Respond calmly and protect employees, project obligations, and client relationships. Confirm the notice period and transition responsibilities under applicable agreements. Ask HR or counsel how to handle the resignation, final pay, benefits, and any restrictions that apply. Keep the conversation respectful, and do not ask the departing employee to take or disclose confidential material from another employer or client.
Identify the work that depends on the person. Review active projects, upcoming deadlines, technical decisions, client contacts, review responsibilities, licenses, and system access. Record what is known and assign a responsible person to confirm open items. A simple project-by-project handoff can include current status, next action, key files, decisions awaiting review, and client commitments.
Assign coverage only to people qualified and available to do the work. Check that the firm has authorized technical oversight for each assignment. If it cannot continue responsibly, pause work, revise the schedule or scope, or arrange another course consistent with the contract and professional obligations. Notify clients when appropriate, and make sure the project lead gives a clear explanation and a workable plan.
Transfer project files and system access securely. Respect privacy, client confidentiality, records policies, and legal obligations. Coordinate the return of equipment and access changes with the person responsible for IT or security. Keep the handoff focused on the firm’s records and project needs.
After the immediate transition, review the staffing gap. Ask whether workload assumptions depended too heavily on one person, whether project knowledge was documented, and whether succession or cross-training is needed. Do not simply redistribute every task without checking capacity. Set a date to revisit each affected project and confirm that the new owner has enough time and authority.
Ask counsel to review contract and employment questions, and ask the firm’s responsible PE to assess technical coverage. This helps the owner address both the transition and the underlying continuity risk.
This is general education, not legal or engineering advice; contract terms, licensed PE judgment, and local codes govern.
