I think commenters might not be aware of potential legal consequences of various approaches to quitting your job. Employers might no option but to get you out

I think commenters might not be aware of potential legal consequences of various approaches to quitting your job. Employers might no option but to get you out the door immediately. It depends on the domain. IANAL so I will not comment on specifics only to say that, as an employer, I've had to consult our attorney in cases where we were working on government/aerospace programs. On the other side of the equation, years ago I had one of our engineers tell me he was starting a business and would likely have to leave in three months (over the summer). As much as I didn't like the idea of him leaving, I thought it was a fantastic move for him. I am 100% pro-entrepreneurship and fully supported his decision. In fact, during the that summer --the last three months he worked for us-- we all went out of our way to help him in any way we could. I wanted to personally make sure he launched into his new business with a solid footing. As a result the transition was beautiful. We even threw a party in celebration just before he left. We still keep in touch. He is doing well. After he left he was happy to come over a couple of times and help resolve things we missed during the transition. If you treat people like human beings and show them you truly care for their wellbeing everything is better. Companies come and go. People, and their relationships, tend to stay. If sometime in the future I closed-down my business and needed a job, I know I could reach out to him and get hired if he needed help. I don't say this in a religious sense: Treat others the way you would like to be treated. To answer the obvious question: In the couple of cases where the attorneys said immediate release was required, we went way out of our way to explain why this had to be. We also provided a solid financial cushion in order to ensure the person leaving didn't jump into a vacuum. It sucks when legal-crap gets in the way of considerate, compassionate human relations. Sometimes you have no options on the table.