Quitting a job without notice: when the statute allows it
Four of these statutes let the employee walk out only for a serious reason, but they differ on who decides and how fast. Germany and the Netherlands give the employee the right to give notice at once, Germany within two weeks of learning the facts and the Netherlands with the reason communicated without delay. Spain does not let the employee simply leave: the worker asks for the contract to be ended for just cause and then receives unfair-dismissal compensation. Austria states only that an important reason is needed and that leaving without one exposes the employee to a damages claim, and Japan allows immediate termination solely where the working conditions given at hiring turned out false.
| Country | Ground required | Grounds named in the statute | Time limit or procedure | What the statute says follows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | An important reason | Without an important reason the employer may demand return to work plus damages, or damages for non-performance | ||
| Germany | An important reason that makes continuing until the end of the notice period unreasonable | Within 2 weeks of learning the facts; written reason on request | ||
| Spain | A just cause, on which the worker asks for the contract to be ended | Unpaid or continually late salary; other serious employer breach | The worker requests termination; the statute does not let the worker simply leave | Compensation as for unfair dismissal |
| Japan | The working conditions stated at hiring differ from the facts | Only the mismatch of stated conditions | Immediately | Employer pays travel costs home if the worker returns within 14 days |
| Netherlands | An urgent reason, with the reason communicated without delay | Late payment of wages; ill-treatment or threats; serious danger to life, health or good name; breach of the employer's duties | Notice without delay; the reason must be given without delay | A party that through intent or fault gave the urgent reason owes the other compensation if the other uses the right |
Country by country
Austria
- Rule
- ABGB §§ 1162 and 1162a
- Applies to both parties and to fixed-term and open-ended employment under the Dienstvertrag chapter of the ABGB. Section 1162 allows early termination without notice for important reasons by either side.
- Neither section lists the important reasons. The Angestelltengesetz (salaried employees) has its own list in § 26, which is not tabulated here because the ingested text of that section does not carry the list.
ohne Einhaltung einer Kündigungsfrist von jedem Teile aus wichtigen Gründen gelöst werden Wenn der Dienstnehmer ohne wichtigen Grund vorzeitig austritt, kann der Dienstgeber entweder dessen Wiedereintritt zur Dienstleistung nebst Schadenersatz oder Schadenersatz wegen Nichterfüllung des Vertrages verlangen Germany
- Rule
- BGB § 626
- Applies to either party to a service relationship, including employees. The test weighs all circumstances and both sides' interests.
- The section lists no example grounds and states no consequence for a termination that fails the test, so those columns are left empty.
Das Dienstverhältnis kann von jedem Vertragsteil aus wichtigem Grund ohne Einhaltung einer Kündigungsfrist gekündigt werdendie Fortsetzung des Dienstverhältnisses bis zum Ablauf der Kündigungsfrist oder bis zu der vereinbarten Beendigung des Dienstverhältnisses nicht zugemutet werden kannDie Kündigung kann nur innerhalb von zwei Wochen erfolgen.Der Kündigende muss dem anderen Teil auf Verlangen den Kündigungsgrund unverzüglich schriftlich mitteilen. Spain
- Rule
- Estatuto de los Trabajadores art. 50
- The article uses "solicitar la extinción", so the worker applies for the end of the contract rather than ending it unilaterally on the day. The ingested section also lists substantial changes to working conditions that harm dignity as a just cause.
- This is not a right to leave immediately without consequence: the text only says what the worker receives if a just cause is found. Dismissal of a worker without cause is a separate rule.
Serán causas justas para que el trabajador pueda solicitar la extinción del contratob) La falta de pago o retrasos continuados en el abono del salario pactado.c) Cualquier otro incumplimiento grave de sus obligaciones por parte del empresarioEn tales casos, el trabajador tendrá derecho a las indemnizaciones señaladas para el despido improcedente. Japan
- Rule
- 労働基準法 第15条第2項・第3項
- Applies to workers whose employer must state conditions at hiring. This is the only immediate-exit ground in the ingested Japanese labour statutes; the general rules on terminating an employment contract by the worker sit in the Civil Code employment chapter, which is not ingested.
- The travel-cost duty applies only to workers who moved home to take the job.
前項の規定によつて明示された労働条件が事実と相違する場合においては、労働者は、即時に労働契約を解除することができる。就業のために住居を変更した労働者が、契約解除の日から十四日以内に帰郷する場合においては、使用者は、必要な旅費を負担しなければならない Netherlands
- Rule
- BW 7 arts. 677 and 679
- Applies to every employment agreement and to both sides. A clause that excludes or limits the right is void, and a clause leaving the employee to decide alone whether an urgent reason exists is void.
- Article 679 gives the employee's side: circumstances making it unreasonable to expect the employee to continue, including the examples shown. The article also lists illness or other causes beyond the employee's control that stop the employee working.
Ieder der partijen is bevoegd de arbeidsovereenkomst onverwijld op te zeggen om een dringende reden, onder onverwijlde mededeling van die reden aan de wederpartijDe partij die door opzet of schuld aan de wederpartij een dringende reden heeft gegeven om de arbeidsovereenkomst onverwijld op te zeggen, is aan de wederpartij een vergoeding verschuldigd, indien de wederpartij van die bevoegdheid gebruik heeft gemaakt.Elk beding waarbij de bevoegdheid, bedoeld in lid 1 of in lid 4, laatste zin, wordt uitgesloten of beperkt, is nietig. zodanige omstandigheden, die ten gevolge hebben dat van de werknemer redelijkerwijze niet kan gevergd worden de arbeidsovereenkomst te laten voortdurenc. wanneer hij het loon niet op de daarvoor bepaalde tijd voldoeti. wanneer de voortduring van de arbeidsovereenkomst voor de werknemer zou zijn verbonden met ernstige gevaren voor leven, gezondheid, zedelijkheid of goede naam Countries not in this table yet
The United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Sweden and Norway are not in the table: searches of their ingested acts for an employee's right to leave without notice found none, and the table does not infer that none exists.
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