended up personally bankrupt after becoming agoraphobic due to stress and hiding from all his responsibilities and not seeking new business

That is a different problem. I have known many self employed people, myself included, who carried on working after a death in the family. WE didn't get depressed.

 

[Paul Carmen]

That is a different problem. I have known many self employed people, myself included, who carried on working after a death in the family. WE didn't get depressed.

There will be many employed people who return to work immediately too. I've been straight back to work a couple of times after a death in my family, both as an employee and whilst running my own business.

Everyone and every situation is different. Anyone can have mental health problems. To generalise like that when you don't know the individual or their circumstances makes no sense.

 

[DontAsk]

You can resign with immediate effect any time you want. The question is will they sue for breach of contract or simply withhold any notice payment.

First point of call should be your GP. It sounds like you are to I'll to be in work at the moment.

 

[Jamie Goodwin]

Hi,

I've recently come back to the office full-time after losing one of my sisters in August. For September I was working from home after a few weeks off in August, and now I'm back in the office.

I now have crippling anxiety, though, in the aftermath of losing my sister. I haven't had time to process it properly, and it's a real struggle to get through the day, trying to put a brave face on. For about 2 hours on Tuesday I just about refrained from bursting into tears, but I managed to hold it in. Only just. In fact some tears did get out but thankfully nobody noticed.

The lady acting head of ops at the moment has always been very assertive and reasonable. She emphasises how important it is for me to be in the office, but I'm dying trying to hold it together.

Is resigning with immediate effect under such circumstances a thing? If anything I'd probably speak to her before, just to gather her thoughts on it. Rather than just dropping the bombshell. It's a relatively new company only just moving into its second year from launch and I've been there from the very beginning.

I have another freelance, flexible, remote editing and proofreading job on the side that I can probably increase my hours on. Right now I need an environment that isn't so stressful and heavy on me, and my side job is exactly that.

Anyone know anything about this?

Sorry to hear what you have gone through - it cannot be easy.
You can resign with immediate effect if you feel that this will solve the issues, but the best practice would be to arrange a meeting with your line manager and highlight the concerns you have. They may be able to help you. If they cannot, then ‘agree’ an ‘exit plan’ - could you be placed on gardening leave for your notice period? That could be a possibility but you would need to ask.

 

[Paul MH]

That is a different problem. I have known many self employed people, myself included, who carried on working after a death in the family. WE didn't get depressed.

This very much sounds like "Mental illness isn't real".

 

[Dannydee]

Thank you to each and every one of you who gave me advice.

I wanted to resign this Monday morning coming, and transition into my freelance work. But my US boss says she can't take me on full time until January 1st, but that we have some amazing projects coming up for Q1 2022. And I'm a cert at that point.

This actually sounds picture perfect. To start a new career on the first day of the year.

I work for a US content production company on the side. It'll basically be done as self-employed. I was worried about that at the start, but it doesn't seem like such a big deal. As long as I'm giving HMRC money, what do they care?

The thing is now, I still really want to walk out the door. But rather than be hasty, I'm going to tell my manager I need to go back to working from home (from which there's no bloody difference whether I'm in the office or not!). If I can't do that, I walk with immediate effect.

Although I'm pretty sure she'll allow it. She's the most reasonable and assertive leader within the whole, falling apart company.

PS: We don't even have an HR department... because we're a new energy company (LOL, yes, I know), nothing has ever really been in place and the company has caused me and many others nothing but pain. This is why I would love to walk right now. I bloody hate them.

 

[Scottishgifts4u]

That sounds a lot more like workplace stress than anything else although the death of your sister has exacerbated it.

If you are excited about a new job and hate your old one then that’s the obvious conclusion.

Can’t you get your GP to sign you off again and use that as your notice period? You’re obviously not in a fit state to be in the office.

 

[Dannydee]

That sounds a lot more like workplace stress than anything else although the death of your sister has exacerbated it.

If you are excited about a new job and hate your old one then that’s the obvious conclusion.

Can’t you get your GP to sign you off again and use that as your notice period? You’re obviously not in a fit state to be in the office.

I can't start my new job full-time until the 1st of January. It doesn't really make much sense to go on sick right now when I'm unable to switch jobs for almost three months. But I've applied for another remote job last night, in the interim. I just want to make things happen.

In the meantime, I've written up an email outlining my situation. My acting manager is off tomorrow but she'll see it when she returns on Tuesday. Then we can discuss it.

Although, I've pretty much stated that I need to go back to working from home for now. I'm doing what's right for me regardless, and that's that. I don't imagine there being some kind of warning or anything. But if there's any kickback from anyone higher up, that will prove I'm in the wrong place.

 

[Ryan Paul]

This very much sounds like "Mental illness isn't real".

That's not what's been said. Infact they are acknowledging the op's predicament and suggesting underlying issues is the cause of emotional distress at work.
They should attempt to address those issues rather than throwing in the towel.
I would suggest the OP speaks with their gp or HR dept with a view of getting support from an OT.

 

[Dannydee]

My acting manager invited me to a meeting next week to discuss my request to work from home. Sent an official letter and all with the email.

She said one of the finance team will be there as a witness, and asked that if I wanted to bring my own witness, to let her know in advance. Also said it would be better done in person, but that they could cater for a virtual meeting if needs be, and sent me a link for the meeting.

I responded thanking her and said I wouldn't accept or reject the virtual invite just yet, and I'll let her know on Monday if I wish to come in or not for the meeting later in the week. I also said I don't see any requirement for me to take a witness.

Why on earth would I need a witness with me to discuss working from home? None of this official stuff was needed when we got SENT home due to covid.

I'm not overly worried. As far as I'm concerned it's just a discussion about my current state of mind and my capability to fulfill my work obligations remotely.

Which is what the meeting is, of course, however, given my current feelings on the atmosphere within that place, I won't be too surprised if there's an attack. And the fact there's a "witness" doesn't seem necessary.

Is this a usual procedure?

 

[Alan]

Yes, take a witness. You don't know which way this will go, but it is likely the witness their side is so if and when they refuse you working from home and you take them to an employment tribunal, for constructive dismissal they have evidence their fairly considered your case.

There are others here that know employment law better. But take their offer of your own witness, they offer it for a reason.

But also, it show YOU are taking the matter seriously and it is just not a flippant request.