thebendyfox Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 What they can do legally:- Not pay you for the notice period- Refuse to pay holidays owed, bonus, leaving payments etc- In some circumstances they COULD take you to court for breach of contract, which in the UK is highly doubtful (unless you are me...see below)What you SHOULD Do:- Discuss this with your current line manager, and HR department, in full and above board- Ask them outright what they will allow you to do- State your intentions in writing, at the earliest possible opportunity once the new job has been formally offered in writing- Explain to your new company the situation and inform them that you are negotiating an early release, however make sure that there isnt a clause in your new contract about not being in breach of a employment contract elsewhere.- There is little to be gained in burning bridges, so try and do things above board untill all options are exhaustedIn my case, I have had to turn down two jobs (both payrises, better career prospects and better packages) on the basis that my current company has indicated they will chase me through court for Breach of Contract, for costs incurred in mobilisation, accommodation etc. And since I work abroad, they will helpfully inform Mr Tax man that I am back in the UK and working - even if I aren't! Both new jobs had "non-breach of current employment contract" clauses in...so I had to walk away.Luckily, the next job offer (that I hope to receive in the next week) will be for the same company, and moving to a project with a much bigger and more powerful HR department, with more influence, than the petty minded, sadistic little bast*rds who I currently have to deal with.All the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phooey Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 Thanks guys. I am expecting a job offer towards the end of next week. Start date will be 20th April and is non negotiable. Accept or reject, and I have no intention of rejecting. Don't see the point of going through a five stage interview application just to reject it.I have informed my current employer 'I am therefore informing you that I have made applications for alternative employment and as soon as a position is offered I intend to leave my post.'My line manager is totally informed and understands but is directing me to HR. I have sent my resignation letter to HR (copy attached) but not had a reply as yet.I am thinking that it is possible that they just want me gone since my reasons for leaving, which are all true and factual, would not make them look good should they decide to challenge my breech of contract. Surely with these reasons I could claim breech of contract on their part? After all, they do have a duty of ccare for staff and learners and they have failed on both accounts. Knowing that learners are smoking weed on the premmisses and doing nothing about it is also illegal isn't it?10 March 2015It is with a heavy heart that I have had to make the decision to inform you that I no longer feel that I can continue in my post of maths lecturer.Unfortunately the immense pleasure I derive from teaching and the enjoyment of witnessing the delight on learner’s faces when they finally have that ‘Eureka’ moment has been grossly overshadowed by the politics of the college.I cannot stand in front of a class knowing that the learners have been failed by the college because protecting itself and ticking boxes appears to be more important than getting these students onto the correct course. I have been fighting for three of my learners who, through no fault of their own, had been wrongly placed into a GCSE class instead of a functional skills class. Someone made an error and rather than admit this and subsequently correct it, the college chooses to hide it and allow the learners to continue on a course that they have little hope of passing. Not the kind of support I want to give my learners.I have also witnessed a failure to support staff when learners have engaged in fighting on the college premises in the presence of clients (members of the public) resulting in college equipment being damaged but allowed to return to class leaving staff with little to no power to managed any behaviour.The final straw was when I discovered that learners had congregated in the underground carpark of the College Green site smoking marihuana. After approaching security and informing him he told me that he was aware of it but the college won’t allow the police to be called because ‘it looks bad on the college’! I am therefore informing you that I have made applications for alternative employment and as soon as a position is offered I intend to leave my post.I very much regret this decision but will not be party to any organisation who puts the ‘tick box’ and ‘cover our arse’ policies above those of the needs of learners and staff.Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeman Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Great way to burn your bridges!!Especially considering you dont have a formal offer from the next place yet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phooey Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 Joe, I'm going to leave regardless but if no one stands up to the treatment nothing will ever get done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogof Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Joe, I'm going to leave regardless but if no one stands up to the treatment nothing will ever get done. You're not standing up to it though, you're quitting and losing any chance you may have had of effecting change.And so the circle of (in)competence continues to turn inexorably...Teachers complaining that managers keep trying to tell them how to teach...Managers complaining that teachers keep trying to tell them how to manage...After 12 years as a vice-chair of governors, followed by 10 years as a School Business Manager I changed career 3 years ago, but my eyes still roll at the irony of situations such as you describe. Both "sides" convinced that they know the other's job better, when the reality is that education would be better served if both sides got on with their own job and ignored the perceived interference from others. Sigh. Sorry, rant over for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phooey Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 Joe, I'm going to leave regardless but if no one stands up to the treatment nothing will ever get done. You're not standing up to it though, you're quitting and losing any chance you may have had of effecting change.And so the circle of (in)competence continues to turn inexorably...Teachers complaining that managers keep trying to tell them how to teach...Managers complaining that teachers keep trying to tell them how to manage...After 12 years as a vice-chair of governors, followed by 10 years as a School Business Manager I changed career 3 years ago, but my eyes still roll at the irony of situations such as you describe. Both "sides" convinced that they know the other's job better, when the reality is that education would be better served if both sides got on with their own job and ignored the perceived interference from others. Sigh. Sorry, rant over for now No need to apologise, Bogof. Your opinion is as valid as anyone'sI don't believe that I can do a better job than my managers but I do know that being to proud to admit when they cock up and allow the learners to fail behind a pretence of red tape is wrong. Allowing learners to smoke weed on college premises and too afraid of the 'good' name of the college being affected to stop it is wrong ... etc etc. Staff have been fighting this for years and nothing has changed.I am leaving not because I want to fight it but because I don't want to be part of the hypocracy. If enough people said that they don't want to be part of the hypocracy they would have to listen. Would you willingly work for a company who takes money off their customers and knowingly sells them a product that is going to be useless? Rather than staying there and complaining about the shit, I am telling them that I am not putting up with it and leaving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebendyfox Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Personally I wouldn't have burnt your bridges like that. Education is awfully incestuous, and managers have a nasty habit of remembering stuff like this (I certainly do anyway...) but whats done is done.Best of luck in the new place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogof Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 I don't believe that I can do a better job than my managers but I do know that being to proud to admit when they cock up and allow the learners to fail behind a pretence of red tape is wrong. Allowing learners to smoke weed on college premises and too afraid of the 'good' name of the college being affected to stop it is wrong ... etc etc. It's ironic that the "good name" of the college would in all probability be better served if the drug use on site was dealt with more appropriately. As a governor I chaired the school's discipline committee and was instrumental in developing their Substance Abuse policy. If a student was found in possession the police would ALWAYS be involved. Google "Peter Walker drug testing" and you'll see the results of my school's stance on drugs!I understand your reasons for leaving, and I'm not suggesting for one moment that you are wrong in the decision you have made. I just despair when good teachers leave the profession in this way since once change IS on the agenda there'll be nobody left to steer that change. I do accept that it can get to the stage where your own sanity has to take precedence over the interests of your learners. That said, there will always be demand for good maths teachers (is it still a shortage subject?) so you could always go back into education if insurance selling doesn't work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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