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Resignation

If you are planning on resigning from your post you should notify your Line Manager in writing within your contractual notice period.

Please find some resignation FAQs below:

What should I include in my resignation letter?

Please include your intended resignation date, your reason for leaving and whether or not you have any outstanding annual leave. Your resignation letter or email should be passed to your Line Manager. 

Once your Line Manager has received your resignation letter or email, they should complete a Leavers Form and this should be returned to your HR Adviser.

How long is my notice period?

Your notice period is dependent on your grade. Standard notice periods are as follows, however they may be negotiable with your Line Manager.

  • Grades 1 – 4 (Secretarial, Manual, Technical): 1 month

  • Grades 5 – 8 (Research, Teaching, Academic, Academic Related): 3 months

  • Lecturer/Senior Lecturer: 6 months

  • Professorial and Grade 9: 6 months 

What happens to my annual leave?

Once you have calculated how many annual leave days you have remaining (see Holidays page for information), a discussion should take place with your Line Manager to agree if you will use them all before you leave or if you will receive payment for these days in lieu. Once you have come to an agreement with your Line Manager regarding this, Human Resources should be informed. 

When will I receive confirmation from Human Resources?

Once your Line Manager has confirmed your outstanding leave entitlement, you will normally receive an acknowledgement letter from Human Resources within two working days. The letter will be sent to your University email address along with information regarding your pension and a link to the exit survey. 

Can I keep my University Staff Email Account?

Unless Honorary Status is requested and approved, access to your staff IT account will not be granted. Your user/email account will be closed on your last day of service and you will not be given access to business related data, documents and emails when you cease employment. Please ensure to transfer all important data to your line manager and return all University property (including ID card, laptop, mobile phone etc) prior to your employment ceasing.

Should you have any additional queries, please contact your HR Adviser

Retirement

If you are planning to retire you should notify your line manager in writing. Should you require additional information before submitting a formal notification, please contact your HR Adviser.

USS pension scheme members may have the option of flexible retirement. For further information regarding retirement in relation to your pension please contact The Pensions Office.

Retirement Course

The University provides training for employees considering retirement, which aims to encourage a healthy and financially secure retirement. For further information and to book a course, visit the Courses and Workshops page

Redundancy

The University of Aberdeen is committed to providing security of employment for all staff and therefore it seeks to avoid redundancies where possible.

However, when circumstances arise that necessitate reductions in staffing levels, the University, in consultation with the appropriate campus Trade Union(s), will seek to avoid, minimise and/or mitigate the impact of compulsory redundancies. Please read the following policies together for further information:

If you have any questions or concerns regarding redundancy, please contact our Redeployment Adviser

Exit Interview

Employees leaving the University are encouraged to complete our electronic Exit Interview Questionnaire just before they go. Participation is voluntary but, from the University’s perspective, the primary aim is to learn the reasons for you leaving, and the information you provide will be used to help drive organisational improvement. From your perspective, an exit interview is a chance to give some constructive feedback.

You will be sent a link to the questionnaire along with the acknowledgement of your resignation. If you experience any issues whilst completing this questionnaire, please contact a member of the Employment Services Team.

Alternatively, if you wish to request a face-to-face Exit Interview, please contact your HR Partner to arrange.  

References

The University owes a duty of care to departing/former employees when submitting a reference. Responses to questions will be factually correct and subjective personal opinions will be avoided.

Our standard reference template is designed to be accurate and fair and supplies information under the following headings:

  • Position Held

  • Start Date of Employment

  • End Date of Employment

  • Nature of Employment

  • Salary   

If you require a reference please contact the Employment Services Team.

For additional guidance and information please click below: 

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