When handing your notice in, when does the countdown begin?

Nine_Lives

There seems a bit of confusion at the wifes workplace.

Basically one of the workers there handed their notice in this Thursday just gone (21st). I believe they're to give 4 weeks notice as per their contract.
This is where the confusion/dispute comes in....

The worker thinks that their notice begins on and INCLUDES Thursday 21st.
The employers are saying that the notice begins Friday 22nd.

The new employers are grumbling & wanting the worker to try & get out of this so as to start the new job earlier.

So just in case this ever happens to me i suppose i'm asking for myself as well, but in this case - who is right?

Valli

Usually starts the day after the notice is handed in...

Link

jobbingmusician

I agree with Valli - I seem to remember there was a thread about this recently where all the legal people on this forum endorsed this view.

getmore4less

If I was the employer I would let them go(with the agreement in writing),

you get to pay them one day less and no hastle

Fishingtime

Just tell the worker to phone in sick on the last day

Funky_Bold_Ribena

Nine_Lives wrote: »

There seems a bit of confusion at the wifes workplace.

Basically one of the workers there handed their notice in this Thursday just gone (21st). I believe they're to give 4 weeks notice as per their contract.
This is where the confusion/dispute comes in....

The worker thinks that their notice begins on and INCLUDES Thursday 21st.
The employers are saying that the notice begins Friday 22nd.

The new employers are grumbling & wanting the worker to try & get out of this so as to start the new job earlier.

So just in case this ever happens to me i suppose i'm asking for myself as well, but in this case - who is right?

The employer is right.

HappyMJ

If the new employers are grumbling then I'd ask them to make an offer to buy him out of the notice period then just walk out and if the former employer takes him to court for damages then he has the money to pay them.

Nine_Lives

Thanks for the clarification guys.

HappyMJ - this was my suggestion. The employee has already taken the majority of their 2013 holiday allowance & we're only in March. They can't afford to buy themselves out so they're effectively working April for free.
My suggestion to my wife (to say to her co-worker) was that she speaks with her new employers, suggests that they buy her out & rather than working at her 'old' (current) place for free in April, she's working at her new place for free, but at least she's keeping her new (& likely long term) employers happy & she's finding her feet at the new place early doors.

I thought it a decent suggestion, but it probably wont even get asked.

Bluemeanie_2

Even though the employer is right, I can't believe the employer would make such a fuss over one day! Even if they come into work they probably wouldn't do anything anyway?! I'm a great believer of choosing your battles and splitting hairs over one day doesn't seem worth it!

Nine_Lives

I must add - i was wrong with the question i've just found out. Misunderstood the missus.

The employEE handed the notice in on Thurs. I'm assuming officially (dated, in writing & not verbally). The employEE was assuming the countdown began on & including Thursday.

I thought the employER was beginning countdown on Friday. It turns out this isn't the case. The employER wants to begin the countdown on Monday (tomorrow).

Seems they're both wrong then.

Valli

Nine_Lives wrote: »

I must add - i was wrong with the question i've just found out. Misunderstood the missus.

The employEE handed the notice in on Thurs. I'm assuming officially (dated, in writing & not verbally). The employEE was assuming the countdown began on & including Thursday.

I thought the employER was beginning countdown on Friday. It turns out this isn't the case. The employER wants to begin the countdown on Monday (tomorrow).

Seems they're both wrong then.

Not necessarily - that's the Government minimum I linked to, the employer might well have a diifferent criteria.
One weeks notice was the minimum with countdown starting the day after hand in. Some employers stipulate 4 weeks, and may well mean full working weeks, starting on a Monday for instance.

Depends on the contract of employment.