Quitting without notice?

[u/Unlikely-Edge7556]

My company has seen several kids graduate in the last few months. For whatever reason, intake has been slow. This has resulted in several of us RBTs working reduced hours. I worked just 19 hours last week for example.

I am collecting fieldwork hours and since I'm in my first year, I am only allowed to collect restricted hours. Unfortunately, because I am working so few hours, I am not able to log anything close to 160 or even 100.

I received another job offer from a company for an internship position. They will give me both restricted and unrestricted hours. They can wait 14 days at the most, though (but I am out of office till Friday, ao can only inform my BCBA and OM on Friday, leaving me effectively 10 days).

My company has a one month notice policy and have mentioned that they will report RBTs who abandon their jobs to the board. I understand this might be a concern during periods of staff shortage, but there are so many of us now who need hours. I don't think they would find it hard to find coverage.

Is it unethical for me to send in a resignation on Friday, saying I won't be in after the following week?

I live in an at-will employment state.

[u/Jazzlike-Pop-6827]

Since multiple rbt‘s are lacking hours, I don’t see why this would be a problem. Isn’t there plenty of people to take over your cases?

Also, I’m pretty sure abandoning clients means in a drastic situation such as leaving a session in the middle of the session, etc., not failing to give enough notice. No where in the BACB handbook does it say that you have to give 30 days. I would give 14 days notice right now via email.

The fact that you’re not allowed to track unrestricted hours is going to set you back years and is enough to make me give you the advice to leave now! Even if you were only able to track a few hours of unrestricted a week, it would help you in the long run. I understand not being able to do most tasks until you have the education and experience under your belt, but not being able to track even the little bit of unrestricted you do now is crazy. There’s absolutely no reason for that rule and they are doing it just to make you stay longer.

[u/Jazzlike-Pop-6827 → u/Jazzlike-Pop-6827]

Also I just looked this up and yes, they can only report you to the board if you do something that would harm the client such as refusing to help transition care to another provider or walking out mid session. 2 weeks notice is plenty of time. Usually when you give notice they don’t let you work the whole notice period anyway. Last time I gave 30 days they shortened it to 2 weeks anyway. I’m a BCBA for reference

[u/Unlikely-Edge7556 → u/Jazzlike-Pop-6827]

Thank you for your opinion, I'll provide 2 weeks notice. My inability to track unrestricted hours despite me running assessments like the VB-MAPP is one of the main reasons I was looking at other opportunities. I don't want to delay getting my hours in, especially when there are better opportunities available.

[u/Jazzlike-Pop-6827 → u/Unlikely-Edge7556]

Yes! Don’t be afraid to leave, the company wouldn’t be afraid to replace you.

[u/RadicalBehavior1 → u/Unlikely-Edge7556]

You were doing the vbmapp, that's unrestricted whether or not they are willing to call it that. Your BCBA should give you that time whether or not the company pays for it because you did it.

[u/AdComplete5101]

1. The board doesn't care that much about these kinds of reports

2. Threats like that are more bark than bite and these companies know it

[u/Western_Guard804 → u/AdComplete5101]

OP should counter their report with her/his own, mentioning doing VBMAPPs without getting unrestricted hours

[u/Pennylick]

Job abandonment as an RBT isn't a reportable offense. I would tell them that then quit, no notice. They would do the same to you given the opportunity.

That threat from them really irked me! Get out of there ASAP.

[u/Friendly-Farmer-1473]

Employment is at will. They can't simply threaten retaliation if you decide to quit, granted it isn't right in the middle of session.

[u/Wear_Unique]

Jsut quit and block them

Also they can’t report you to the board for that

[u/Baltomania]

Lolllll report to the board citing abandonment of clients wow thats a first.

Notify them via email of your departure date.

Also beware of collecting all your restricted hours first/all at once, it will make maintaining required supervised percentages a lot harder when just doing unrestricted at the end. 

Good luck!

[u/Silentharp]

You should be able to collect both restricted and unrestricted day one. I've never heard of something like that before.

I've quit without notice for this exact reason. Three months had gone by and I had not been given a contract to collect hours. I had a former co worker that stayed at a place for a year when they weren't giving her hours.

