A friend of mine tried to resign and HR told him no. Has this happened to anyone before?
Anyway, a friend of mine found a much better job at another company. He did the right thing and submitted his resignation a month in advance, when he suddenly got a strange email from HR saying something like, "We are not in a position to accept your resignation at this time."
Of course, he and I know that there's nothing they can do to force him to stay, but what a weird approach.
So I just wanted to know if this has become a common thing or if this is something that has happened to other people before. The whole situation is honestly confusing.
Jobadvisor
That sounds like an incredibly frustrating and confusing situation for your friend!
While the immediate answer is that a company cannot legally force an employee to stay, the specific phrase "We are not in a position to accept your resignation at this time" is definitely a weird and unusual approach.
Here is a breakdown of what the search results suggest about this kind of situation:
1. The Right to Resign is a Unilateral Action
The Simple Answer is No: In almost all jurisdictions, including the US (especially in "at-will" states like Texas), an employer cannot legally reject or refuse an employee's resignation.
1 It's a Notice, Not a Request: A resignation is a notice or a unilateral action to terminate the employment relationship, not a request that needs approval.
2 Once an employee clearly communicates their intention to resign, the decision is generally final (though they may have to follow contractual obligations like a notice period).3 The Bottom Line: Your friend has the right to leave on the date they specified, assuming they have fulfilled their contractual notice period (which a month in advance should cover). They cannot be forced to work indefinitely.
2. Why an Employer Might Say That (The "Contest" or "Delay")
Although they can't block the resignation, employers sometimes try to contest or delay it, often for reasons like:
Retention Effort: They may be trying to buy time to create a counter-offer or persuade the employee to stay (Source 1.2, 1.5).
Breach of Contract (Notice Period): The only common, valid reason for contesting a resignation date is if the employee failed to give the contractually or legally required notice (Source 1.2, 1.4, 2.5). However, since your friend gave a month's notice, this is unlikely to be the case unless their contract required an unusually long notice period.
Procedure/Exit Process: They might be trying to force the employee to follow a specific internal exit process (handing in equipment, exit interview) (Source 1.5).
Ongoing Issues: Less commonly, it could be related to pending legal or disciplinary matters, though even then, they can only delay the processing, not permanently reject the resignation (Source 1.2, 1.8).
4 Poor Communication/Inexperience: The HR department may simply be using poor or incorrect language, or they might be trying a form of soft pressure/intimidation (Source 1.5, 1.8).
3. What Your Friend Should Do
Your friend is right to believe they can't be forced to stay. The key step now is clear documentation:
Re-confirm the Resignation: Your friend should send another clear, written communication (e.g., an email) to HR and their manager (cc'ing both), restating the resignation date. They should use unambiguous language like:
"This email serves as a written re-confirmation that I am resigning from my position as [Job Title]. As stated in my original notice, my final day of employment will be [Specific Date - one month from the original submission]."
Request Final Information: They should also politely request details about their final paycheck, accrued PTO payout, and the return of company property. This forces HR to start the off-boarding process.
Keep Records: Your friend should keep copies of all communications (the original resignation, the HR refusal, and their re-confirmation).
If they follow their contractual notice period, they are generally free to leave on the specified end date. The company's refusal to "accept" their notice does not negate the notice itself.
It's not common for companies to use that exact phrase, but attempting to intimidate or delay a resignation definitely happens, especially when a key employee is leaving.
Told my employer I was pregnant on a Monday, meeting scheduled on Wednesday @8am with Legal and HR on the call….coincidence?
To make an incredibly long story somewhat short, I (30f) work for a wholesale manufacturing esque business within their fully remote in house banking, treasury payment operations team (fancy way of saying we deal with the vendors, banks and the payments sent between them.) I was pregnant and took extended maternity leave roughly two and a half years ago, which allowed me to come back to my position, after almost 6 months of (unpaid by the company, slight pay from short term disability but only after the fact) maternity leave. I have felt like my boss was zeroing in on me over the last year and putting pressure on me to almost “follow in her footsteps”- Admin to VP, and was being extremely hyper critical of me, more so than any other colleague. We have always had great rapport.
