What to Do When You Are Forced to Resign or Get Fired

What to Do When You Are Forced to Resign or Get FiredWhat to Do When You Are Forced to Resign or Get FiredWhen you are having issues at work, and the situation cant be resolved, you may be forced to resign as an alternative to being fired. What should you do if you are asked to resign? Is it better to resign and leave with a resignation on your resume or should you hold out and wait to be terminated? Resigning vs. Getting Fired There are several factors to consider when you resign versus being fired including eligibility for unemployment compensation, benefits, recommendations, a possibility of a severance package, what you can say in job interviews, and how the company describes your termination to prospective employers. If you are asked to resign, you dont need to give an immediate response. Take some time to consider the alternatives before you decide to resign or wait to be fired. Heres information on deciding on whether you should quit before you get fired. Options for Ke eping Your Job If you dont want to leave, there may be options for keeping your job. It cant hurt to ask whether there is anything you can do to stay on with the company. If there are performance issues, can a performance plan be implemented? Are there any work-related issues you can address? Can you be put on probation? Are there any other alternatives? If there are no options other than resigning or getting terminated, the next step is to see if your resignation is negotiable. What is the company going to offer you, if anything, to get you to leave? Some people who have gotten hefty severance packages simply because they didnt just resign when they were asked to. Know Your Rights Its important to know what your employee rights are when you lose or are about to lose your job. When youre not aya about your rights, the best place to start is with the company Human Resources department. Even if they are in the process of terminating your employment, they can answer questions let you know what company benefits you are eligible for and can guide you through the process of leaving employment. If you feel that you have been wrongfully terminated, discriminated against or havent been treated according to the law or company policy, you can get assistance. The US Department of Labor, for example, has information on each law that regulates employment and advice on where and how to file a claim. Your state labor department may also be able to assist. A labor lawyer can advise you, for a fee, and may be able to help negotiate with your employer. Heres information on your rights when your job is terminated and where to get help, if you need it. Negotiating Terms When youre forced to resign, youre going to have to leave your job one way or the other, but you may be able to negotiate your separation from employment. Since the company no longer wants you working for them, you may have somewhat of an advantage in the negotiations - unless you are about to be terminate d for cause. Ask about collecting unemployment, severance pay, and the continuation of health insurance benefits. Its important to find out whether you will be paid for unused vacation, sick and personal time if you resign - or if you are fired. Its also important to find out whether your health insurance benefits will continue. In some cases, employers will provide health insurance for a certain amount of time (30, 60 or 90 days, for example) after employment terminates. Severance Packages The company has no obligation to offer a severance package, however, depending on circumstances, a package may be offered, or you may be able to ask for severance. It certainly cant hurt to ask, and severance pay can help with expenses while you are seeking a new job. You may be able to negotiate continued health insurance benefits for a specific period of time. Also, the company may opt to allow you to collect unemployment and not contest your unemployment claim. Collecting Unemployment You may not be able to collect unemployment if you resign. If youre fired, depending on the circumstances, you may be eligible for unemployment. If you were fired because the job wasnt a good fit, because your position was terminated due to company layoffs or because of reasons like poor performance on the job, for example, you might qualify for unemployment benefits. Getting References References can be an issue when you are forced to resign. How is the company going to discuss your termination with prospective employers who check your references? If the company isnt going to give you a good reference, will they not give a reference at all? Many companies only confirm dates of employment, job title, and salary. If thats the case, the circumstances of your termination of employment wont be mentioned by your previous employer. What to Say During a Job bewerbungsgesprch Before you say why you resigned during a job interview, be sure that your response matches what your previou s employer is going to say. It will be a hiring red flag if what you say doesnt mesh with what the company says. Review sample interview answers you can tailor to fit your circumstances when you are asked why you resigned from your job. Be direct and focus your interview answer on the future, especially if your leaving wasnt under the best of circumstances. Dont Blame Yourself Finally, dont feel bad. In many cases, there is absolutely nothing you could have done to change the situation. Employees are forced to resign or fired every day, and once the company has made the decision that you need to go, there is little you can do to change their mind. Instead, look at this an opportunity to move on and to start over in a job that is a better fit. The bottom line when it comes to deciding on whether to resign is that its important to get the best deal you can and to try to leave on terms that dont negatively impact your future employment prospects. The information contained in this a rticle is not legal advice and is not a substitute for such advice. State and federal laws change frequently, and the information in this article may not reflect your own states laws or the fruchtwein recent changes to the law.