As short and little as possible.
In mine, I added a line saying something like "I understand I have fulfilled the contractual requirements for bonus in Financial Year 2006", just to remind them that I knew about the deadline (some of my other colleagues didn't.)
Incidentally, a former colleague of mine did quit before the bonus deadline. The company told him to naff off but the Arbeitsgericht told the company to pay up.
| Quote: | |  | |
| PS: Do not tell them where you are going until you have your feet under your new desk. | |
| | |
Definitely agree. A couple of "quitters" in my former company bragged about their new jobs at our competitor. Did they get early release? Sent home on gardening leave? Nope. Not a single day. In my case, I had a calm chat with my boss, explained my plans to get my work handed over within two months, and he agreed that it wouldn't be useful for anyone if I spent the last month just sitting around, looking out of the window, so I managed to shorten the release period.