You want to quit your job, but you are not sure how to write a notice correctly? Here you can find out how an employee’s letter of termination is structured, what information it must contain, and what must be considered in the event of extraordinary termination.
Write notice of termination: That is important
If you want to terminate your employment contract, you must always do so in writing. It is not enough to verbally tell your boss that you no longer want to work for him. E-mail is also no way to effectively terminate the employment contract.
You need to know what notice period you have to give notice of termination. This information can usually be found in the employment contract. If not, the statutory deadlines apply. The statutory notice period for employees is four weeks. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in your job – unlike when you are dismissed by employers. You can cancel at the end of the month or on the 15th of a month. For compliance with the notice period, however, it is not decisive when you write your notice of termination, but when it is with your employer. So plan an appropriate buffer in order not to risk that you cannot cancel at the desired time.
The letter of termination does not have to be a long text. It is important that you clearly state that you are quitting your job. Include the date on which you are giving notice of termination. These are the key requirements for your termination to be effective.
Do you have to give a reason for cancellation?
You do not need to give a reason for the termination in an ordinary termination. If you want that, you can agree to it – or simply write that you are resigning for private reasons. You can also say thank you in your letter of resignation for the cooperation and ask your employer to issue you a reference.
It is important to distinguish between a simple and a qualified job reference. Your employer is required to issue both if you ask him to. However, a simple job reference only contains the key data of your job, such as from when to when you worked where exactly. Only a qualified job reference contains an assessment of your performance and your social behavior. When you apply, you should always attach qualified certificates whenever possible. If you want to have a qualified job reference, you should explicitly ask for it in your letter of resignation.
For your termination to be effective, you must personally sign the termination letter. The letter of termination must also be dated.
This is how a letter of termination from employees is constructed
A notice of termination from employees is basically structured like a business letter. This means that you should put your own address and that of the recipient at the top of the page. Usually, your contact details come first – for example in the top right corner. You can then arrange your employer’s contact details left-justified. Date your resignation and also include the place where you are.
A letter of termination from employees needs a clear subject. The word termination should appear in it – something like “termination of my employment contract” or “termination of the employment relationship”. The actual letter of termination begins with addressing your employer. “Dear Ms / Mr …” is the right choice as a polite, formal salutation. If you are using your employer’s name, you should still use the you-form for your letter of resignation.
In the first paragraph, you write what it is about you – to quit your job. It can sound like this, for example: “I hereby terminate my employment contract, concluded on XX.XX.XXXX, in due time by XX.XX.XXXX”. Make sure to note the desired termination date. If you are unsure whether you can keep the notice period, you can add a phrase like this directly after the notice date: “[…], alternatively as soon as possible”. This will ensure that you do not have to write a new notice of termination if you have not met the desired notice period. You can also cancel from the outset at the “next possible time”.
Without a signature, the notice of termination is not effective
If you want, you can then explain why you want to leave the company. At least refer to private reasons, is especially recommended if you had a good relationship with your employer and would be fondly remembered. If you quit because you no longer feel like the lousy working atmosphere or your boring tasks, you shouldn’t write it honestly. Remember that you still want to have a good job reference. If you offend the employer with your letter of resignation, this can have undesirable negative consequences.
In the last paragraph, you can say thank you – for example, for the instructive time or the good cooperation – and ask the employer to issue you with a qualified job reference. You can also ask the employer to confirm receipt of the notice of termination, stating the time of termination. This is followed by the greeting and your personal, handwritten signature.
Termination without notice: What you should consider in the event of an extraordinary termination as an employee
Under certain circumstances, as an employee, you may be entitled to give extraordinary notice without notice. This presupposes an important reason according to the Civil Code and is conceivable in the event of serious breaches of duty by the employer. You may need to have given your employer a warning beforehand. Termination without notice can only be effective if you cannot be expected to continue the employment relationship until the end of the regular notice period. Therefore, you have to cancel within two weeks after you have learned of the reason for the cancellation.
Termination without notice by an employee is conceivable, for example, if the employer has repeatedly failed to pay the wages or not paid them in full despite being requested to do so. Bullying, sexual harassment, insults, or incitement to criminal acts can also justify extraordinary termination by employees. The same applies if your employer commits criminal offenses or if you are unable to continue your job for health reasons until the regular notice period has expired. In this case, you should be able to show a medical certificate. It is best to seek advice from a lawyer to ensure that termination without notice is an option in your case.
If you terminate your job extraordinarily, you must state the reason for this in the letter of resignation. You should be as specific as possible. If your employer insulted you, write down when they did and what was said. Otherwise, the same requirements apply to extraordinary termination as to ordinary termination.