Can My Employer Refuse a Relieving Letter After Accepting My Resignation?

I need to ask whether my current employer can stop issuing me a relieving letter even after I have served the notice period. My resignation was accepted, and the last date was communicated.

No, they cannot stop your relieving letter. If you have completed the exit process and nothing is due against your name, then they cannot stop it.

Factors Affecting the Issuance of a Relieving Letter

Relieving any employee does not only depend on whether the notice period was served properly or not. There are other aspects that also affect the same. For example, if there is any dispute with the company, if you owe any amount to the company, any deductions, handover of the job, documents, files, etc. So, once everything is clear, you may receive the relieving letter from the company.

Most companies provide the relieving letter post Full & Final Settlement only. Therefore, check your company policy for more clarity on the same.

Regards,
Tushar Swar

Here is the thing, they want me to complete the project before I leave. But it's impossible to finish even after a month of my notice period. What are my options here?

Dear Tushar, please check your terms & conditions of the employment letter to see if there is any clause stating that you can't leave the company without completing the project. If such a clause is not present, then no one can stop you.

Regards,
Tushar Swar

There is no such clause. It is clearly stated that I need to serve a 30-day notice period. The same was mentioned in my offer letter and company policy as well.

Regards.

Dear friend, luck favors you, having had your resignation accepted and the "last date" communicated. There ends the matter. You are deemed to have been relieved on the "last date" unless the communication states "subject to relieving you after completion of the project." But still, when there is no clause to bind you to the completion of the project, you cannot be detained. Furthermore, the "communication with last date" should serve as your relieving letter. Have your present employer found it sufficient? What about your F & F settlement? Have you received it or not? They might raise some obstacles.

After receiving a letter from the employer conveying the date of your release, you have nothing to worry about, provided there is nothing outstanding against you and you have handed over the charge of the post you held to an authorized person and obtained an acknowledgment thereof. Please note that the charge means assets entrusted to you as well as details of jobs in hand and their status.

Should it be so, you need not worry about getting a relieving letter. However, the problem may still pertain to your Full and Final (F&F) settlement. In case you can afford to forego it, it is okay.

As regards your prospective employer, you can explain the entire position by showing all relevant documents, and hopefully, they will accept your joining.

Regards,
S.K. Johri