[aigel]

Always give 2 weeks notice.

Many of you are very bitter. It is an abstract "they" that do things to you and the "company". What you do not see is that you have a direct supervisor, coworkers or even subordinates that may suffer if you suddenly disappear. It is those people you worry about. Those are the people you may see again in the future. Especially today, when it is so easy to stay in touch and keep track (and take care) of one-another.

Okay, and now let's talk about what "they" do when it is lay-off time. Your supervisor is generally not the one who decides how much notice or severance you get. Your line manager is probably at least as upset as the rest of the staff about losing team members - after all, what is he or she going to do without a team?

Finally, why do companies walk you out when you resign? You already mentioned the fear of taking information or goods. What you did not mention is the possibility of sabotage - directly or indirectly. Have you seen what a person can do on their way out to morale if they stop being productive and shoot the breeze just complaining about the company for 2 weeks? And of course there is the danger that they start recruiting on their way out as well. So, getting walked out is nothing personal, it is the professional thing to do from the company side - of course giving you 2 week's pay.

George