Can Mentioning "Short Notice Resignation" in Experience Letters Curb Informal Exits?

Hi all, we issue experience letters for both formal and informal separations. I would like to have your valuable suggestions on whether we can issue an experience letter mentioning that the "employee resigned on short notice" to help control informal resignations to some extent. Please share your ideas.

Regards, Devi

Do you really see this (mentioning "employee resigned on short notice") as a solution to reduce informal resignations? It's surprising, but sharing your views at length on the same can be of great help.

On the contrary, what I feel is that this will help the new employer understand that the employee hasn't served notice. However, are you aware that most of the time, new employers insist that employees join on an immediate basis and are ready to buy back the notice pay? Hence, such a one-liner in the experience certificate might satisfy you but might not affect the employees much.

There are much better ways to handle it, but I would still insist you share your opinion first.

No matter if an employee resigns by serving a short notice period or completes the notice period according to the terms of the Employment/Appointment Letter, you just need to mention the period of working, i.e., the Joining Date and Resignation Date, which will be self-explanatory in this regard.

Resignation and Experience Letters

Resignation and experience letters are two different matters here. As you have accepted the resignation and have no issue with it, you must not hesitate to issue an Experience Letter. However, there is no need to mention "Resignation on Short Notice" or similar phrases.

You may do so, but it appears vindictive. However, the same employee can escape by saying, at the next interview or at the time of joining, "It just happened to be like that because I was eager to join this company as early as possible, hence this short notice." Who knows, it might help him in leveraging this event: "I just paid Rs.xxxx to get an early release in lieu of a longer notice period, and you may be pleased to reimburse this money as a gesture, as I am joining so early. You only gained by this so-called short notice... they didn’t want to relieve me and hence added these adjectives, etc."

And for the third company, when you switch over again, this relieving letter no longer matters. It doesn’t matter, you guys.

Regards,
Kumar S.

Voluntary Separation Categories

Voluntary separation can be categorized as follows:

1. Employee disappears and does not return, even to ask for certificates and settlement.
2. Employee disappears (absconds) and returns after a few months, requesting settlement and a certificate.
3. Employee gives just one or two days' notice as opposed to a month.
4. Employee gives two to three weeks' notice.
5. Employee gives the full notice period.
6. Employee gives a shorter notice but pays the money due for the shorter notice.

In cases mentioned in 1 and 2, there is no problem in issuing a certificate stating that the person has absconded. In case of 5, there is no problem in issuing a certificate.

In cases 3 and 4, if the employee has paid the shortfall in the notice period, the management cannot issue a certificate stating they left on shorter notice, as they have fulfilled the contractual obligation. If you have waived the notice period, it is your decision to relieve them early, and it is not correct to issue such a certificate. If you have recovered the notice pay from final dues, the same shall be mentioned in the full and final settlement, and there is no need to repeat it in a certificate.

Hence, if you analyze the issue logically, you will arrive at a decision that mentioning the shortfall in the notice period in the certificate is not required and does not serve any purpose.

I used to mention in the acceptance of resignation letter the following:

1. If the shortfall is waived, the same shall be mentioned in the acceptance letter.
2. If there is a need for recovery, I used to mention in the acceptance letter that the shortfall (mention the number of days) in the notice period shall be recovered from the final settlement.

Regards,
T. Sivasankaran

Understanding Resignation and Separation Processes

Please understand that there is nothing like "Informal Resignation." In the absence of a resignation, it is to be termed as "absconded" or "abandonment" of services. Whatever the case may be, HR needs to comply 100% with the SEPARATION process. Take note of all dues of the employee as well as the employer (including payment for the short notice period if it is part of the "service condition") and also the Relieving Letter and Experience Letter. Both will help you to be immune against any unforeseen legal complications.

I believe no coercive (negative reinforcement) can help to retain an employee. You need to better introspect and analyze organizational aspects like culture, practices, and HR systems rather than thinking of ineffective measures like writing some texts in the experience letter.

Wishing you Seasons' Greetings!!!

Regards,
Shailesh Parikh
Vadodara, Gujarat

Mentioning "Short term Notice" in the experience letter is not advisable. You can mention the date of joining and the date of relieving. Ensuring the smooth relieving of an employee from the company without any issues is crucial.

Thank you,

B. Gopalakrishna Murthy.

In the experience letter, nobody mentioned "employee resigned on short notice" in my experience. Employee resignation and experience are different letters. If you want to stop informal resignation, staff turnover, or absenteeism, first you have to identify the reasons or problems for the turnover of employees from your organization. Once you identify the reasons or problems, you have to take problem-solving measures to reduce the turnover.

Regards,
Katyayani

I agree with Shailesh that there is nothing as informal resignation. Resignation is a document that is very official in nature and is to be treated as such. Mention of a short notice period will not make a difference as the new employer might have come to an understanding with the employee in terms of buying back the notice period and/or has accepted that the person is joining by giving a short notice. For future organizations, it would not matter.

Furthermore, if you are deducting the short notice period from his final settlement as per the terms and conditions of the appointment letter, then you are effectively harming the company's image by issuing a letter that mentions the deduction of the notice period. The word would be out that the company has not only recovered the amount but has also provided such a relieving letter.

Regards,
Preetam Deshpande

It's time for the thread starter to reply. After receiving solutions from almost all angles, we expect some input from your end too.

What Does Your Company Mean by Formal & Informal Resignation?

If the informal resignation is one where the employee does not fulfill the notice period, it is never a resignation. It is a case of absconding. In such a case, where does the question of issuing an experience letter come?

If an employee serves a partial notice period, it is mutually agreed upon and hence it is considered a formal resignation. In such a case, why is it necessary to mention short notice in the experience certificate?

Kindly clarify the same.

Thank you so much for your valuable suggestions and guidance. Yes, I understand that we cannot retain anybody once they wish to quit and join another firm. As Mr. Hiral Mehta said, if there are better ways to solve the issue, please share with us.

Regards,
Sreedevi

We don't issue an experience letter for absconders. If an employee serves a partial notice period that is not mutually agreed upon and insists on being relieved at the earliest, what should the letter say?

Regards

Hi, if the employee serves a partial notice period and it is not mutually agreed upon, how should the letter be written?

Regards,