Leave a job
Resigning is a week of small documents, and forgetting one is how laptops, references and final paychecks get awkward. This pack walks the exit in order — notice first, then the handover, the returned property, the reference you'll want later, and the questions to ask HR before your last day.
For: Anyone resigning from a US job.
What “done” looks like: Done: notice is delivered, your work has a named owner, the company has its property back with a signed receipt, a reference is lined up, and you know exactly what to confirm on your final payslip.
The flow
- Step 1Give noticeResignation Letter
You've decided, and it's time to put it in writing.
You decide: Your last day, and how much you say about why.
- Step 2Hand over your workHandover Checklist
Your work needs a named owner before you go.
Your name and company carry over from the notice.
You decide: What's on the list — and what gets handed over in person instead (never write passwords here).
- Step 3Return company propertyCompany Property Return Receipt
The laptop, badge and keys go back.
Your name and company come over; you list the items and collect a sign-off.
- Step 4Ask for a referenceReference Request Letter
Before you lose easy access to the people who can vouch for you.
You decide: Who to ask, and for what role.
- Step 5Note what to confirmFinal Pay & PTO Record Sheet
Before your last day — so the questions are written down while you can still ask them.
You decide: This one records what to confirm with HR. It deliberately doesn't compute amounts.
- Step 6Wrap up your exitEmployee Exit Checklist
The last stretch — one list to close everything out.
Open items from the handover come over so nothing gets dropped.
Most people do this quietly, on a personal phone rather than the office laptop. Everything runs in the browser with no account, and "clear all" removes it from the device when you're done.
What you get
This is the actual Resignation Letter before you type anything — brackets are the blanks you fill. Every document downloads as PDF or Word.
What this pack doesn’t do
- It doesn't calculate what you're owed. Final-pay and unused-PTO rules differ by state — the record sheet gives you the questions; HR and your state labor office give the answers.
- No severance, non-compete or dispute paperwork. If the exit is contested, that's beyond a checklist.
- It won't tell you whether to resign — it makes the mechanics clean once you have.
Questions people actually ask
- Is two weeks' notice required?
- It's a convention, not a federal requirement — though your contract or handbook may say otherwise, so check them. The letter works for any notice period you choose.
- Should I say why I'm leaving?
- It's optional. If you include a reason, short and neutral reads best — the letter's job is the date, not the debate.
- What about my final paycheck?
- The record sheet lists what to confirm — timing, unused PTO, outstanding expenses — and who to ask. It deliberately doesn't compute amounts, because state rules differ.
This pack helps you prepare and record documents. It does not determine your legal rights or what you are owed — rules vary by state. Confirm anything that matters with your HR team and your state labor department.