When an employee resigns

Resignations in the heat of the moment

Sometimes an employee may say that they are resigning after an argument with their manager or another colleague. In such situations they might not really have meant to resign. If this is the case, it is dangerous to act as though the contract has ended because the employee could later claim unfair dismissal.

If an employee seems to have resigned or has walked out after an argument:

• Don't immediately assume they have resigned.
• Give the employee a "cooling off" period.
• Take action to find out whether they really meant to resign.
• If you can't contact them, wait a reasonable time before starting termination procedures.
• Investigate further if you receive additional information relating to the situation, eg that they may have been bullied by a colleague/their manager. See our guide on bullying and harassment or you can read more about bullying and harassment at work on the Acas website.

You should also be careful not to say things in the heat of the moment that could be misinterpreted as a dismissal. It is a good idea to train management in handling conflict. This can help to nip workplace problems in the bud, rather than allowing them to escalate to the point where formal procedures need to be applied. 

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• Check if the resignation is necessary
• Checklist: what to do when an employee resigns
• Finding out why people leave
• Resignations in the heat of the moment
• Resignations where the employee may claim constructive dismissal
• Resignations connected with a business transfer

 

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