You’ve probably heard stories: someone writes a resignation letter, and boom! The boss says “Sorry, we reject it, you didn’t hit your sales target.” Sounds strange, right?
Well, let’s clear the air using Ghana’s main job law, the Labour Act of 2003 (Act 651), that’s the big rulebook for everything about jobs: how they start, how they run, and yes… how they end.
Can You Just Get Up and Leave a Job?
Short answer? Yes. You absolutely can leave your job, it’s your right.
Section 17 of the Labour Act says clearly that either the employer or the worker can end the working relationship by giving notice (that means advance warning) or paying for the time instead.
Here’s what the law says about notice periods:
- Working 3 years or more? Give 1 month’s notice
- Less than 3 years? 2 weeks’ notice
- Weekly job? 7 days’ notice
If you don’t want to wait, you can just pay what your boss would have paid you for that period and you’re free.
Can My Boss Say “No” to My Resignation?
Nope. Not legally.
If you follow the rules (give notice or pay instead), your boss can’t stop you. Your job doesn’t belong to them forever. Even if they’re unhappy or want you to stay longer, they can’t force you to remain.
Whether or not you’ve finished a project, reached your goals, it doesn’t matter. You’re free to leave once you play by the rules and company policy.
What If My Contract Says I Can’t Quit?
Some companies add weird stuff like:
- “You can’t resign unless you hit your target.”
- “Your resignation must be accepted first.”
Heads-up: These clauses don’t count if they go against your basic rights in the Labour Act. No one can trap you in a job you don’t want. That would be like… job jail.
What If I Want to Quit Immediately?
Totally possible!
Just make a “payment in lieu of notice” – fancy phrase, but it simply means: pay your boss the amount they would’ve paid you if you worked the notice period. And then you can walk away that same day.
This option works for both employers and workers, so it’s fair on both sides.
Why the Law Allows Resignation Without Permission
The ability of a worker to leave a job without needing their employer’s consent rests on a broader principle. A contract of employment is not a contract of slavery. It is based on mutual agreement and free will, and either party can choose to bring it to an end.
Requiring an employee to continue working simply because the employer says so, despite proper notice or payment, would go against this idea. The law is built to respect human dignity and freedom of choice in employment relationships. A worker should be free to leave if they so wish, and no one should be kept in a job against their will.
Conclusion
Under Ghanaian law, a worker has the right to resign from their job at any time. This right cannot be taken away by an employer or delayed by restrictive terms in a contract. Once the worker gives notice or makes the appropriate payment, the employment relationship ends.
An employer may not like the decision to resign. They may even feel the timing is inconvenient. But the law does not allow them to stop it. Resignation is a legal choice every worker is entitled to make.
Alhassan Aboagye on behalf of OSD and Partners. [email protected]
