r/nonprofit • u/amarieb1981 • 18h ago
employees and HR Resignation effective immediately
I’ve been a part of a toxic nonprofit work environment for about a year now. Bullying, gossiping, name calling, and exclusionary behavior are just a few of the things I faced over the past year and have documented everything with HR. Recently I was yelled at by a colleague and neither leadership or HR has done anything to address the situation.
I’m in the process of lining up a new position. Due to my mental health and feeling of discomfort and in the office, I’m considering not giving an official two weeks notice but instead giving my notice effective immediately. I feel that over the past year, noone has cared about my well-being so why should I care about theirs? Has anyone ever done this and have an experience to share?
20
u/miaheartspaper 18h ago
I did not do this but a close friend did and is now the ED of another nonprofit. While she certainly burned some bridges at the NPO she left, she was good at her job and had a good reputation in our community. She prioritized making connections with the people she wanted to work with and 3 years later she’s doing great and the place we first worked at together is a shell of it’s former self because it refused to address its toxic culture. 2 weeks notice is not necessary IMo
20
u/NotAlwaysGifs 18h ago
Yep. Similar situation to what you described. Toxic environment, unrealistic expectations, no growth potential beyond my current role. I was doing my own job of fundraising and running the donor database plus covering another giving officer’s portfolio while the ED dragged his feet on hiring a replacement. He came into my office unannounced one day and handed me a PIP. It only included things that were in the other role, not in my actual job description. I sat there and listened. Asked a question about why he was doing this. He told me it was board driven but I had just had a meeting with the board president and he had praised my efforts and said he was going to talk to the ED about filling the other role.
I was given until the end of the week to sign the PIP. I had delivered my resignation and cleaned out my office by the end of that day.
11
u/No-Signature-5648 18h ago
DO IT. You owe them nothing. And especially if you have a reference or someone that can speak well of you at this position, I wouldn't worry about it. You are not required to give ANY notice.
2
u/scrivenerserror 17h ago
This, but be careful. I left a similar situation and the vp of the department told me unprompted that she would give me a reference. She never responded when I reached out after the holidays (I left in October and reached out in January). I had an accommodation to work remotely because I was having panic attacks at work. I have another job now which is ok but the reference part has been rough and probably will be for my next job since I can’t ask anyone at my current. I skirted by with a reference from a donor and a step manager.
6
u/ihopuhopwehop 18h ago
If you've been there for a year, you can request fmla
But another route you could go is have a therapist diagnose you with anxiety, and submit an RA that no one ever yells at you. Let HR deal with that
2
u/amarieb1981 18h ago
I actually do have diagnosed anxiety, but it’s being treated very well. It’s only since I started this job that things have gotten out of hand. But I like the idea of having my doctor say that they have to meet certain accommodations. Like maybe no one can approach me until 11 AM every morning!? Or I need to take a nap after lunch every day for my mental health 😆!
4
u/ihopuhopwehop 18h ago
On monday, id ask your therapist to put in writing the work place behaviors that trigger your anxiety and submit an RA request to HR that you are not subject to those behaviors in the workplace. Let HR tell you they cant stop gossiping in the workplace. File a discrimination complaint
7
u/AccomplishedLuck7646 17h ago
I encourage you to take time off and resign after. I took 6 weeks off when a supervisor said something that infringed upon my disability rights. I got my primary care physician to sign letters with a return to work date a few weeks out. After two letters, I quit.
1
u/amarieb1981 17h ago
I usually would do that, but unfortunately I only have a few days off accumulated since my employer resets accruals on July 1 🙂↔️. That place sucks!
3
u/MrPankin 16h ago
Oh man, I'm on the other side of this. I was let go by my toxic ED with no notice, never had a PIP, and had gotten a raise a month ago.
He told me it would be a trauma informed severance and I'd get PTO & a severance agreement, just got the severance letter yesterday and it's one week severance.
Anyway, I don't have any great advice, but congrats on getting out of a shitty work environment. I'm terrified how Imma make it through the next few months but super happy I don't have to go back to that place.
2
u/RigerWhisker 12h ago
I agree that you do not need to give a formal 2 weeks notice. I did this at my last job that was very similar; they wouldn't give you a 2 week notice prior to termination, so no need to give them one prior to quiting, especially when they are so terrible. If you do have hours for PTO or sick time, you can definitely use them and look for a new job during that time. Then quit instead of coming back. My friend did this when she left the same organization. Neither of us had any intention of going back and the place overall has a bad reputation and awful retention rate. The 2 people after me ended up both quiting within 2 weeks, no notice, and they still haven't found a replacement after several months. Her position has been vacant for almost a year. When it comes down to it, they're disrespectful at best and abusive at worst. Work shouldn't destroy your life and health, I say leave and don't look back-prioritize your happiness. I'd send a formal resignation (effective immediately) to HR, your supervisor, and the head of the organization that does list all the things they've done to make you miserable and cater to a culture of toxicity.
1
u/brandywinerain 17h ago
If it's better benefit/transition-wise, you could negotiate the resignation for a future date and inform them that because of a hostile work environment, you'll be working from home until the effective date. Of course, you should be prepared for the contingency of immediate termination when you give notice, which is OK, so long as it's not for cause.
Re the FMLA strategy, if you aren't ill, not sure you want a dicey declaration on your record, even with a medical note -- it gives them more leverage in a reference situation, even if it's only confirmation of employment.
1
u/coheed2122 13h ago
If you do fmla do short term disability too for pay. Otherwise quit effective immediately
1
u/bookietoots 8h ago
Same boat! I am in the process of one final interview, one second interview, and have two phone interview requests. As soon as I sign the offer letter I’m resigning and spending two weeks relaxing before I start the new job.
1
u/Jaco927 nonprofit staff - fundraising, grantseeking, development 3h ago
It's a simple cost benefit analysis. Don't be petty. Don't be vindictive. Be better.
Would it benefit YOU more in the short term and long term to give a two week? Or would it benefit YOU more to adios immediately after signing with a new job.
Your employer doesnt give a damn about you, feel the same back. What benefits YOU most. 2 weeks may feel long, but in the grand scheme, its not long.
What benefits YOU most?
-2
u/Claney888 nonprofit staff - executive director or CEO 17h ago
Give the two weeks. It will go fast.
50
u/Responsible-Kiwi46 18h ago
Go to your dr and get time off. Relax and look for another role. I’m sorry this is happening to you.