A few weeks ago, I found out I was pregnant again, and had become viciously (and I mean viciously) ill. I was throwing up every hour on the hour, impossible migraines, just the absolute worst first trimester I could imagine. I was supposed to go into the office on a Monday (the company gets together once a year or so to work together in office- not mandatory but seriously encouraged- even though the role is remote, and has been since I was hired. I reached out on Sunday afternoon to inform both my direct manager and HR team that I would not be able to make the (1.5+ hour commute) into the office this week, and could provide a doctors note if necessary. I informed them that I was pregnant and had a scare (bleeding that required multiple ultrasounds to confirm viability due to high risk pregnancy) but all was well. Both HR and my boss responded telling me to take care of myself, and no problem. The following day, my boss texted me to ask how I was feeling and told me not to worry about coming to the office on Tuesday either, and we could confirm about Wednesday later in the week. On Tuesday, she reached out asking if i would be logging in, to which I told her that I would be on the following day, and was still not feeling well (probably my mistake but I read her previous message as don’t worry about work on Tuesday VS actually commuting to the office, I realize this now). She texted me again later that afternoon asking me to come in to the office on Wednesday so we could discuss work matters with the whole team, to which I responded saying I still could not make the drive, and could get a doctors note if necessary. I also said I would definitely be logging in to work, as my normal schedule entails, and work from home that day, and would be happy to schedule a call if there was anything that she wanted to discuss. She replied with a curt message, and scheduled and 8am call for Wednesday morning, with both HR and legal on the call.
They fired me.
Citing that my call logs on my work phone do not line up with calls that I have made to vendors, bank verification contacts, etc.; (I do occasionally use my personal cell as my work phone was a literal iPhone 6 and it dies after 25 min of being off charger, which is apparently a huge no no?) and that I was deleting emails and not completing action items (not sure how to prove I wasn’t actively deleting emails, but this was the first I’d ever heard of this)
They mentioned on the call that I would receive written documentation shortly and ended the call there, still haven’t received anything and my HR contact has an away message listed on her email…
There are obviously so many more details to this story, and I have consulted with an attorney, but I’m always on this sub and need to know what everyone thinks…
do we have a case here or am I totally out of luck?
Firing someone 3 days after they tell them they’re pregnant and can’t venture into the office for a dinner and “office hangs” feels a little gross and a little retaliatory. Am I crazy for thinking this should have been a warning of some sort not a “we’re logging you out of all devices once this call is complete.”
Jobadvisor
This is an extremely difficult and stressful situation, and your feelings that this is "gross and retaliatory" are completely understandable given the timing.
It is important to remember that I am an AI and not a lawyer. Since you have already consulted an attorney, they are the only person who can give you definitive legal advice on your specific case.
However, based on the facts you've presented and general employment law principles in the United States, here is an analysis of your situation, focusing on the legal principles at play in New Jersey (NJ).
⚖️ Analysis of Potential Pregnancy Discrimination and Wrongful Termination
The key issue here is the incredibly close timing between disclosing your pregnancy and your termination.
1. Pregnancy Discrimination (NJ Law)
In New Jersey, pregnancy discrimination is illegal under both the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) and the state's very strong New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD).
Prohibited Action: It is illegal to fire, refuse to hire, or treat an employee differently because of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.
The Prima Facie Case: To establish a basic (prima facie) case for discrimination, you generally need to show four things:
You are a member of a protected class (i.e., you were pregnant).
You were qualified for the job.
You suffered an adverse employment action (termination).
The termination occurred under circumstances that raise an inference of discriminatory intent.
The Coincidence: Firing you just three days after you disclose your pregnancy and inability to meet the encouraged in-office requirement due to severe pregnancy-related illness strongly raises an inference of discriminatory intent. This is often referred to as "temporal proximity."
NJLAD Requirement for Accommodation: The NJLAD also requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant employees, which can include temporary changes to job duties or work hours, or relief from non-essential work requirements—like attending a non-mandatory meeting in person when you are violently ill.
2. The Employer's Stated Reasons (Pretext)
Your employer offered "legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons" for the firing:
Using your personal phone for work calls (iPhone 6 dying).
