Author Topic: Letter of Intent to Resign requested...  (Read 2059 times)

moneypitfeeder

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Letter of Intent to Resign requested...
« on: December 02, 2020, 03:43:15 PM »
I have a gov job (fairly low-level GS7) and I've given ample notice verbally that I intend to resign early next year. My job is unique in that much of what I do is not plug and play, open the SOP and follow the example. I work in publishing and handle editing, desktop publishing, software issues, template creation & upkeep, etc. and no one else in my department knows how to do all I manage. I was planning on giving 30 days notice when I do cement a date, but management just asked for a letter of intent to resign (along with my resignation letter later). They indicated it was so they could start the hiring process. I'm a little leery, in that I haven't heard of a letter of intent with gov jobs before, the standard resignation letter, of course. I've know many gov employees say you can't start the hiring process until someone vacates a position, but I've also heard that that isn't true, and those who say that just don't know the regs. Asking if any gov employees out there know if my organization (Army) can actively start the process to look to hire for my position while I am still in it, and/or if you have heard about a letter of intent clause that would allow them to start. If the clause is there, I'd like to know am I locked into that as a date if I later change my mind about when I want to resign.

use2betrix

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Re: Letter of Intent to Resign requested...
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2020, 03:48:39 PM »
What’s the difference between a letter of intent to resign, and a resignation letter?

Seems in both you just give the date, and it sounds like they are requesting it in writing so they can start planning accordingly.

Also, if you give a date, they’re under no obligation to keep you longer, should you change your mind.

moneypitfeeder

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Re: Letter of Intent to Resign requested...
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2020, 04:07:13 PM »
That's just it, "Also, if you give a date, they’re under no obligation to keep you longer, should you change your mind." In a letter of intent, from what I've read, it is just an intent not the actual notice of resignation, so they should not be able to hold me fast to the date. The resignation letter (again, from what I've read) is a hard and fast. I'm not looking to screw with them on the date, but at 2 months out, I'm still waffling a little (weeks or days, not months) on the end date.

SwordGuy

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Re: Letter of Intent to Resign requested...
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2020, 06:54:07 PM »
That's just it, "Also, if you give a date, they’re under no obligation to keep you longer, should you change your mind." In a letter of intent, from what I've read, it is just an intent not the actual notice of resignation, so they should not be able to hold me fast to the date. The resignation letter (again, from what I've read) is a hard and fast. I'm not looking to screw with them on the date, but at 2 months out, I'm still waffling a little (weeks or days, not months) on the end date.

Are you intending to retire after you resign?  Because if you are, and a few weeks makes any real difference at all (other than waiting for a vesting date!!!), you either have a bad FIRE plan or you aren't emotionally ready to use the good FIRE plan you've got.

If you aren't planning on retiring, the question should be, "What's in it for me to commit myself in writing so early?   I have nothing to gain and everything to lose."

Sandi_k

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Re: Letter of Intent to Resign requested...
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2020, 07:19:06 PM »
In our bureaucracy, employees "own" their job. In other words, unless they resign, we are not allowed to list the job for applications. And it takes us weeks to get a recruitment underway, applications received and screened, interviews conducted, then they have to give two weeks notice, etc. Eight weeks is just barely do-able, IF the hiring manager is ON IT every day.

So, I would give them a resignation letter. If you're two months out, just pick the end of the pay period in question, and make it so.

moneypitfeeder

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Re: Letter of Intent to Resign requested...
« Reply #5 on: December 03, 2020, 03:25:08 PM »
Well, I'll put in my "letter" tomorrow, the waffling is emotional, there's a project I was the head author on that is nearing completion and one of our publications is in a cycle to have an anniversary "big issue" shortly after my earliest quit date. There is a small part of me that wants to stay to see those through, but in our line it is a constant churn, and there is always a fire burning so no time is ever really a good time to leave. We are fire'd already, my job is just bonus money right now.

Fomerly known as something

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Re: Letter of Intent to Resign requested...
« Reply #6 on: December 03, 2020, 06:06:29 PM »
It likely depends on the job and the department.  I know my office had no, and I mean no administrative staff for about 6 months because we were not allowed to post the job until after our 2 had actually retired, (they retired on the same day).  It would have been longer but luckily someone from another office wanted a promotion to the administrative office spot.

Jaayse

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Re: Letter of Intent to Resign requested...
« Reply #7 on: December 03, 2020, 10:02:26 PM »
I'm the hiring manager for Army civilians in my unit (joint unit under the Army and I'm a Naval Officer), the way things work is that in order to post the position we need the letter of intent to resign.  Until we get that letter, we can do absolutely nothing to start the process.   The letter, however, does not mean that the person has to resign, they can change their minds.  Which is why we are only authorized to overhire for 2 weeks (at least for my unit, not sure if that is a Army standard).

I currently have an Army civilian who intends to retire in October 2021, he is adamant he will retire then, and submitted a letter of intent to resign.  We know that he has a lot of leave saved up, he works with finances and will be absent just before change of FY, and his position is only one deep, so we requested from the hiring authority to overhire the position for 90 days and were denied.  We were only authorized a 30 day overhire (rather than the normal 14 day overhire) due to the fear that he would not resign when he said he would, and we would be stuck with two people in the position. 

Understand that this is my experience in the Army civilian hiring system and my understanding of how things work, and always contact your CPAC/command HR to determine if your unit does the same thing.  I know my CPAC supports many different units, but that my command influences how things work.  CPAC can usually tell me the full limits of what can be done, however, my organization usually has stricter rules about what we are authorized to do.

Highbeam

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Re: Letter of Intent to Resign requested...
« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2020, 11:17:22 AM »
I don't recommend even talking about a date until you are ready to be escorted out that day. Dead man walking. Then enjoy your notice period doing the whatever you want as bonus cash. What are they going to do? Fire you?

The OP sounds like he/she is already ready to be walked out so no risk.

moneypitfeeder

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Re: Letter of Intent to Resign requested...
« Reply #9 on: December 08, 2020, 05:08:38 PM »
Well, I did put my resignation in, didn't bother with the letter of intent. I wanted to give them the most ability to hire B4 I leave having a solid notice. I do have a minor stake in that I wouldn't want them to remove me B4 2 weeks of my indicated "last day." As small as it is, when I hit 62, that $200+ bucks a month (the tiny annuity I am eligible for) is something I want to receive. If I'm out B4 then, I am not eligible for the annuity payment that I have been socking money towards. I realize that is peanuts to most, but it is part of our comprehensive "total." So far I have gotten several guilt trips on work chats and public "guilting" on our virtual meetings, I'm not really worried that they would remove me before my quit date. I'm just trying to record enough training so that when I'm "gone" they aren't calling me to fix stuff, I'll give them a few get-out-jail cards, but at some point they will be on their own. Luckily, the PX and Commissary are a few blocks from my office, so if I do go back to bail them out I can multi-task :)

 

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