Work out your last day of work in seconds. Choose where you work, enter your start date and the day you hand in (or receive) notice, and the calculator applies the official minimum notice for your country, province or state. It shows when the notice ends, your last working day after weekends and public holidays, and how many working days you have to hand over. It also works backwards from the day you want to leave.
Notice period calculator
Working backwards
Want to leave on a particular day? Enter the last day you want to work and the calculator tells you the latest date to hand in your notice, using the notice period above.
How the calculator works
- Notice starts the day after you give it. Two weeks’ notice handed in on Monday, November 2 runs to Monday, November 16.
- Weekends and holidays count. Notice is measured in calendar weeks, so public holidays inside the notice period do not make it longer.
- Last working day. If the notice ends on a weekend or public holiday, the calculator also shows the working day before it, using our verified holiday lists for your province or state.
- Contract notice. If your contract sets a notice period, enter it. When an employer ends the job, the longer of the contract and the legal minimum applies.
Minimum notice by country
| Where you work | If you resign | If your employer ends the job |
|---|---|---|
| United States | None by law (2 weeks is customary) | None by law for individual employees (at-will); the WARN Act covers some mass layoffs |
| Canada: federal workplaces | Not set by the Canada Labour Code | 2 weeks after 3 months, then 1 week per year from 3 years, up to 8 weeks |
| Canada: British Columbia | Not required | 1 week after 3 months, 2 weeks after 12 months, 3 weeks after 3 years, then +1 per year up to 8 weeks |
| Canada: Alberta | 1 week (90 days to 2 years), 2 weeks (2 years or more) | 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 or 8 weeks depending on service (8 weeks at 10 years) |
| Canada: Ontario | Not required (except some mass layoffs) | 1 week under 1 year, 2 weeks from 1 to 3 years, then 1 week per year up to 8 weeks |
| United Kingdom | 1 week after one month in the job | 1 week (1 month to 2 years), then 1 week per full year, up to 12 weeks |
| Ireland | 1 week after 13 weeks | 1, 2, 4, 6 or 8 weeks depending on service (8 weeks after 15 years) |
| Australia (National Employment Standards) | Set by your award, agreement or contract | 1 to 4 weeks by service, plus 1 week if over 45 with 2+ years of service |
Frequently asked questions
Is two weeks’ notice required by law?
Not in the United States, and not in most of Canada. It is a professional custom. The UK and Ireland require at least 1 week from employees, and Alberta requires 1 or 2 weeks depending on how long you have worked there. Your contract can ask for more.
Does the notice period include weekends?
Yes. A week of notice is seven calendar days. If you want to know how many days you will actually work, the calculator shows the working days left, without weekends and public holidays. Our business days calculator does the same for any two dates.
Can my employer pay me instead of letting me work my notice?
Usually, yes. Most of these laws allow pay in lieu of notice. In BC, if you resign and your employer tells you to leave early, the employer owes you pay for the shorter of the notice you gave and the notice the law would have required.
When will my final paycheck arrive?
That depends on local rules and your pay schedule. To see your regular pay dates, use our pay period calculator.
This calculator gives general information, not legal advice. Special rules can apply to some jobs (for example construction, seasonal and casual work) and to group layoffs. If your situation is unusual, check with your employment standards office.
Sources
- Canada Labour Code, section 230
- BC Employment Standards Act, section 63 (interpretation guide)
- Government of Alberta: termination notice and pay
- Ontario: Your guide to the Employment Standards Act, termination of employment
- GOV.UK: handing in your notice and statutory notice periods
- Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act 1973 (Ireland)
- Fair Work Ombudsman: dismissal and notice
- State of Georgia: at-will employment and two weeks’ notice