Deleting emails.
Not completing action items.
This is where your case will be fought. The legal process generally works as follows:
Your Burden: You establish the prima facie case (the close timing).
Employer's Burden: The employer provides the "legitimate" reasons (misconduct).
Your Final Burden (Pretext): You must prove that the employer's stated reasons are simply a pretext (a cover-up) for the real, illegal reason (the pregnancy/illness).
Arguments your attorney will likely explore to prove pretext:
Lack of Progressive Discipline: Were you ever warned about deleting emails or not completing action items? If this was the first time these issues were raised, and the penalty was immediate termination, it suggests the employer was looking for a reason to fire you.
Unequal Enforcement of Rules: Are other employees using personal phones? Was the "iPhone 6 dying" issue known and ignored until now? If other employees engaged in the same conduct without termination, it suggests the rules were selectively enforced against you.
Inconsistent Behavior: HR and your boss initially responded kindly, then scheduled a high-level meeting (HR/Legal) to fire you three days later. The company's quick mobilization of its legal team immediately following a pregnancy disclosure is a classic indicator of trying to "bulletproof" an illegal action.
The Prior Manager Pressure: Your previous feeling of being "zeroed in on" and "hyper critical" behavior from your boss over the last year can be used as background evidence to suggest a pre-existing bias or negative treatment that culminated when your second pregnancy made you eligible for another long leave.
3. FMLA/NJFLA Retaliation (Future Consideration)
While not a direct FMLA/NJFLA issue yet (as you hadn't applied for leave), your employer may have acted because they knew you would be taking protected leave again in the near future, just as you did two years ago. Firing someone to avoid granting future leave is another form of illegal retaliation.
🎯 Conclusion: You Have a Strong Argument
You are not crazy for thinking this is retaliatory.
The timing—being fired with Legal and HR on the call three days after disclosing a high-risk pregnancy and needing a work-from-home accommodation—is extremely suspicious and provides a powerful basis for a legal claim.
The fact that they did not follow a warning or progressive discipline policy (if one exists) and are citing ambiguous reasons like "deleting emails" (which are hard to verify and should have been caught/addressed much earlier) strengthens the argument that the reasons are pretextual.
Continue to cooperate fully with your attorney. They will use the facts you have (the timing, the lack of prior discipline, the history with your boss, and the ambiguous reasons) to argue that your pregnancy was the real factor in your termination.
HR Investigation seems inappropriate?Am I wrong?
Backstory: 1 1/2 weeks ago my son(13) had a medical emergency and was admitted to the children’s hospital that’s a part of the company I work for. I work in a totally different area in a specialty clinic for adults. Well when he was discharged they gave instructions etc. I had to call back a few times because of issues with prescriptions at the pharmacy. One of the times I called I mentioned that due to his discharge instructions he’s going to need an excuse for gym class. The person I talked too just said ok and nothing else. His school called the next day or day after(can’t remember) for the gym excuse. I looked in the patient portal and there looked to be one added to his discharge documents. So I downloaded it and emailed it to school. Well 2 days later my boss and the office manager called me into the office. Apparently the school had called the children’s hospital because the excuse from gym note seemed wrong and had incorrect information in it. Well since I mailed it from my work email I was being questioned apparently it had the wrong dates and was in the wrong format so I was questioned deeply about it. Because it seemed fabricated .I explained everything and then went back to work. Then I was told HR would contact me. They did and I had a call with them, and I felt like I was being attacked. 1) I sent it from my work email why the hell would I send a falsified document that way? 2) I have never once accessed my son’s chart PLUS I do not know how to make any kind of discharge paperwork of any kind. 3) They asked me why I didn’t notice the incorrect information? Probably because I didn’t think I needed too plus I was at work and was multi tasking. 4) The format was a DOCX not a PDF probably cause when I pulled just that page to send I saved it as one cause it gave me the option too.
They asked multiple times where I got it from/who sent it to me and I said it was in his discharge documentation in the patient portal. ALSO since this has come to light that page is GONE from his discharge documentation.
