Pay and progression · 5 min read
How long is my notice period, and can I leave early?
Notice periods in the UK and US: the legal minimums, what your contract can require, how to negotiate an earlier exit, and what happens to pay and holiday.
The short answer
Your notice period is the time between telling your employer you're leaving, or being told you're being let go, and your last day. In the UK, the legal minimum you must give after one month in a job is one week, but your contract can require more, commonly one to three months for professional roles. Your employer must give you at least one week per full year of service, up to 12 weeks. In the US, most employment is at will, so there's no legal notice requirement either way, but two weeks is the professional norm. You can often leave early by agreement: ask, offer a good handover, and offer to forgo pay for the days you don't work.
Key takeaways
- UK: you owe at least a week after one month's service, or what your contract says if longer.
- UK employers owe a week per full year of service, up to 12 weeks.
- US: no legal notice in most jobs; two weeks is the norm.
- Leaving early is usually negotiable, especially with a good handover plan.
On this pageThe legal minimums
The legal minimums
| Length of service | Employer must give | You must give |
|---|---|---|
| Under one month | None | None |
| One month to two years | One week | One week |
| Two to twelve years | One week per full year | One week |
| Twelve years or more | Twelve weeks | One week |
| Any length | Or more if the contract says so | Or more if the contract says so |
What contracts usually say
- Entry-level and hourly roles: one week to one month.
- Professional and graduate roles: one month.
- Managers and specialists: two to three months.
- Senior leaders and regulated finance roles: three to six months, sometimes with garden leave.
- During probation: often shorter, one week either way.
In the US
Most US jobs are at will, so neither side legally owes notice. Two weeks is the professional norm, and some employers require it to pay out unused vacation. Senior roles and some contracts specify longer notice. Union agreements and some state laws for mass layoffs, such as the federal WARN Act, set their own rules for employers.
How to negotiate leaving early
- Resign in writing with your contractual notice, then ask about an earlier date in the same conversation.
- Bring a handover plan: who takes what, documented processes, and dates.
- Offer to be reachable for questions for a few weeks.
- Offer to forgo pay for days not worked, or to use accrued holiday.
- If your new employer is flexible, say so; if not, explain why the date matters.
Money during notice
You're paid normally during your notice period, and holiday continues to accrue. In the UK, if you've been with your employer long enough to get statutory notice of at least a week more than your contract gives, special rules can protect your pay during notice if you're off sick or on leave. Pay in lieu of notice is taxable like salary. Make sure your final payslip includes accrued holiday.
Questions people ask
- What happens if I don't work my notice?
- In the UK, leaving without working your contractual notice is a breach of contract. In practice, employers rarely sue, but they may withhold pay for the days you don't work, refuse a reference beyond the basics, or, in rare cases, claim costs such as agency cover. Negotiating an early release is safer.
- Can my employer make me take holiday during my notice?
- In the UK, yes, if they give you notice of at least twice the length of the holiday they want you to take. They can also pay you for untaken holiday instead. Check your contract, which may set its own rules.
- Does notice start the day I resign?
- Usually the day after you give notice, unless your contract says otherwise. Give notice in writing and keep a copy. If your contract requires notice in weeks or months, count from the day after you hand it in.
- Can my employer end my job during notice?
- They can put you on garden leave, pay you in lieu of notice if the contract allows, or agree an earlier date with you. In the US, at-will employers can end your job immediately after you resign, so be ready for that possibility.
- Is my notice period different during probation?
- Often. Many contracts set a shorter notice period during probation, commonly one week either way. Once probation ends, the full contractual notice applies. If your contract says nothing specific, the statutory minimums still apply: one week after a month's service in the UK.
- Can I take sick leave during my notice period?
- Yes, if you're genuinely ill, with the usual rules on reporting and fit notes. Sick pay during notice follows your contract and, in the UK, statutory sick pay rules. Some employees with statutory notice are entitled to full pay during notice even when off sick, so check before assuming you'll only get sick pay.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- Handing in your notice · GOV.UK
- Giving notice and notice periods · Acas
- Severance pay · US Department of Labor
How this page is written
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