Notice period

A notice period is the time between handing in your resignation and your last working day, as set in your employment contract. If you leave early, the shortfall is often recovered from your full and final settlement.

Why employers ask for it

The notice period gives the employer time to arrange a handover: to redistribute your work, hire a replacement, and get you to document what you do. That is why the length is set in your contract, commonly 30, 60 or 90 days depending on the role and seniority. It runs from the day your resignation is accepted to your agreed last day.

If you cannot serve it fully

Life does not always wait for a notice period, for instance when a new job wants you to start sooner. Most contracts offer two routes: a buyout, where you pay the employer for the days you will not serve, or recovery, where the employer deducts pay for the unserved days from your settlement. A new employer sometimes reimburses a buyout. The exact terms, and whether the period can be negotiated, are in your offer letter.

Before you resign

Read the notice clause before you hand in your resignation, so there are no surprises in your last paycheque, and line up the timing with your next role. See the money steps around leaving a job in if you lose your job.