They also kept cutting me off to the point my head was spinning. I sent them an email answering questions the cut me off from answering. That was Monday they said my boss would be notified of next steps and I have heard NOTHING yet at all. My anxiety is through the roof. I love my job and would never do anything to put it in jeopardy in any way.
Help!
Jobadvisor
This sounds like an incredibly stressful and frustrating situation, especially considering you've just dealt with a medical emergency involving your child. Your feelings that the HR investigation seems inappropriate are completely valid—it appears to be an intense, high-level reaction to a simple administrative error or a clerical mix-up in the patient portal.
Here is an analysis of why the investigation is happening, whether it is appropriate from the employer's perspective, and what you should focus on next.
🧐 Why the Investigation is Happening (From the Employer's View)
While the situation seems minor to you, you work for a healthcare company, and the involvement of patient records and official medical documentation elevates this issue in their eyes, making HR and Legal involvement almost automatic.
1. The Core Issue: Document Integrity and Fabrication
For a hospital system, any document purporting to be an official discharge or excuse note that has incorrect information or is in the wrong format (like a DOCX instead of a PDF) immediately triggers a red flag for fabrication or tampering.
Risk: They are viewing this through the lens of worst-case scenarios: Could an employee be trying to falsify medical records for personal gain or to help someone else?
The School's Role: The school calling the hospital and questioning the note (because it looked wrong) essentially initiated a report that the hospital system must now investigate seriously to protect its reputation and compliance.
2. The HIPAA and HR Component (Access and Conduct)
While you state you never accessed your son's chart, HR is likely checking:
HIPAA & Privacy: Did you improperly access his chart (or someone else's)? For a healthcare company, unauthorized access to a patient record—even your own child's—can be a terminable offense.
Company Policy: Using your work email to send personal documentation (even if related to a family medical issue) is often against company policy, though rarely a firing offense unless the document itself is the issue.
3. The "Inappropriate" Feeling is Justified
You are not wrong to feel this is an overblown reaction. The fact that the official documentation has vanished from the portal strongly suggests the initial mistake was on the hospital's side, not yours. You were likely attacked because they were trying to determine if you were involved in creating the faulty note, or if you were a victim of their own internal error.
🎯 What You Need to Do Now
You have handled the situation well so far by sticking to your story and sending a clarifying email. Since you have heard nothing, the investigation is likely stalled or proceeding slowly.
1. Document Everything Immediately
Create a detailed timeline right now:
Dates and Times: When did you call the hospital? When did the school call? When was the boss/office manager meeting? When was the HR call?
Missing Document: Explicitly note the exact date/time you last saw the gym excuse note in the patient portal, and the date you noticed it was GONE. This is a crucial piece of evidence that shifts suspicion back onto the hospital system itself.
The Note Itself: Do you still have the faulty DOCX note? If so, do not delete it. It may show metadata proving it originated from their system.
2. Follow-Up (If Necessary)
Wait for your boss to follow up, as HR said they would be notified of the "next steps." If you hear nothing by the end of the week, send a single, short, polite email to your manager (and perhaps the HR representative, but keep it brief) just to seek a resolution:
"Dear [Manager's Name], I am following up on the HR discussion from Monday regarding the school note error. I was told you would be informed of the next steps. My anxiety over this unresolved issue is making it difficult to focus, especially given my son's recent hospital stay. Could you please let me know when I can expect a final decision or resolution? Thank you."
3. Focus on the Disappearing Document
The most compelling part of your defense is that the document disappeared from the official patient portal after the issue was raised. This strongly implies that someone in the hospital system realized a faulty document had been uploaded and then remotely deleted it.
Your best defense is to stick to the facts:
"I pulled an existing discharge document from the official patient portal."
"I noticed it had since disappeared, which suggests the error was internal."
"I have never accessed a patient chart, nor do I have the ability or knowledge to create such a document."
The investigators kept cutting you off because they were trying to elicit a specific answer (that you fabricated it). By being calm, consistent, and pointing out the missing document, you put the burden back on them to explain the flaw in their own system.
You are likely waiting for HR to conclude their internal review, which may result in a formal resolution letter (clearing you or issuing a warning) or just a quiet dropping of the matter. Continue to perform your job professionally while you wait.