Notice Period
The advance warning either party must give before ending the employment relationship.
A notice period is the length of time an employee or employer must give before terminating a contract of employment. It allows for an orderly handover, recruitment of a replacement and, for the employee, time to find a new role.
In Ireland, the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act sets statutory minimum notice that an employer must give, increasing with length of service, while employees owe at least one week once they have thirteen weeks' service. Contracts frequently specify longer periods, which then take precedence if more favourable. The UK operates comparable statutory minimum notice tied to service length.
Employers may sometimes pay in lieu of notice or place staff on garden leave. Whatever the approach, it should be grounded in the contract to avoid claims of wrongful dismissal.
