Leaving job two months before contract ends?

[Angry Birds]

Hi all,

1) I've signed my yearly contract, but realize that I want to leave two months early. Am I "locked in" because of signing the contract? Or is it no big deal if I let my boss know that I will want to bug out two months early?

2) To complicate matters, I will be receiving a sign on bonus (for my 2nd year).... Do I need to return a part (or all) of it?

3) In residency, if you wanted to switch EM programs you had to let your PD know in advance. Is this the same with jobs? Do I need to let my boss know that I am looking for jobs elsewhere? Will my prospective employer expect to talk to my current boss and/or get a LOR from him?

FYI, I will definitely give my current boss at least a 9 month head notice that I'll be leaving. But, it's still 12 months out and I wanted to start sending feelers out in the new city I plan to relocate to.

Thank you for your insight!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[emergentmd]

Hi all,

1) I've signed my yearly contract, but realize that I want to leave two months early. Am I "locked in" because of signing the contract? Or is it no big deal if I let my boss know that I will want to bug out two months early?

2) To complicate matters, I will be receiving a sign on bonus (for my 2nd year).... Do I need to return a part (or all) of it?

3) In residency, if you wanted to switch EM programs you had to let your PD know in advance. Is this the same with jobs? Do I need to let my boss know that I am looking for jobs elsewhere? Will my prospective employer expect to talk to my current boss and/or get a LOR from him?

FYI, I will definitely give my current boss at least a 9 month head notice that I'll be leaving. But, it's still 12 months out and I wanted to start sending feelers out in the new city I plan to relocate to.

Thank you for your insight!

The question is way to variable to answer. It all depends on your group and how benevolent they are.

If you are truly under a year contract, read the fine print to see what your options are. Most groups will not keep someone who really wants to leave. Why have someone unhappy working every day? I would think your bonus or some of it would be in Jeopardy.

What happens in Residency has no bearing on real world jobs. If you did a good job, even if you left early there should be no issues leaving. EM docs are so sought after that I doubt leaving alittle early would matter.

Be Honest to your current group. Do it early if possible so they can hire someone for a June/July Start. If your contract ends in July, it would be nice to tell them by January so the group can hire new grads. Otherwise trying to hire in July is very difficult.

In short, Be honest. I think 6 months heads up is plenty. 9 Months seems a long time. If it were me, I would wait until month 6 and tell them. It gives them plenty of time to prepare for you leaving.

 

[Cerberus]

Hi all,

1) I've signed my yearly contract, but realize that I want to leave two months early. Am I "locked in" because of signing the contract? Or is it no big deal if I let my boss know that I will want to bug out two months early?

2) To complicate matters, I will be receiving a sign on bonus (for my 2nd year).... Do I need to return a part (or all) of it?

3) In residency, if you wanted to switch EM programs you had to let your PD know in advance. Is this the same with jobs? Do I need to let my boss know that I am looking for jobs elsewhere? Will my prospective employer expect to talk to my current boss and/or get a LOR from him?

FYI, I will definitely give my current boss at least a 9 month head notice that I'll be leaving. But, it's still 12 months out and I wanted to start sending feelers out in the new city I plan to relocate to.

Thank you for your insight!

You signed on for a year, finish out the contract unless you have a really good reason for not doing so or have a really really nice and understanding boss. Also, when did you start? How much notice would you be giving? Anything under 2 months would be a dick move to your colleagues as it would probably affect their schedules.

 

[deleted480308]

would you be cool if they dumped you 10months into a 1yr contract?

It's fine to ask, but just ditching seems like poor form

 

[docdragon]

Hi all,

1) I've signed my yearly contract, but realize that I want to leave two months early. Am I "locked in" because of signing the contract? Or is it no big deal if I let my boss know that I will want to bug out two months early?

2) To complicate matters, I will be receiving a sign on bonus (for my 2nd year).... Do I need to return a part (or all) of it?

You need to really seriously read your contract. Maybe even read some of the ACEP or AAEM ( http://www.aaemrsa.org/resources/helpful-documents-for-residents/key-contract-issues-for-emergency-physicians ) materials on contracts so you understand the key terms. If you signed a yearly contract, you signed for a year, and you better have a really good reason and be in line with your contractual termination clauses.

The same applies to the bonus. Many, if not all, bonuses are contingent on completion of some term of employment. Thus they are often called "golden bracelets". My bet is that you would be returning the bonus if you left early, but not if you gave a contractually appropriate notice, say 90 days, and then finished the end of the whole year.

It may be worth have a lawyer or seasoned emergency physician (obviously not one connected to your current group in any way) read the contract with you to clarify these questions.

I am a little curious - why two months early? Why not the end of the contract, or now? If this involves a life-changing event like a wedding, then you have a completely different situation. Why decide to cut a contract short when you don't even have the next one lined up? Obviously don't feel the need to post incriminating or identifiable personal information.

