Resignation is the formal act of relinquishing or vacating one's office or position. A resignation can occur when a person holding a position gained byelection or appointment steps down, but leaving a position upon the expiration of a term, or choosing not to seek an additional term, is not considered resignation.
When an employee chooses to leave a position, it is considered a resignation, as opposed toinvoluntary termination. Whether an employee resigned or was terminated is sometimes a topic of dispute, because in many situations, a terminated employee is eligible forseverance pay and/orunemployment benefits, whereas one who voluntarily resigns may not be eligible.Abdication is the equivalent of resignation for a reigningmonarch,pope, or holder of another similar position.
A resignation is a personal decision to exit a position, though outside pressure exists in many cases. For example,Richard Nixon resigned from the office ofPresident of the United States in August 1974 following theWatergate scandal, when he was almost certain to have beenimpeached by theUnited States Congress.[1]
Resignation can be used as a political manoeuvre, as in thePhilippines in July 2005, when tencabinet officials resigned en masse to pressurePresidentGloria Macapagal Arroyo to follow suit overallegations of electoral fraud. Arroyo's predecessor,Joseph Estrada, was successfully forced out of office during theEDSA Revolution of 2001 as he faced the firstimpeachment trial held in the country's history.
In 1995, theBritish Prime Minister,John Major, resigned as Leader of theConservative Party in order to contesta leadership election with the aim of silencing his critics within the party and reasserting his authority. Having resigned, he stood again and was re-elected. He continued to serve as prime minister until he was defeated in the1997 elections.
However, ascertaining whether an employee had an intent to resign depends on all the circumstances. As noted by theOntario Superior Court of Justice, an employee's storming off may not legally be a resignation.[2]
Although government officials may tender their resignations, they are not always accepted. This could be a gesture of confidence in the official, as withUS PresidentGeorge W. Bush's refusal of hisSecretary of DefenseDonald Rumsfeld's twice-offered resignation during theAbu Ghraib prison abuse scandal.[3]
However, refusing a resignation can be a method of severe censure if it is followed by dismissal;Alberto Fujimori attempted to resign asPresident of Peru, but his resignation was refused so thatCongress could impeach him.[4]
For many public figures, primarily departing politicians, resignation is an opportunity to deliver a valedictoryresignation speech in which they can elucidate the circumstances of their exit from office and in many cases deliver a powerful speech which often commands much attention. This can be used to great political effect, particularly as, subsequent to resigning, government ministers are no longer bound bycollective responsibility and can speak with greater freedom about current issues.[citation needed]
"Spending more time with family" is a common reason credited during public resignations,[5][6] especially as a euphemism when receding from scandal.[7]
In academia, a university president or the editor of a scientific journal may also resign, particularly in cases where an idea which runs counter to the mainstream is being promoted. In 2006, Harvard presidentLawrence Summers resigned after making the provocative suggestion that the underrepresentation of female academics in math and science[8] could be due to factors other than sheer discrimination, such as personal inclination or innate ability.
In a club, society, or othervoluntary association, a member may resign from an officer position in that organization or even from the organization itself. InRobert's Rules of Order, this is called arequest to be excused from a duty.[9] A resignation may also be withdrawn.[10]
