Notice Periods

Minimum periods are set by statute but an employer may give and require longer periods than the statutory periods of notice.

Always check your written particulars/statement of terms for your notice periods

Notice to be Given to an Employee

Statutory entitlement is based upon the length of continuous service with the employer:

–  Under 1 month’s service – no statutory notice requirement
–  Between 1 month and up to 2 year’s service  = notice of 1 week
–  2 year’s continuous service = notice of 2 weeks
–  3 year’s continuous service = notice of 3 weeks
–  4 year’s continuous service = notice of 4 weeks

After 4 years service, the notice period increases by 1 week for each complete year of continuous service until the maximum notice entitlement is reached of 12 weeks for 12 or more years continuous service.

Tip – remember the minimum notice period in your terms of employment may be out of date simply because it may have been issued years ago and an employee has worked more years since then and should receive a longer notice period.

Notice to be Given to an Employer

The statutory requirement is:

–  Under one month’s continuous service = no period of notice required.
–  One month or more of continuous service = notice of 1 week.

The individual’s contract/written particulars of employment may set out longer notice periods which the employee is required to give to an employer