Please help me

That's a dilemma that involves choice and risk. I'm in a similar situation. I signed several documents this week indicating being hired but am currently waiting for an actual start date. I know I should give my two weeks notice to my current employer - where the job is in limbo due to current office closure and my temp job being not subject to remote work. But the irrational fear side of me is expecting the new job to fail to come to fruition and by quitting my existing though vaporous employment? Will I be setting myself up for a double whammy?

No one can here really answer your question. Wish we could. Just keep pressing your new company's HR department for the appropriate employment documents. Maybe they're currently understaffed in that arena and are slow to move forward with this stage of work. Hopefully, you still will be employed sooner than later and more importantly be compensated in a very timely fashion.

Thanks for your help. And I hope your situation gets sorted out as quickly as possible too.

I would reach out to your hiring company and ask them to send your offer in writing. Let them know you do not feel comfortable giving your resignation and two weeks notice until you have their offer in writing.

Any company should understand that.

Yeah, especially since I've known companies that fired people when they give notice.

This ^.

And if the new company doesn't understand that, or balks, then don't take the new job offer.

Thanks for your help everyone!

My nephew got three job offers, took one and put his notice in. The day he was to start the new job, they withdrew the offer because of loosing a contract. Fortunately, one of the other jobs was still open and a good one.

When I left a job I've been asked why I didn't post notice. I ask them, if you were to fire me, how much notice would I get,and I'm always told, "None."

I tell them to consider themselves "fired". I do design work, and I can be picky about who I work for.