Working end: Saying goodbye to a job

The working end means here, to quit an existing employment relationship. There are various possible reasons:

• Entering pension because of age or reduction in earning capacity
• Dismissal
• Change of job, or transfer
• Outplacement
• Insolvency

Special forms of a working end are parental leave and a sabbatical. In both cases, people mostly intend to return to their previous job after a “time-out”. Depending on the reason, the future will look different:

• As soon as a former employee retires, they are paid a pension (“Rente”). Civil servants’ pensions differ a little from the normal. In case of reduced earning capacity, he/she gets an earning-capacity-reduction benefit
• For both extraordinary and ordinary dismissal, the company might pay compensation. Having quit the job, the ex-employee can report unemployed at the labor agency, or work in a new job, or start an independent business
• For dismissal for operational reasons, employers might offer the transfer to a transfer company or helps with finding a new job: dismissal management
• A change of job or transfer can be to a new intern job or to a new company
• Outplacement mostly makes you do the old job in a new company
• In case the company runs insolvent, employees are paid an insolvency benefit, but still will be unemployed, normally

Tips, Checklist

• Every goodbye to a job means an important change in a person’s life. To be prepared, use the different support possibilities of your company and of other, advice companies, the internet, publications, and your own network
• Make plans for “after the job”
• Say goodbye to bosses and colleagues and thank them. Do not burn all your bridges, rather try to keep up contacts
• Clear your desk, finish projects and pass them on to your successor
• Do not forget to get a reference certificate from your employer
• Give back company property like employee IDs, PCs, phones, company cars or documents you have used at home