Exit management for CA, legal and consulting firms

Notice periods that protect deadlines

A manager who resigns in August with 30 days' notice leaves in the middle of filing season. Firms therefore set 60 to 90 days for managers and seniors, 30 days for staff, and a shorter notice in probation. Enter the resignation in the system on the day it is handed in, which sets the last working day, and agree the handover plan with the engagement partner that same week, while the person is still fully engaged.

Handing over client files and working papers

Every open engagement needs a named successor and a handover note covering status, open points, client contacts and deadlines. Working papers stay with the firm, and client documents go back to the office file, not home. Access to the firm's systems, client portals and shared drives ends on the last day, and any client-issued access card comes back.

• Handover note for each open engagement
• Client documents returned to the office file
• Access to systems, portals and drives removed
• Client access cards and firm laptop returned
• Confidentiality obligations restated in the relieving letter

When articleship ends

Articles who complete their training are not resigning, but the firm still runs an exit: final stipend, return of assets, removal of access and the completion paperwork with the institute. Many firms offer good articles a role once they qualify, so record the exit reason as completion of training and note whether you would rehire. A warm exit is the start of your next hiring round.

Dues and timelines

Wages due must reach the person within two working days of leaving, so clearance should begin while the notice period is running. Add leave encashment where the policy allows, recover any advance within the deduction rules, and pay gratuity where service has crossed five years. For a manager whose last drawn basic plus DA was ₹52,000, with 6 completed years, gratuity is ₹52,000 x 15 / 26 x 6 = ₹1,80,000.

How to set it up in ZeniaHR

1. Log the resignation on the day it is received; ZeniaHR then sets the last working day and lists the person as on notice.
2. In the work terms policy, give managers and seniors a longer notice through per-grade overrides, and keep a shorter notice for probationers.
3. Use the exit checklist for engagement handovers, asset returns and access removal, and choose the closest structured exit reason.
4. Put final pay and leave encashment through an off-cycle run, and release it inside the two working days allowed.
5. Before the partner signs the settlement, compare it with the gratuity and settlement reports for anyone with long service.

Read more about employee records and exits in ZeniaHR.

Roles this applies to

Frequently asked questions