>(Can people not leave jobs in Germany without prior notice? Can you not lose your job without prior notice? I understand that France has laws about not firing people...?)<
In Germany, it's usual to give prior notice. In my case, it's a 3-month notice, both ways. This assures that the employer can find a replacement and that the employee can find another job. Actually I find it a horrible situation that people can get fired without prior notice. There are exceptions, of course. For instance when you start on a new job, you have a 6-month trial period during which you can quit anytime and also the employer can end the working relationship. But once you've passed that period and moved on to a contract of employment of indefinite duration, you're hopefully safe from such unpleasant surprises.
I would imagine that especially when you're employed by the city as Schanke is, it would be required to give prior notice. In Germany, you give notice, the city gives out a bulletin that a job is available, and in the ideal situation you could train the newbie before you leave.
>Schanke is a regular employee, not a contractor, so he would not be under an individual contract.<
But certainly the City of Toronto has standard contracts that their employees sign which state their salary, vacation time, and terms of quitting?
Re: Schanke's spur-of-the-moment quit
In Germany, it's usual to give prior notice. In my case, it's a 3-month notice, both ways. This assures that the employer can find a replacement and that the employee can find another job. Actually I find it a horrible situation that people can get fired without prior notice. There are exceptions, of course. For instance when you start on a new job, you have a 6-month trial period during which you can quit anytime and also the employer can end the working relationship. But once you've passed that period and moved on to a contract of employment of indefinite duration, you're hopefully safe from such unpleasant surprises.
I would imagine that especially when you're employed by the city as Schanke is, it would be required to give prior notice. In Germany, you give notice, the city gives out a bulletin that a job is available, and in the ideal situation you could train the newbie before you leave.
>Schanke is a regular employee, not a contractor, so he would not be under an individual contract.<
But certainly the City of Toronto has standard contracts that their employees sign which state their salary, vacation time, and terms of quitting?