Woman explains why she wouldn't give her employers a two weeks’ notice, sparking debate

It used to be customary for a worker to give their employer at least two weeks' notice when deciding to leave but many employees are now deciding against it. Many companies have adopted the practice of terminating the employee immediately upon receiving notice. The shift is brought about due to growing distrust between employees and employers who are concerned about granting an outgoing and potentially angry employee access to confidential and proprietary data. Workers are caught in a hard spot because they are expected to give notice but may lose two weeks of pay as a result. This is exactly why D'Shonda said to host Jasmine Milan on the Women of Tmro (WOT) podcast that she doesn't believe in giving a two weeks notice at her job.

D'Shonda said that if employers expected two weeks' notice from departing employees, they should be willing to pay those who are being let go for another month. Shonda explained, "I don't believe in the whole two-week notice thing. Why am I giving you two weeks to let you know that I'm leaving when if you were going to fire me or lay me off, you would let me know that same day? I need to set boundaries. So the same respect that you would give me, I'm going to give you back. Jobs and corporations don't treat us with the same respect and loyalty that they expect us to give them. If you want me to give you two weeks, I need you to at least give me a month to get my life together."

She elaborated, "Because a lot of people have children, elderly parents, and grandparents that they need to take care of. A lot of people are on disability. A lot of people are preparing to have a family. A lot of people are probably on the verge of an eviction notice or homelessness. So the same respect and loyalty that you want me to give your brand, I need to feel that. And if not, all you are going to get is the same immediate notice that you would give me." The podcast episode was captioned, "I hope this reaches every HR office globally!" and it gained three million views. 

Her opinion resonated with a lot of listeners. "Agree, I resign with immediate effect every time," commented @vanessa.wealthy. "When I quit my previous job. I used 2 weeks of PTO. And used it to get started at my new job. So got double pay and never came back to that job," shared @kvng3244. "I've never given a 2 weeks' notice and it has not once stopped me from my next blessing of a job," added @lizamarie219. Businesses and the people who work in them should be given equal respect because they rely on one another but this is not always the case. Employees are exploited and go unpaid for work done and they face unpredictable termination for simply taking scheduled days off. Until companies and workers can reach a point of mutual respect and implement policies that protect both the business and the employee, distrust will keep gnawing at employee morale. 

Editor's note: This article was originally published on June 28, 2023. It has since been updated.