Is It Okay to Accept a Resignation Email Sent from a Client's Email Address?

Hi, is it okay to accept the resignation email sent by my employee through a client-provided email address?

Regards,
Lloyd.

Please insist on a hard copy always. Intimation of resignation could, however, be through mail, but only after discussions with the functional head. A proper resignation is always on a hard copy.

Regards,

Do not accept the resignation without their signature, documentation, and records; it is mandatory.

Regards,
Nenju.

I agree with both the previous replies. Always and only accept resignations on hard copy with an original signature, and in duplicate. You retain one copy and hand the other after acknowledging its receipt with a date stamp.

As for email ID, it doesn't really matter whose or where it came from. At the end of the day, an email is an email. But, a resignation has to be on paper and signed. In fact, I would go as far as saying that it must be signed in blue ink—for obvious reasons!

Handling Resignation Emails from Client-Provided Addresses

If a resource has been working with your organization and, for whatever reason, is unable to use your company email ID, they should use a public email ID at most, but not the client email ID. Using a client email ID indicates ignorance or carelessness towards your organization, especially if the employee is joining the client organization from where they sent the mail.

Now, it is up to you whether you excuse the employee for the mistake or reject their email, stating that they must comply with the organization's policies.

If your employee is deputed at the client site, generally the client provides an email ID for confidentiality and security of information. It is possible that your employee has joined the client organization without intimation. If this situation is true, there are a few concerns:

1. Your employee might have joined the client organization without resigning from your organization. This is illegal. Do you have procedures in place to address this?

2. You have little binding on your employees, which makes your organization more vulnerable to an increased rate of attrition. You need to have strong policies and controls to ensure that your employees who work for clients do not leave your organization halfway when the client offers better opportunities.

3. The client is indulging in poaching your resources. You need to discuss with the client and get such practices restricted or compensated. Either the client should stop recruiting your resources or agree to pay an amount to compensate for the training, maintenance, and salary of the resource poached from you. You need to have an agreement with them.

It is not mandatory to get hard copy resignations. Today, electronic evidence is enough for policy compliance. One has to accept responsibility and accountability for their email.

Regards

Mr. Praveen is correct. Courier, speed post, email, fax, etc., are all good services in the eyes of the law. If your company wants to release him, simply reply to him to come in person for the final clearance. Once he is at your place, you should complete the formality.

Regards,
NKT

Thank you all for the clarification, especially to Mr. Praveen for the detailed explanation. The employee is not joining the client; the client has provided this email ID for him to communicate whenever he is at the client's location. They have very limited access to the email ID provided by the parent company, so they keep using the client-provided email ID.

Regards,
Lloyd.

Modern Communication in HR Practices

In this day and age, where staff are often sent to remote areas without access to a scanner, HR practitioners should adapt to modern communication methods. A staff member equipped only with a Blackberry should be allowed to resign via a properly worded email.

I believe the crucial information not to overlook is the effective date, which must be provided.

Thank you.