Notice Period Calculator

A notice period is the amount of time between when an employee submits their resignation (or is notified of termination) and their last working day. It allows the employer time to find a replacement and the employee to hand over responsibilities. Standard periods range from 1–4 weeks for most roles, to 3–6 months for senior executives.

It depends on how the notice period is defined. Calendar-day notice periods include weekends and public holidays — you count every day. Working-day notice periods only count Monday to Friday business days. This calculator lets you skip weekends by computing the last working day, and you can optionally exclude public holidays.

Garden leave (or gardening leave) is when an employer asks an employee to stay at home for the duration of their notice period while remaining on the payroll. The employee is paid in full but is not required (or allowed) to come to work. It is often used to protect confidential information or prevent employees from immediately joining a competitor.

Yes. Many employers are willing to shorten a notice period by mutual agreement — especially if they have a replacement ready or prefer a clean break. You can also negotiate to serve your notice on garden leave, or to buy out your notice period (pay in lieu of notice). Always get any changes agreed in writing.

Payment in lieu of notice (PILON) is when an employer pays an employee their salary for the notice period instead of requiring them to work it. This allows the employee to leave immediately. PILON is typically subject to tax and national insurance in the same way as regular pay.