Have you decided to quit your job? Before you rush off to write your resignation letter, let's take a step back. How do you go about it? What information is mandatory in the letter? What is the correct way to announce the news to your employer? How much notice?

Is a letter of resignation still necessary?

In Belgium, Article 37 of the Law of 3 July 1978 on employment contracts provides that a resignation is only legally valid if it is sent in writing. Your letter of resignation kicks off the notice period at the end of which you can leave the company and ask for your termination documents. In France, the Labour Code does not oblige employees to tender their resignation in writing. Nevertheless, we recommend writing a letter in order to provide proof.

Although you are only required to send a written letter, good manners dictate that you inform your manager and employer in person about your decision beforehand. If not, your silence may be interpreted as a lack of respect or even a “stab in the back” if your immediate supervisor suspects nothing. Your notice period could become a tense, cold time, and you will leave the company under a cloud. Whatever your reasons for leaving, be sure to have a chat with your manager.

Do I have to send a letter of resignation if I am on a fixed term contract?

From a legal point of view, the resignation only applies to open-ended contracts. If you are on a fixed-term contract, you cannot resign. On the other hand, another alternative exists in Belgium: early termination of the fixed term contract by mutual agreement between the employee and the employer.

In France, the law also allows employees on a fixed-term contract to terminate their employment contract early if they find a permanent contract.

How do I announce my resignation to my manager?

Announcing your resignation has an impact on the team and the company. Apart from the obvious organisational issues (such as the need to launch the recruitment process to find a replacement, or the redistribution of work among the team), when an employee leaves, it can be experienced as an emotional upheaval, especially when you have built strong relationships with your co-workers and your manager over many months or even years.

For these reasons, it is better to take the time to let them know. Start with your manager. During your conversation, explain why you want to leave. You don’t have to go into details if you don’t want to.

Be careful, however, not to let yourself get carried away by feelings of revenge if the reason for your resignation has anything to do with management. Try not to “let it all out”, but rather take action by explaining that you do not share the same vision or that the direction the company is taking no longer matches what you are looking for. Maintaining good relations or at least cordial relations can be very useful: your future employer could contact your company for a recommendation.

Once your N+1 and the employer have been informed, you can tell your colleagues and clients.

How do I tender my resignation letter?

By registered post with acknowledgement of receipt? In person ? By e-mail ? All three are possible. However, be watchful in case you need proof. If you choose to hand over your resignation letter in person, consider printing it in duplicate and get your employer to sign it. Give one copy to your HR department and keep the other. If you opt to send an e-mail, remember to ask for acknowledgement of receipt.

Do I have to give the reason for my departure in my letter of resignation?

The answer is no. You are entitled to resign and you have no legal obligation to justify your decision. Nevertheless, for the reasons we mentioned above, it is advisable to give a brief oral explanation to your manager. It is up to you if you  want to explain your decision to resign all over again in your letter.

What information is mandatory in a resignation letter?

Your resignation letter must contain several pieces of information:

• First and last name;

• Date the letter was sent;

• Company name;

• Title of the position you are leaving;

• The date you started with the company;

• A clear statement about your intention to leave;

• Notice period;

• Actual date of departure;

• Your signature.

Notice and resignation: what does the law say?

In Belgium, the notice period is calculated in weeks according to your uninterrupted seniority in the same company. In other words, if you have signed several employment contracts with the same company, you must calculate your seniority from the beginning of your 1st contract. Here is the reference chart for your exact notice period:

Seniority in the same companyNotice period (resignation)

0 months to less than 3 months 1 week

3 months to less than 6 months 2 weeks

6 months to less than 12 months 3 weeks

12 months to less than 18 months 4 weeks

18 months to less than 24 months 5 weeks

2 years to less than 4 years 6 weeks

4 years to less than 5 years 7 weeks

5 years to less than 6 years 9 weeks

6 years to less than 7 years 10 weeks

7 years to less than 8 years 12 weeks

8 years and more13 weeks

Note that it is possible to negotiate a shorter notice period and an earlier departure date, or even to be exempted. You can also take any remaining paid leave during your notice period with the agreement of your employer.

In France, the Labour Code stipulates that the notice period is set by the collective agreement on which the employee depends. It is generally 1 month for employees and workers and 3 months for managers.

Model letter of resignation

Employed in your company under a permanent contract since "Contract Start Date" I hereby wish to notify you of my resignation as "Job Title".

Option 1: If you want to carry out your notice

In accordance with the regulations in force, my departure will be effective at the expiry of my notice period of “period of notice”, i.e. the “departure date”.

Option 2: If you want to negotiate your notice

Although I should normally service notice that would have me leave the company on “departure date”, I would like to negotiate an earlier departure date and thus be released from carrying out “all/part” of it.

At the end of my employment contract, I would ask you to make available all the mandatory termination documents.

I am at your disposal to determine an effective departure date in light of my situation.

Your sincerely,

"First Name & Last Name"

"Signature"

What happens once the notice period ends?

In Belgium, when your notice period comes to an end, your employer must provide you with:

• the work certificate (at the employee’s request). It gives only the start and end dates of the contract and the nature of the work carried out,

• statement of final payments,

• the individual account for the current year (within two months following the end of the quarter in which the employment contract ended),

• Unemployment certificate (C4),

• Tax slip 281.10,

• certificate of absence* (only for employees).

In France, the employer is required to give the resigning employee their final balance, the work certificate and a certificate intended for France Travail (formerly Pôle Emploi).