As you’re getting ready to put in your two weeks notice and leave your current role for another company, you will run into different terminology. You’ll see language like resignation date, termination date, job ending date, or similar.
To that end, this article is going to define what the term “resignation date” means and answer some related FAQs.
Resignation Date Meaning
In general, the term “resignation date” means the date that you inform your company of your decision to leave your job. Typically, that’s the day that you submit written notice in the form of an email or printed document, or that you verbally inform your manager of your decision.
Now, I use the term in general because “resignation date” is actually used inconsistently. There are some companies that use the term to mean the last working day at your company. And others that use it to mean the date that you put in your notice.
For example, if you take a look at this article from Lawinsider, you will see different definitions of the same term on the same page. Also, if you check forum discussions about the topic, you will find some debate as to the actual definition.
The way to be sure of how your company interprets resignation date is to check the language of any employment contracts or documents that you signed. Generally, within that documentation, they will define all of the relevant terminology that they use. If you don’t have any documentation like that, check with your HR document and document their response.
What Should Be the Date of Resignation?
In my view, the date of resignation should be the date that you inform your employer of your decision to quit.
However, as previously mentioned, the term is a bit ambiguous and used inconsistently. Ultimately, your date of resignation is going to depend upon your company interprets what the term means.
Does Resignation Date Include Notice Period?
If you’re submitting a resignation letter, then, in general, your resignation date is going to be interpreted as the date that you submitted that letter.
Within that document, you’ll need to communicate when your last working day will be. Your last working day should be after your notice period (which should generally be at least two weeks).
If you’re working on your resignation letter, this video from Professor Heather Austin will help you write the perfect document so you can resign professionally:
Is Resignation Date Your Last Day?
Your resignation date is generally interpreted as the day that you notified the company of your decision to leave your job. If you’re following standard etiquette and providing two weeks notice, then your resignation date will generally not be your last working day.
However, as previously mentioned, the term “resignation date” is used ambiguously and inconsistently so you’ll need to check on your employee documentation and/or with HR to determine how your company defines that term.
Is Resignation Date The Same as Termination Date?
In general, no, resignation date means the day that you informed the company of your decision to quit and termination date is your last working day with the company.
Is The Effective Date of Resignation the Last Day of Work?
Yes, in general, the term “effective date of resignation” is synonymous with the last day of work.
Most often, the term “effective date” with regards to resignation will be used in a resignation letter to communicate your last working day with the company.
Conclusion
The term “resignation date” is fairly ambiguous and confusing. It is used differently at different companies and people disagree on the exact definition.
How it pertains to you is going to depend upon how your company interprets the term so, if your resignation date impacts something like whether or not you will receive a bonus, it’s important to get clarity on that point before formally submitting a letter of resignation.
