How much notice should I give for retirement?

[Anonymous]

I plan to retire in May when I turn 65. Been with the company almost 20 years. 43 years in the business.

We are very understaffed and I do a lot of work. It also takes a lot of training to do my job.

Realistically, it will take months to replace me unless they move someone else in the company into my role. My boss tells me all the time that she does not want me to retire as she will be stuck doing my job for a long time after I leave.

How much notice would you give?

[Anonymous]

A lot depends on whether you carry benefits like pension, retiree health insurance into retirement. The paperwork for that can take a month. Our retiree health plan payments go to a third party administrator and that takes time to set up. We needed to have insurance ID cards for the new plan even with same insurance company. If you have a 401k there is HR stuff and decisions to leave it where it is invested or roll it into an IRA elsewhere.
This all is HR stuff. But they need a heads up I would say 5 or 6 weeks in advance if you want continuous secondary health coverage for example.

[Anonymous]

Depends on the culture and norms. You’ve been there 43 years so you should know… will they use your early notice as a way to push you out the door if belt tightening is needed? Also, I’m sure you have deep knowledge. But no one is indispensable. The company will not fall apart if you leave and they bring in someone else to learn the ropes - in 6 months that person is going to be at least competent in the position, maybe not masterful to your standards, but they will be fine. All this to say, it’s not as simple as giving notice - it requires some strategy on your part.

[Anonymous]

Since you don’t think they’ll fire you or lay you off, give them notice. I’m a fed and normally 6-12m is common. We aren’t allowed to train our replacements though since we can’t hire until the prior person actually leaves. But it gives lots of time to write down what they do and cross train others.

[Anonymous]

If you have a pension, I wouldn’t give notice one second before you’re fully vested.

[Anonymous]

I’d give 2 weeks. Understaffing is the company’s problem, not yours.

[Anonymous]

If you’re confident they won’t fire you, tell them now. That gives them time to plan and if they don’t have you train someone you can walk away with a clear conscience. If you think they might push you out early, they don’t need more than 2-4 weeks.

[Anonymous]

I would give 4 weeks.

[Anonymous]

I’m retiring in 18 months and don’t plan to give more than a month’s notice, knowing they may make me leave earlier. I’m also carefully planning out my PTO since they don’t pay it out and have a history of having people leave if they take any leave after giving notice.

It’s a shame because it’s a good place to work otherwise, but everyone on staff knows how they treat people who put in notice (for any reason).

[Anonymous]

Seems like you had a good experience and enjoy working for your company. If it takes months to fill your position, give them months…and stick to your date.

[Anonymous]

2 months. Always remember that you are not as important as you think. The work will go on with or without you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I plan to retire in May when I turn 65. Been with the company almost 20 years. 43 years in the business.

We are very understaffed and I do a lot of work. It also takes a lot of training to do my job.

Realistically, it will take months to replace me unless they move someone else in the company into my role. My boss tells me all the time that she does not want me to retire as she will be stuck doing my job for a long time after I leave.

How much notice would you give?

2 weeks

Previous employer would fire people and send them out the door same day. No loyalty whatsoever

[Anonymous]

I gave them three months, which is ending soon. It's a long story but needed the money. Agree, within a week if it even takes that long, people will forget I worked there and vice versa. Life goes on. Honestly, if a F500 CEO leaves, how much effect does it really have? Just a new person with a new strategy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m retiring in 18 months and don’t plan to give more than a month’s notice, knowing they may make me leave earlier. I’m also carefully planning out my PTO since they don’t pay it out and have a history of having people leave if they take any leave after giving notice.

It’s a shame because it’s a good place to work otherwise, but everyone on staff knows how they treat people who put in notice (for any reason).

Well then it's not a good place to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I gave them three months, which is ending soon. It's a long story but needed the money. Agree, within a week if it even takes that long, people will forget I worked there and vice versa. Life goes on. Honestly, if a F500 CEO leaves, how much effect does it really have? Just a new person with a new strategy.

I produce weekly work that has to get done on a tight deadline. There is no skipping it. The company would lose thousands of dollars weekly. It's a high profile product and very specialized. My boss can do it almost as well as me; others could get something produced but the quality would be missed.

Anyway, they will get it out somehow and eventually will be just as good as my work or better. But it will be hell for the person who has to take it over until they can ramp up.

I hate to just leave with only two weeks notice. It would be terrible for the person who gets thrown into it.