Notice period
A notice period is the time between notifying the other party that employment will end and the employment end date.
Notice can apply when you resign or when your employer ends the employment, but the requirements may differ. Check the employment agreement and the law that applies to your job. The length, how notice must be given and whether you will work during it all need confirming. A notice period also affects the start date you can realistically offer a new employer.
Employment New Zealand says the agreed notice period should be followed; where an agreement has no notice provision, reasonable notice is required. What is reasonable depends on the circumstances. This is a New Zealand rule, not a worldwide default. If you want to leave earlier, ask about an agreed change and record the outcome. Keep the last day you attend work separate from the date your employment formally ends.
Example
An employee with four weeks' contractual notice receives an offer starting in two weeks. They discuss an earlier release before promising that date.
What to check
- Read the notice clause and local requirements.
- Confirm delivery method and final employment date.
- Record any agreement to shorten notice.