Leaving a Job

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Welcome to Lawshelf’s video course on leaving a job. This course looks at many issues relevant to the process of transitioning between jobs, including notice, termination, compensation, benefits and references. This is an introductory level course and no prior knowledge of employment law is necessary.

The course begins with a discussion of how and why people leave jobs. We will look at resignation rules and the unusual cases in which resignation can lead to contractual liability. We also look at the “constructive discharge rule,” in which resignation due to poor conditions may be considered tantamount to a discharge. We will also focus on responsibilities of an employee who leaves a job, such as keeping certain information confidential and enforcement of non-compete agreements. Discussions of best practices when resigning and references round out this opening module.

Modules 2 and 3 look at post-employment compensation and benefits. Compensation includes severance pay, unemployment insurance and other forms of optional and legally required post-employment compensation. Post-employment benefits include health insurance under “COBRA” and retirement benefits. We will also discuss the transferability of retirement accounts and pensions.

Modules 4 and 5 discuss involuntary termination. While many employees are “at will,” some employees with employment contracts may not be fired except for cause. We will also discuss cases in which other employees may not be fired except for cause. We will cover layoffs, which are often subject to federal or state regulation, and finish Module 4 with a discussion of employee best practices when laid off or terminated. Module 5 also discusses non-discrimination and whistle-blower statutes that make it illegal to fire even “at will” employees on certain grounds.

This course should enhance the abilities of anyone who deals with human resources to more easily and effectively deal with personnel transitions.

Best of luck and we welcome your feedback.

What is a video-course?

A LawShelf video-course is an in-depth series of presentations on a discreet legal topic. LawShelf video-courses focus on practical legal information and applications and are each designed to familiarize the viewer with a legal topic quickly and efficiently.

Who should take a video-course?

Our video courses are designed for professionals such as attorneys, paralegals, corporate officers and financial professionals, as well as laypeople looking to deepen their knowledge of particular areas of law. The courses allow you to acquire the specific knowledge and skills that you need without the expense and time commitment of going “back to school” for a degree.

How do I learn?

Video courses are divided into 5 or 6 modules. Each module contains a video lesson (usually about 15 minutes long) and a series of self-test questions that you can use to practice and make sure that you understand the material.

How do I complete a video-course?

To complete a video-course, you must pass a 10-question multiple-choice examination by scoring 70% or higher. The questions on the exam are randomly selected from the self-test question sets for the various modules. You can retake an exam as many times as you need to, though you will not get the same questions each time since the questions are drawn from an exam bank.

How long will it take me to complete a video-course?

Between watching the modules, doing the self-test practice questions, reviewing the material and taking the final exam, we estimate that completing a video-course requires a time investment of 4-5 hours. The courses are designed to get straight to the point. We’re cognizant that your time is valuable, and we condense the information you need to know to comprehensively cover a subject into as little time as practical.

Is there limit to how many video-courses I can take or complete?

No. A LawShelf subscription enables you to access any and all LawShelf content, including all video-courses. You can take courses as quickly or slowly as your time allows.

Do I receive any recognition for completing a video-course?

Once you complete the course by passing the final exam, you will be awarded a digital badge to display as evidence of your training and accomplishment.

How will a digital badge help me?

Modern educational trends are moving away from traditional classroom-based course completion models and towards skills-based education. Employers today care more about skills than ever before. LawShelf digital badges conform to the Open Badge standard and are verifiable records of your skills that can easily be shared online.

How long do I retain access to the course materials?

You retain access the modules and take the final exam as long as you are a subscriber to LawShelf.