No work left, yet trapped in notice period by boss: Frustrated employee about to lose new job too after resignation

An Indian employee has claimed that his company, despite accepting his resignation, is intentionally delaying his release from service — preventing him from joining a new workplace even after completing all his assigned tasks. The situation, shared by the employee on Reddit, shows how long notice periods and internal billing interests can trap workers in workplaces where they are no longer needed.

Resigned, But Not Released
The employee explained that he had recently received two job offers, both requiring him to join within 30 days. Since his current company’s official notice period was 90 days, he had initially sought early release. According to his post, his employer verbally agreed to relieve him within a month. But after he submitted his resignation, the situation changed dramatically.

He shared that the management later refused to let him leave before completing 60 days, despite his deliverables being finished and no pending project dependencies. “The only reason they’re holding me back is billing — they want to keep charging the client for my position,” the post read.

The employee said he has been keeping both potential employers informed about the delay, but they are running out of patience. One of the companies reportedly told him that waiting until December would be “too late,” leaving him anxious that the offer could be withdrawn.


Stuck With No Work and No Exit
In his post, the employee expressed frustration over being made to sit idle without meaningful work while his resignation has already been accepted. “I’m just sitting here, demotivated, doing meaningless work, stuck in a company that values revenue over people — all while the opportunity I earned might slip away,” he wrote.

Other Reddit users responded with empathy and practical suggestions. One user advised him to negotiate a buyout or request the new company to issue an official requirement letter, saying that such letters sometimes help speed up the release process. Another questioned why he could not simply join the new job, but the employee clarified that he still needed documents such as his experience letter, final settlement, and references — which the current employer controls.


Notice Period Concerns in India
In response to queries about local laws, the employee said he is based in Kerala, adding that in India, “the minimum notice period is 30 days regardless of the position.” He lamented that many employers disregard this rule, enforcing longer periods under company policy even when not required by law.

Another commenter pointed out that in several Western countries, notice periods beyond four weeks are considered unreasonable unless the employee holds a senior role. They suggested checking local labour regulations, which in India often differ between states and industries.