Work hours & pay
Notice period calculator
Pick the date you give notice and how long your notice period is to see your leaving date, final working day and the working days remaining.
Weeks are counted as 7-day blocks from the day you give notice; months land on the same day number in the later month.
How the leaving date is worked out
Your notice period starts the day you hand in a resignation and runs for the length your contract sets. The calculator adds that length to the notice date: a notice in weeks adds that many seven-day blocks, while a notice in months lands on the same day number in the later month. If you give four weeks' notice on the 24th, the leaving date is 28 days later; one month's notice instead moves to the 24th of the next month. The final working day is the last weekday on or before the leaving date, so a leaving date that falls on a weekend rolls back to the Friday.
The working-days figure counts only the days you are actually rostered between the day after you give notice and the final working day, using a five- or six-day week. That is the number that matters for handovers, holiday you still want to take, and counting down.
| Notice length | Calendar days | Rough working days (5-day week) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | 7 | 5 |
| 2 weeks | 14 | 10 |
| 4 weeks | 28 | 20 |
| 8 weeks | 56 | 40 |
| 1 month | 28–31 | 20–23 |
Getting your notice right
Read your contract for how notice is defined, because the wording changes the maths. Some employers count notice in whole weeks or calendar months, others require a specific number of working days, and a few start the clock only from the next payroll date. A resignation is usually taken as given once it is received in writing, so the date you send the email often sets the start, not the date your manager replies.
Remember that contractual holiday keeps accruing during notice, and many people use outstanding leave to bring the final working day forward without changing the official leaving date. If your employer offers pay in lieu of notice, your last working day can be today even though the leaving date on your record stays the same. Where both sides agree, a notice period can also be shortened or waived, so treat these dates as the default rather than a fixed rule.
Frequently asked questions
Does the notice period include weekends?
The leaving date is counted in calendar days, so weekends are included in the span. The working-days figure, by contrast, counts only your rostered weekdays between giving notice and the final working day.
When does my notice period actually start?
Usually on the day your written resignation is received, not the day it is acknowledged. Check your contract, as some count from the next pay date or the following Monday.
What is pay in lieu of notice?
It is a payment that lets you leave before the notice period ends. You stop working immediately but are paid for the notice time; the leaving date on your record often stays the same.