Boss wouldn’t accept my two week notice and told me to sleep on it.
After 4 years at my current job and some personal problems I decided to put my two weeks in and my job and my boss refused to accept it.
My father was diagnosed with cancer, chemo just started this week and my boss kept pushing for me to stay back. Eventually I handed in my 2 weeks notice.
The absolute truth is I hated the job before the cancer but between both things I’ve been way too stressed out.
Despite telling my boss my feelings the conversation ended with “sleep on it and we’ll talk tomorrow”, 2 hrs later he calls me and asks if I’m willing to meet with hr to discuss leave. I told him we’d talk tomorrow.
Within the last few months multiple other employees have left the job for various reasons and there have been huge changes made recently that a lot of people don’t like.
It’s now 11pm and I’m honestly just upset and riddled with anxiety. This is my first “real” job I’m leaving even though it’s shitty and I’m honestly dreading going in tomorrow.
For those who ask I’m a mechanic and this was the discussion with the service manager.
Is he doing the right thing or just making me feel guilty? I’d also like to add that I’m 23M and this is my first real job since graduation.
Netizens’ comments
- My take:
They need you more than you need them. Not only is that a good position for negotiation, it indicates your skills are in short supply. Which makes sense bc good mechanics are impossible to find.
Tomorrow your employer will say they’ll let you be there for your family, in hopes that you’ll return once things settle down. Accept their offer; it costs you nothing and gives you something to fall back on.
But! When your family situation stabilizes and you start thinking about returning to work, talk to a couple other shops before returning to your current job. If they want to have a bidding war for your talent, let them. - First, I’m sorry about your father; but y’all are going to fight this and come out safely on the other side.
About the boss: He is trying to do the right thing by offering to talk it through; but if you feel pressured, it is NOT the right thing for you. You are not obligated to talk with him, but perhaps the current trends at your workplace are making him re-think, or maybe he watched Undercover Boss and feels guilty.
He may be thinking that once your Father wins his chemo battle that you’ll have had some time to breathe, and perhaps you’d be happier in returning somewhere familiar rather than having to add a job search to all of that stress. Finding a new job while going through this with any of my family members is much more than I could handle.
No matter what, you need to level with him. Tell him what is going wrong, what is holding you back, and get it off your chest…in the best most professional way you can. Give him the opportunity, even if you do ultimately leave, to maybe, hopefully, make it better, even if not for you, at least for others. Make the best decision for your family and yourself.
Rooting for your dad, best to him.