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Old 02-10-2015, 01:53 PM
 
2,429 posts, read 3,997,498 times
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Who at work did you tell about your upcoming retirement and when?

A few people who've left my job in the last couple of years, weren't really completely tight-lipped -- but only told a few coworkers -- say about 9-6 months out. (The word spread a little bit, but not really) But they didn't tell HR and/or management until about a couple of months.

But we recently had one person who didn't tell a sole -- not even management -- until he left for two weeks of vacation and informed them he was retiring and wasn't coming back. It just so happens he knew that by our contract we don't HAVE to give ANY notice.

He was officially on the payroll for another two weeks, so he said he could use that time to deal with HR. (AND his vacation took him into the next year, so he earned his 2015 vacation....ANOTHER 5 weeks pay! THAT"S the way to do it)

Personally, I've thought it best to not tell HR until about maybe 60 days out or less. Maybe I just don't trust management -- I mean high up CORPORATE management -- not necessarily your immediate manager. I've always been concerned they'd try to fire you before you can retire....if you give them 9 months to a year's notice. It's not like companies have never laid off or fired people who are coming up on retirement.

I'd have no problem telling a few close co-workers, and even if the news were to spread to a few other people. But tell corporate/management that I'd be retiring 9 months or a year ahead -- heck no.

When the time comes years from now, I'm thinking I'll do one month's notice...just enough time to get MY pension and vaca/CTO payout numbers from HR. And maybe time it to Soc. Sec. IF that's a factor. The notice would strictly be for my benefit not the job's.
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Old 02-10-2015, 02:30 PM
 
Location: Florida -
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My impression developed over many years is that HR is NOT the employees friend! -- The primary focus of most HR organizations (as it probably should be), is 'What is best for the company.'

By the same token, if an employee is also attempting to achieve some balance between what is best for them and what is best for the company, they will not always be looking for a way to take the greatest personal advantage of every potential loophole.

One would think, for example, that after a loyal employee had worked for a company for a number of years and drew near to retirement, they would demonstrate some concern about hiring and training their replacement, when it came to giving notice of their retirement plans.

On the other hand, it seems that some younger employees today have more of a 'get everything I can attitude.' This may be a result of wholesale downsizing over the past several years, but, sometimes it is also an ethical problem. For example, many company allow a certain amount of 'sick leave' and 'personal time', but, I've seen some (salaried) employees who made absolutely sure that they took the maximum allowable in both areas every year.
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Old 02-10-2015, 03:46 PM
 
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
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I'm in Denmark where I am able to make (and did make) a very rewarding retirement agreement at age 71 to retire in year. If i were still in America, working in the private sector, I would take a couple of years to silently train my replacement, move all my private material out of my office and copy my computer files at night a week before going on vacation and announcing my retirement from there.

Human resources = Human waste.
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Old 02-10-2015, 04:19 PM
 
Location: NC
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FYI, there is a difference between moral and ethical. Ethical involves written and agreed upon rules, so nothing the worker did was unethical.

It just sounds like this worker thought he had been taken advantage of during his working years and wanted to even things up. Not very professional, but perhaps that was his problem.
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Old 02-10-2015, 05:07 PM
 
Location: Chesapeake Bay
6,046 posts, read 4,788,835 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jghorton View Post

By the same token, if an employee is also attempting to achieve some balance between what is best for them and what is best for the company, they will not always be looking for a way to take the greatest personal advantage of every potential loophole.

One would think, for example, that after a loyal employee had worked for a company for a number of years and drew near to retirement, they would demonstrate some concern about hiring and training their replacement, when it came to giving notice of their retirement plans.
Don't know about this loyalty thing. A company is just a company. And many companies have shown very, very little loyalty toward their employees the last few years.

When you leave (retire), what difference does it make re your concerns and especially whats best for the company? Why would you even care? I mean, you are gone. However things turn out for your old company, you are still gone. So???

At this point (in leaving) you maximize whats best for you. The company surely won't.

Last edited by Weichert; 02-10-2015 at 05:18 PM..
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Old 02-10-2015, 08:34 PM
 
12,823 posts, read 24,277,676 times
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Do a really great job of knowledge management, put key things for trusted people you will hand off to on the internal cloud, do selective mentoring, etc, during the final few months. Give 3 - 4 weeks formal notice. That way, you've left your house in good order and meanwhile you did not give anyone the opportunity to hit you with a jack move.
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Old 02-10-2015, 08:39 PM
 
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Where I worked they asked for one month. But as to get the highest pay out that depends on terms of employment. But one thing is to make sure its after that year by retiring like Dec 31. That way the taxes are due on lower salary when retired. I next year.I found HR very helpful in preparing for my retirement actually. In fact I still have good relationship with them and they are always helpful. Sounds like some work in a all around terrible place.
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Old 02-11-2015, 07:08 PM
 
Location: SW MO
23,593 posts, read 37,306,061 times
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I gave six month's notice expressly in the hopes that I could provide succession training in my primary specialty to another employee before I left. As a manager myself I considered it necessary for the good of the highly specialized function I was in. The organization paid lip service to it but never designated a successor until the last week before my retirement date and I declined to do it. It was too late. A week after my retirement I had to represent the department in court to testify on its behalf but I made the state - from which I retired - bring me back as a retired annuitant to do so for liability purposes. For months thereafter I would receive calls and/or emails from former employees who'd been tasked to try to fill-in for me temporarily on specific issues and I would give them what they needed for their sakes, not the state's. In fact, only after we moved out of state did the "I/We need help" calls finally ceased but I still mentor one coworker who has become a wonderful friend, even at a distance.
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Old 02-11-2015, 07:17 PM
 
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I have six weeks notice to allow the company to name a successor and to train the individual. However, the individual never availed herself of the training.

I was called a half dozen times in the first month and never again.

Had I to do it over again, four weeks would have been the maximum notice. However, some companies REQUIRE six months notice. My wife's six months .... ends Friday!
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Old 02-11-2015, 08:56 PM
 
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My company location is so poorly run from corporate that the only notice it will get from me, is what I think I need to do for me in order for HR to get my paperwork together so the checks start coming when I want them to and my final payout can be calculated. I'm thinking maybe 6 weeks. Immediate management is OK, it's corporate I don't trust.

Just as SOP, we as workers have been telling managers it's STUPID to have positions where only ONE person knows how to do something. We have one person -- who G-d forbid he drops dead -- we'd be up the creek. So, I'm supposed to care about training, when management doesn't, and has been told repeatedly about this vulnerability? (This person isn't stupid he knows he's more valuable if he keeps his information close to the vest. So he's not going to voluntarily train someone.)

I plan to do just as a co-worker did -- time my time retirement into January to earn the new year's 5 week's vacation. The reason I'll give for my retirement when the day comes? Because I'm tired of coming in HERE everyday, and have at least 10 other things I'd rather do -- that's why. Anything we can do to improve the job? You didn't ask me that when I was here, and when we told you what we needed you didn't listen.....so don't ask me now. I don't even know if my job does exit interviews for retirement. When a person leaves for a new job, I suppose I could see that. But when they leave for retirement. Why the heck do you THINK they're leaving -- to RETIRE. DUH!
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