You can submit your two-weeks’ notice while on an approved paid time off (PTO) period, but the timing requires careful planning to maintain your professional standing. While the physical act of resignation is simple in the modern remote environment, resigning while away from the office introduces logistical and relational complexities. Successfully navigating this situation requires executing communication and documentation with precision to ensure a smooth, formal, and courteous exit. This approach helps protect your professional reputation and secures a positive reference for future career steps.
Delivering Your Notice Remotely
The process of officially resigning from a distance relies heavily on clear, formal documentation and communication channels. The primary method for delivering notice while on vacation is through a written resignation, typically a formal email sent to both your direct manager and the Human Resources department. This creates an immediate, timestamped record of your intent to resign, which is necessary for the company to begin the off-boarding process.
The written notice should clearly state your intention to resign and specify your proposed final day of employment, ensuring it is at least two weeks from the date of the email. After sending the formal documentation, you should follow up by scheduling a brief phone or video call with your manager. This is a matter of courtesy, as a verbal conversation softens the news and provides an opportunity for a professional exchange. Confirming receipt of the email is also important, especially if your manager checks messages sporadically while you are both away from the office.
Determining the Official Start Date of Your Notice
The two-week notice period traditionally begins the day after the employer officially receives and acknowledges your resignation. Since you are communicating remotely, this date is usually tied to the timestamp of your formal written notice, though the company’s internal processing can introduce minor variations. To prevent any ambiguity, the resignation letter should explicitly state the intended last day of employment rather than using vague phrasing like “two weeks from today.”
A standard two-week notice period is calculated using 14 calendar days, not 10 working days, unless your employment contract or company policy specifies otherwise. By clearly stating a date two weeks out, you establish a definitive timeline for your departure, which helps the company with transition planning. This specificity is particularly useful if your manager or HR is slow to respond to emails while you are on approved leave.
Professional Etiquette and Managing the Optics
Resigning while on a pre-approved vacation creates a difficult optic because it can appear disconnected or deliberately inconvenient to the employer. This timing forces your manager to handle the immediate operational and emotional fallout of your departure without you being physically present to assist. Acknowledging this reality is crucial for maintaining a positive professional reputation and securing future references.
The inevitable follow-up call with your manager should be handled with sincere gratitude for the opportunities you received, coupled with an apology for the timing of your notice. You should emphasize that your resignation was not planned to coincide with your time off. Offering to be reasonably available for a brief, urgent transition call, even while on PTO, can help soften the blow and demonstrate your commitment to an orderly exit. Avoid resigning during a known high-pressure time for the company, such as a major product launch or a quarterly earnings deadline, as this can severely damage professional relationships.
Practical Steps for Handing Off Responsibilities
A smooth remote transition requires you to create a detailed, written handover plan for your colleagues to follow. This document should be created immediately upon tendering your resignation and must be exceptionally thorough to compensate for your physical absence. The plan must detail the status of all active projects, list all pending tasks, and provide the location of important files, passwords, and contact information for external stakeholders.
Setting boundaries for your availability during your remaining PTO is also necessary. While you should offer to answer urgent questions, establish that you are not expected to work full days or attend regular meetings. You can designate specific windows of time or methods of contact for true emergencies only. Addressing the return of company property, such as laptops, phones, and access badges, is another logistical task that must be managed remotely. This often involves coordinating a shipping label and a secure pickup time with the HR or IT department to ensure all assets are returned before your final date.
Final Pay and Administrative Considerations
Several administrative issues become relevant when resigning while on PTO, especially concerning your final compensation. The most significant consideration is the payout of any accrued Paid Time Off, the rules for which are determined by state law and company policy. Some states mandate that employers must pay out unused vacation time as part of the final paycheck, while others allow companies to enforce a “use-it-or-lose-it” policy if clearly documented.
You should consult your company’s employee handbook or contact HR to understand the specific rules governing your accrued PTO balance. Because most employment in the United States is “at-will,” an employer may choose to terminate your employment immediately upon receiving your notice, rather than allowing you to work out the two weeks. Even in this scenario, known as being “walked out,” the employer is typically obligated to pay you for the full two-week notice period. Your final paycheck will be processed according to state guidelines.