How to Write an Involuntary Resignation Letter In Your Favor

You started with this company intending to build a career, and now you are fired. It is one breakup that can leave you with a broken heart and a lot of embarrassment. You will now have to find a way to explain to every sequential employer the circumstances involved. This can cause a lot of frustration, but don’t be disheartened.

According to the U.S. government’s official news release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 5 million people are laid off every month in the United States. A quick Google search will tell you that it is impossible to put a percentage on the number of people laid off in their lifetime. It does happen to just about everyone at least once, regardless of what people admit.

See also: Resignation Letter Templates

The Purpose of the Resignation Letter

What you choose to include in your Involuntary Resignation Letter is critical to the success of your future employment searches.

In some industries, such as Licensed Investments or Insurance, you will be asked to complete an official exit interview. This is on a paper which will be tied to your record permanently. This resignation form is called a U5 and you can visit FINRA’s official site to find more specific information on what it requires.

The information included in the Involuntary Resignation is your chance to voice your side of events, but you should treat this opportunity with great sensitivity.

The fact is, you will be placed under a microscope. If you bash your employer in any way, it will reflect negatively on you. Citing numerous reasons deflecting blame will also appear as though you are only making excuses. Nevertheless, a complete confession of your errors is NOT in your best interest. Use diplomacy.

In future interviews, you want to take every measure to avoid discussing this topic at any length. The old adage rings true: “less IS more” in this situation. While your employer might have you complete an exit interview for legal reasons, you can still word it to your advantage.

The next 3 steps explain how.

Begin your Involuntary Resignation Letter on a Positive Note

Begin by stating something positive about your employer, but be brief.

According to Inc.com, several sources which include Harvard Medical School, UCLA, and Rand Corp have concluded that 1 in 5 Americans is currently employed in a hostile work environment.

Lengthy tributes to someone who just gave you the proverbial axe will only be viewed as desperate attempts at flattery. Regain your power by taking the high road and say nothing negative.

State the reason for the termination stoically and from your perspective. This can be tricky because you want to sound as objective as possible. It should read like a police interview, but you must spin it in your favor as much as possible. Let’s use an example of a termination that can be difficult to explain- theft:

“I began employment with XYZ 3 years ago and have enjoyed everything I’ve learned with this company. Unfortunately, recent events have caused the need for our separation. It was discovered on July 4th, 2017 that $1,000 was missing from the vault.”

State the Facts

State the information as detailed as possible. Include names, dates, times, and the area where the transgression occurred. Detail your cooperation and restate your innocence:

“I participated in an active investigation of the situation and contributed any information I had with total transparency as I have nothing to hide from my employer. When I was informed by upper management that my passcode was the last to be used and, unfortunately, they have determined this information to be cause for termination. I am not aware of who else would have access to my passcode. The information is stored in a private file, but I cannot point blame at any other employee with total certainty. I remember securely locking the vault door in place, and I can only speak for the facts of which I am aware. At 2 pm, my assistant manager and I conducted a midday audit of the vault’s contents and it was in full balance. At 4 pm, we began our end of day check and discovered by 4:30 pm that $1,000 was missing. I did not remove $1,000 from the vault between 2 and 4 pm. After the midday audit, my assistant manager was present as I securely closed the vault door.”

Reinstate Your Support on the Involuntary Resignation Letter

Involuntary Resignation is bad news

Reinstate your support before outlining your defense. Point out your previous accomplishments in this area. Use any information from your past employment with the company to counter each acquisition. This will decrease the perceived veracity of their argument.

Immediately follow up your Involuntary Resignation Letter defense with acceptance of responsibility. This will portray you as noble and trustworthy.

Next, it is crucial to state what you’ve learned from the experience. This will tell future employers that you are the type of person who transforms a bad experience into an educational opportunity. This will also remind you that you have a future career beyond this company.

Finally, thank the employer once more for the chance to work with them and remind them that you are still willing to be cooperative. Be clear and concise in your language:

“I respect my employer for their diligence in their investigation. I have supported them throughout the entire process. Unfortunately, without a clear explanation for the missing funds, they have been required to make a decision based on circumstantial evidence. I have led this company in loss prevention and compliance for the last 2 years. Yet, as a manager, I understand it is ultimately my responsibility to ensure the employees I hire behave with total honesty and that operations are executed accurately and consistently. To the best of my abilities, I have done all of this and more. While I do not agree with the decision to terminate my employment, I do accept it as a requirement of my position of leadership. In the future, I will take the knowledge I learned from this experience and ensure that better steps are taken to prevent the possibility of any loss occurring.

Thank you for the opportunity to work with this institution for the last 3 years. If any additional information is required, please do not hesitate to contact me”

Involuntary Resignation Letter Example:

“I began employment with XYZ 3 years ago and have enjoyed everything I’ve learned with this company. Unfortunately, recent events have caused the need for our separation. It was discovered on July 6th, 2017 that $1,000 was missing from the vault.

I participated in an active investigation of the situation and contributed any information I had with total transparency as I have nothing to hide from my employer. When I was informed by upper management that my passcode was the last to be used and, unfortunately, they have determined this information to be cause for termination. I am not aware of who else would have access to my passcode. The information is kept in a private file. Therefore I cannot point blame at any other employee with total certainty. I remember securely locking the vault door in place and I can only speak for the facts of which I am aware. At 2 pm, my assistant manager and I conducted a midday audit of the vault’s contents and it was in full balance. At 4 pm, we began our end of day audit and discovered by 4:30 pm that $1,000 was missing. I did not remove $1,000 from the vault between 2 and 4 pm. After the midday audit, my assistant manager was present as I securely closed the vault door.

I respect my employer for their diligence in their investigation. I have supported them throughout the entire process. Unfortunately, without a clear explanation for the missing funds, they have been required to make a decision based on circumstantial evidence. I have led this company in loss prevention and compliance for the last 2 years. As a manager, I understand it is ultimately my responsibility to ensure the employees I hire behave with total honesty and that operations are executed accurately and consistently. To the best of my abilities, I have done all of this and more. While I do not agree with the decision to terminate my employment, I do accept it as a requirement of my position of leadership. In the future, I will take the knowledge I learned from this experience and ensure that better steps are taken to prevent any loss occurring.

Thank you for the opportunity to work with this institution for the last 3 years. If any additional information is required, please do not hesitate to contact me.”

Yours,
Casey M. Employee
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Remember to keep your focus on the future and don’t let this one Involuntary Resignation Letter event derail you from your goals. You aren’t alone! ©2017