Why an employer may not refuse a resignation
Article 37 of the Employment Contracts Act gives either party the right to end a contract of indefinite duration with notice. The employee does so with a written document handed to you, a registered letter or a bailiff's writ. Your signature on the copy only counts as acknowledgement of receipt, not as agreement. The employee's notice period depends on their seniority and is at most 13 weeks.
Exceptions
You can, however, agree together on a shorter period or an end by mutual agreement; that is then a choice made by both sides. The employee cannot simply end a fixed-term contract early: the rules of Article 40 apply there.
What is the risk?
There is nothing to refuse: properly served notice is valid. If the employee stops without working their notice period and without agreement, they owe you compensation in lieu of notice for the period not worked (Article 39).
What to do
Confirm receipt, check the notice period and plan the social documents for the end. If you want to let the employee go earlier, record that agreement in writing.
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Sources
Every amount and deadline on this page was checked against these official sources, last consulted on .