How do I write a notice of termination? This question can arise whether you’re terminating a job, ending a probationary period, or giving notice on an apartment lease. That makes a template all the more important.
How do I write a notice of termination for an employment contract: Here’s how!
How do I write a notice of termination for my employer? This is a question you may have asked yourself at some point. If you want to terminate your employment, it’s important that the letter contains all the necessary and important information.
- In the termination letter, always include the current company address and your own address along with your name. Also important are the place and date when the termination letter was drafted.
- It is also important that the resignation letter specifies the date on which your resignation takes effect. Be sure to adhere to contractually agreed-upon or statutory notice periods . This also applies to the notice period. This often varies between 4 weeks and 3 months. Check your employment contract to see which notice period applies to you.
- If you have been assigned a employee number , include it in the subject line as well.
- You can write the subject line in bold. For example: “Termination of my employment contract”.
- Important: Remain objective and keep your message as brief as possible. You do not need to provide a reason for the termination. Do not forget to sign the termination notice yourself.
- You can, for example, word a notice of termination as follows: “Dear Mr./Ms. xyz, I hereby give you notice of my termination of my existing employment contract in accordance with the proper procedure and within the required notice period, effective as of the next possible date. Please confirm receipt of my notice of termination and the date of my last day of work in writing. Furthermore, I ask that you issue me a detailed employment reference. I would like to express my sincere thanks for our collaboration thus far. Sincerely, abc”
Good to Know: Possible Reasons for Resignation
As mentioned earlier, you are not required to provide a reason when resigning from your job. Nevertheless, it is helpful to be aware of possible reasons.
- Impending layoffs: If layoffs are planned at your company, you can preempt them by resigning. In such a case, your resignation may even be viewed positively by your employer. In this situation, you demonstrate initiative and confidence.
- Better career opportunity: You can also resign if you’ve received a better job offer. The transition to the new position is often seamless.
- Personal reasons: Of course, your resignation may also be based on personal reasons.
Various factors—such as bullying by coworkers, poor work organization, or a difficult relationship with coworkers—can be decisive.
- Lack of communication: For you to feel good as an employee, there must be communication between employees and management. If this communication is completely lacking, the atmosphere is usually rather poor. This, in turn, leads to the intention to resign.
- Unrealistic Goals: If you realize that the goals set by the company are unrealistic, this usually leads to feeling overwhelmed and stressed. This, too, can lead to resignation.
Shortly after starting the job: Resigning during the probationary period
If you decide to resign from your job while still in the probationary period , special rules apply. Familiarize yourself with the pitfalls of resignation.
- Here, too, you must always include the company’s current address as well as your own address . Also, include the city and current date between the addresses, as described in the example above.
- In this case, the subject line might read something like “Termination of my employment during the probationary period.” The following also applies to this type of termination: Write only what is necessary and keep it brief. It is also important that you ask the landlord to confirm the termination. However, you have no legal right to this.
- Note: During the probationary period, you generally have a two-week notice period effective on any day. The employment relationship ends exactly two weeks after the notice letter is submitted or received. Here, too, you must not forget to sign the notice yourself.
- Use the following sample as a template for your notice of termination: “Dear Mr./Ms. xyz, I hereby terminate my employment with you effective xx/xx/xx. Since I am still in my probationary period, my notice of termination is subject to the two-week notice period agreed upon in the employment contract. Sincerely, abc”
Terminating a Lease: How Do I Write a Notice of Termination?
How do I write a notice to terminate an apartment lease, or how do I terminate a rental agreement? If you wish to terminate your rental agreement, you must also draft a corresponding notice of termination.
- When terminating an apartment lease, you do not need to be as formal as in the example above. Include the addresses of yourself and the landlord, as well as the current date and location in the letter.
- For the subject line, you can use “Ordinary Termination of Lease Agreement” or something similar.
- Next, state that you wish to terminate your lease as of a specific date. Check your lease agreement to find out when you can give notice. The agreement specifies the notice period for the apartment. For tenants, the statutory notice period of three months usually applies.
- Important: To ensure the notice is given in a timely manner, it must be received by the landlord no later than the third business day of the month.
- You can also use our template as a sample for this notice: “Dear Mr./Ms. xyz, I hereby give notice to terminate my lease for the apartment located at Musterstraße 1, 12345 Musterstadt, 1st floor. According to the lease agreement, notice must be given with a 3-month notice period, so the tenancy will end on xx.xx.xxxx. I propose xx.xx.xxxx as the date for handing over the apartment. You can reach me at 0123/45678 and contact me to schedule viewings. Sincerely, abc”