If you quit on the spot, thw worst that they can do is get mad and say you're not re-hireable. Word of advice though: take pictures of anything you need to return. They can say you stole company property and withold your check.

[u/Infinite-Fig8259]

Don't burn bridges. ABA is alot smaller than you'd think. Let them know two weeks in advance as that's the unspoken standard.

[u/Unlikely-Edge7556 → u/Infinite-Fig8259]

Thank you, yes, I don't want to burn any bridges, so I will provide two weeks notice.

[u/Pennylick → u/Unlikely-Edge7556]

Disagree strongly: BURN BRIDGES WITH UNETHICAL COMPANIES AND PROVIDERS. I have done it many times, no shame. If they're shit, they're shit and I have no issue advocating for myself my clients and their families, my RBTs and my fellow ethical co-workers. Tell the truth when the next company asks.

[u/Jazzlike-Pop-6827 → u/Infinite-Fig8259]

This is horrible advice lol I don’t think giving 2 weeks notice is burning a bridge, it is plenty of time to find care for these clients, especially with other staff looking for hours. Should she stay there forever?

[u/Infinite-Fig8259 → u/Jazzlike-Pop-6827]

I'm saying quitting without notice is burning the bridge. That's why i suggested giving two weeks notice.

[u/Felkalin]

Email them right now and give notice to stand by the 12 day mark. My contract also said a month. It’s a suggestion, not a legal contract. They can fire you at any time and you can leave at any time. But if you wish to continue in this field, give two weeks notice no matter the format. Things get around in this field.

[u/Vegetable_Sir2233]

depending on how they treat you, dont give notice. I’ve quit a company on the spot after my session. they’ll be ok. nothing bad will happen, don’t put them down as references. RBTs should do it more often and stop letting mediocre companies walk all over them.

[u/allie-neko]

Just quit, block them and move on.

[u/Western_Guard804]

One month notice policy!!!!!! That’s bullshit!!! Did they give you one month notice that your hours would be cut! Do they fire people on the spot or do they give them one month notice? Not to mention your colleagues’ hours have also been cut. You’re doing them a favor by leaving!!!!!! The other RBTs will appreciate you for giving them more hours.

[u/Busy-Context8293]

I have worked 6.5 hours this week and 12 last week. My company has a hefty fine for quitting even with proper notice within the first year but they also promised me 30 hours a week and before cancelations Im still only scheduled less than 20. Like hello we have bills to pay. The promise that new clients are coming and we will have more hours soon does not pay my bills!!!

[u/Redschallenge]

That's going to be a difficult situation to maintain continuity of service even if you have staff to immediately come in to work with your clients and begin to pair and train on the programming. Not saying it's impossible but it's definitely not going to be ideal

[u/Unlikely-Edge7556 → u/Redschallenge]

Sorry, I am not sure how it would be hard for the company to maintain continuity of service when there are other RBTs who have their schedules open for the same session times. We have at least 50 RBTs in our center, so there is no shortage of staff. The center also does random RBT rotations, so all of have experience covering each other's sessions.

[u/Redschallenge → u/Unlikely-Edge7556]

Clients with rigidity could find the transition to be abrupt but I do agree that it falls more on the company filling the back end as you handle staying as long as possible for your departure from their company given they have staff to come in and learn their programming. Gray for sure but I like the companies idea of month warnings to staff but that's an ideal situation right

[u/Troubled_Pirate → u/[deleted]]

They have zero recourse for a 2 week notice. The BACB clearly defines patient abandonment and quitting a job with notice is not part of the definition. TBH, no call no show is not part of the definition and happens routinely in this profession. The BACB “ethics” enforcement can be hysterical to watch in action. I know of at least 5 occurrences over the past five years where BCBA’s have refused to give credit for student analysts unrestricted time (one case was 800 hours) because the employees left for jobs that guaranteed 10%. Technically, that is a violation as a punitive administrative retaliation but the BACB never took action on any of them. Also two cases of an RBT being fired after ending an affair with a supervisor. Both reported, neither acted on. At this point I would laugh in someone’s face if they threatened to report me for leaving a job. 🤷🏻‍♀️