Need to resign ASAP. Advice pls.

[Anonymous]

I'm a career nanny with a great resume and references. I've been on my current job for 1 year. I've been struggling with a major health issue for the past year and have been told by my doctor that I may need to be hospitalized if I don't start improving very soon. I've decided to resign but am having a hard time picking my words. I'm not sure if I want to mention having a health issue at all. If I give a vague, general reason I'm worried that my current and future employers might make up things in their minds. Suggestions?

[Anonymous]

Tell them that you have (name of condition) , which is not contagious (it isn't, right?) and have been told by your doctor that you may need to be hospitalized soon. You therefore regretfully are giving them notice that you will be resigning effective (date).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tell them that you have (name of condition) , which is not contagious (it isn't, right?) and have been told by your doctor that you may need to be hospitalized soon. You therefore regretfully are giving them notice that you will be resigning effective (date).

Good advice. Follow up with a note with the important details, last day,etc.

[Anonymous]

Agree. If you want to keep the good reference you need to be honest about why you are leaving so abruptly. You maybe don't need to share condition, but you certainly need to convey it is a very serious health issue and you are quitting work at your doctor's recommendation.

Otherwise I would be pissed at the lack of notice.

[Anonymous]

How much notice would you like to let them have?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree. If you want to keep the good reference you need to be honest about why you are leaving so abruptly. You maybe don't need to share condition, but you certainly need to convey it is a very serious health issue and you are quitting work at your doctor's recommendation.

Otherwise I would be pissed at the lack of notice.

+1. If it's really something you don't want to discuss then just say you have a serious medical condition and will need to be hospitalized etc. You don't HAVE to disclose anything but if you want to maintain good references you need to be honest.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I can probably give them 4 weeks notice but that depends on how my health issue progresses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I can probably give them 4 weeks notice but that depends on how my health issue progresses.

OP, You're over thinking this. You do NOT need to share your exact medical condition with anyone. Healthy boundaries are a wonderful thing. Tomorrow, Friday, is a good day. They'll have the weekend to consider their options.
Congradulations for already completing a whole year. Most families would consider themselves very lucky.
Hope you're able to get some rest. You might need to tell them that, if they ask you to stay on while they're looking. GL to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I can probably give them 4 weeks notice but that depends on how my health issue progresses.

Please don't compromise your health. If you need to leave sooner then do that. Tell them exactly what you have you have told us and if you don't feel comfortable sharing the details of your condition, you don't have to. When you're ready to come back to work you can explain that you left the job due to a medical condition, whether they back you as a reference or not. If they are anything but kind and understanding about this, they are asses. You obviously wouldn't choose to be in this position.

[Anonymous]

Dear MB & DB,

It is with a heavy heart that I regretfully give you my notice. Unfortunately my last day will have to be [three weeks from now] (give yourself a week's buffer, OP) due to a health condition which has become serious and requires full-time attention.

Please let me know if you would like my help drafting an ad for my replacement, or for me to sit in on interviews with candidates. I will do everything I can to make this a smooth transition.

Best,
Nanny

[Anonymous]

It's a lovely letter, 19:28.

[Anonymous]

Agreed, lovely letter, but I would add "non-contagious" in there. If I were your employer -- remember, you've been there a year, which is a good amount of time -- my first thought would be, "wow, this is sudden, I hope she's OK," and my second would be, "wait a minute, she has been caring for my kid(s) for a year, is this something I should have known about?" So, no, I see no obligation to disclose what, but you probably should be prepared to discuss whether you are capable of continuing to care for their kids for the next three weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed, lovely letter, but I would add "non-contagious" in there. If I were your employer -- remember, you've been there a year, which is a good amount of time -- my first thought would be, "wow, this is sudden, I hope she's OK," and my second would be, "wait a minute, she has been caring for my kid(s) for a year, is this something I should have known about?" So, no, I see no obligation to disclose what, but you probably should be prepared to discuss whether you are capable of continuing to care for their kids for the next three weeks.

Most health conditions are non-contagious. I wouldn't assume that anything long-term was, just something short term, like I can't come in today because I am sick (even if it's not contagious). I wouldn't add that part, hopefully the parents understand that as a nanny, we are smart enough to not work for over a year with kids if we WERE contagious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed, lovely letter, but I would add "non-contagious" in there. If I were your employer -- remember, you've been there a year, which is a good amount of time -- my first thought would be, "wow, this is sudden, I hope she's OK," and my second would be, "wait a minute, she has been caring for my kid(s) for a year, is this something I should have known about?" So, no, I see no obligation to disclose what, but you probably should be prepared to discuss whether you are capable of continuing to care for their kids for the next three weeks.

Most health conditions are non-contagious. I wouldn't assume that anything long-term was, just something short term, like I can't come in today because I am sick (even if it's not contagious). I wouldn't add that part, hopefully the parents understand that as a nanny, we are smart enough to not work for over a year with kids if we WERE contagious.

As a parent, it would reassure me to know that the condition was non-contagious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed, lovely letter, but I would add "non-contagious" in there. If I were your employer -- remember, you've been there a year, which is a good amount of time -- my first thought would be, "wow, this is sudden, I hope she's OK," and my second would be, "wait a minute, she has been caring for my kid(s) for a year, is this something I should have known about?" So, no, I see no obligation to disclose what, but you probably should be prepared to discuss whether you are capable of continuing to care for their kids for the next three weeks.

Most health conditions are non-contagious. I wouldn't assume that anything long-term was, just something short term, like I can't come in today because I am sick (even if it's not contagious). I wouldn't add that part, hopefully the parents understand that as a nanny, we are smart enough to not work for over a year with kids if we WERE contagious.

As a parent, it would reassure me to know that the condition was non-contagious.

MB here and I agree. If the issue is serious enough that you need to stop working almost immediately, I certainly will want reassurance that it isn't something which in any way could put a member of my family at risk. I'm sure a nanny with a good relationship w/ her family would want to provide this assurance anyway but it certainly doesn't hurt to say.

OP - I hope your situation resolves quickly and easily. All the best.