 

[SpaceLeftBlank]

Hi all,

1) I've signed my yearly contract, but realize that I want to leave two months early. Am I "locked in" because of signing the contract? Or is it no big deal if I let my boss know that I will want to bug out two months early?

2) To complicate matters, I will be receiving a sign on bonus (for my 2nd year).... Do I need to return a part (or all) of it?

3) In residency, if you wanted to switch EM programs you had to let your PD know in advance. Is this the same with jobs? Do I need to let my boss know that I am looking for jobs elsewhere? Will my prospective employer expect to talk to my current boss and/or get a LOR from him?

FYI, I will definitely give my current boss at least a 9 month head notice that I'll be leaving. But, it's still 12 months out and I wanted to start sending feelers out in the new city I plan to relocate to.

Thank you for your insight!

Read your contract. It should spell out if and under what circumstances you's have to repay your signing bonus. It may also provide for a without-cause cancellation of the contract by either you or the employer with a certain amount of minimum notice. I think a lot of them provide for 90 days. So your nine-months' notice would be just fine under those terms. I think many of them provide that if you leave within a specified time, you pay back your bonus. The smart docs get a lawyer to negotiate that down a bit, either to only require payment for termination without cause (which is what you'd be doing) or to make it so you only pay a pro-rata share back (i.e. only a part of it based on how early you're leaving) or both.

But you should know all of this already because you should have read your contract before signing it. If you didn't, make sure you read the next one. Carefully.

And get a lawyer to review it--one who has experience with physician contracts and weeding out all the evil things employers like to put in like non-competes and unreasonable RVU expectations, etc., and not just your cousin who's some kind of lawyer. That part is key. My wife is a surgeon, and I'm a lawyer, and I still made her go out and get her contract reviewed by someone who actually knew how to review and negotiate physician contracts. I found some of the problems, but that guy found a ton more. The few hundred bucks you spend on it may save/earn you thousands down the road.

 

[Angry Birds]

Thank you all for your responses. Apologies for the delay in responding...got busy with work and studies.

You need to really seriously read your contract.

I read it a long time ago, and I had it reviewed by two or three trusted persons. But yeah, I will definitely re-look at the contract.

If you signed a yearly contract, you signed for a year, and you better have a really good reason and be in line with your contractual termination clauses.

OK, that's really what I wanted to know.

I am a little curious - why two months early? Why not the end of the contract, or now? If this involves a life-changing event like a wedding, then you have a completely different situation. Why decide to cut a contract short when you don't even have the next one lined up? Obviously don't feel the need to post incriminating or identifiable personal information.

I am pursuing a degree and my academic program will start then.

Read your contract. It should spell out if and under what circumstances you's have to repay your signing bonus. It may also provide for a without-cause cancellation of the contract by either you or the employer with a certain amount of minimum notice. I think a lot of them provide for 90 days. So your nine-months' notice would be just fine under those terms. I think many of them provide that if you leave within a specified time, you pay back your bonus.

Thanks, that's very useful information.

The smart docs get a lawyer to negotiate that down a bit, either to only require payment for termination without cause (which is what you'd be doing) or to make it so you only pay a pro-rata share back (i.e. only a part of it based on how early you're leaving) or both.

I don't think I'll involve a lawyer. My boss and I get along very well, and I suspect he himself will offer the prorated option, which seems to me to be very fair.

I was just debating *when* to tell my boss. I can tell him now, but it's still almost a year away... While I want to be open and transparent, I think giving him 9 months notice is more than enough.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Angry Birds]

I've come to the decision that I'll just be open and upfront with my boss. He has been nothing but great with me. In fact, he is like a mentor to me. Better to just tell him now, *before* I get the sign on bonus.

 

[docdragon]

I am pursuing a degree and my academic program will start then.

That's good. "Sorry, I'm being pulled away, what can I do to help you replace me" is much better than "I just showed up and now I want to leave".

 

[Angry Birds]

That's good. "Sorry, I'm being pulled away, what can I do to help you replace me" is much better than "I just showed up and now I want to leave".

Agreed... I also have a possible replacement in mind too.

 

[Groove]

I doubt you'll have problems if you speak with your boss and have a relatively good relationship. It's not uncommon for people to need to leave slightly early before finishing a contract. Personally, I prefer to finish the contract in it's entirety but if you have to leave early, then so be it. Definitely do not accept a bonus for an additional year of work. You'll have to report that as income and will pay taxes on it after you pay it back in full.

That reminds me, a word of advice to any residents signing multi-year contracts with sign on bonuses. Always negotiate vesting and some sort of pro-rata clause where you are incrementally further vested on a monthly basis during your last year. For instance, 50% vested sign on after a year with pro-rated monthly vesting during the last year of a 2yr contract makes it much easier to "get out of a bad situation" should the need arise. These clauses are not uncommon and very reasonable. You don't want to get stuck in a bad job situation and need to leave at 18 months with a full payback on your original sign on. I just don't think that kind of thing is fair.