You run your own company, and you know how difficult it is to make sure that you have the proper staff at all times. That’s why you would like your workers to give two weeks’ notice before they quit. You need time to find a replacement and get things in place, so a worker just leaving without warning could have a major negative impact on the business.
But can you actually require workers to give two weeks’ notice? You can, but you need to do it through an employment contract. When you bring on new employees, you can have them sign contracts agreeing to certain terms. For instance, you could stipulate that they must give at least 14 days of notice before leaving their job. The employee is bound to follow the contract, and you can take legal action if they violate it by quitting without warning.
What if they don’t have a contract?
Most business owners do not use employment contracts, so it’s natural that you may not have done this. In that case, however, these workers just qualify as at-will employees.
That’s an important distinction because there’s no legal requirement for an at-will employee to give notice before they quit. As the business owner, you also do not have to give them notice before firing them. On both sides, the two of you simply have the ability to work together for as long as you want and to stop doing so at any time. Just telling workers that you want them to give two weeks’ notice does not mean they are actually obligated to do so—unless they have a contract.
Employment disputes can sometimes arise over classifications, contract terms, termination or a worker quitting their job. In all these situations, be sure that you understand exactly what legal rights you have and what steps to take.
