Notice Period

enzolondon1

Quick question chaps as our HR bod is away. Colleague has been given their start date for new posting on 20 Feb 2023.They need to give one month notice period.They work 3 x 12 hour shifts on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday when do they need to hand in their notice? I thought it would be 18th Jan and last working day 15th Feb.Is that right? cheers 🍻 

GrumpyDil

They can hand notice in earlier with the date they want to finish which would be simpler than worrying about what date to hand their notice in. 

Savvy_Sue

enzolondon1 said:

Quick question chaps as our HR bod is away. Colleague has been given their start date for new posting on 20 Feb 2023.They need to give one month notice period.They work 3 x 12 hour shifts on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday when do they need to hand in their notice? I thought it would be 18th Jan and last working day 15th Feb.Is that right? cheers 🍻 

If they want to give notice on a working day then yes, that appears to be right. Although GrumpyDiL is correct, sometimes employers won't accept a longer period, and serve counter-notice, so they finish earlier. 

The month has to be a full month, so it starts the day after it's given, so 18th is definitely the latest date on which it can be given. 

enzolondon1

OK, slightly confused here.If they handed in their notice on the 18th Jan, a month notice would take them to the 18th Feb which is a Saturday? Their last working day would be 15th Feb but if they hand in their notice to give one month it would need to be handed in on 14th Jan which is a Saturday? I work full time so I'm not sure how it works for those who so PT. 
Thanks! 

Ditzy_Mitzy

It's generally a principle of there or thereabouts when it comes to notice.  As has been stated, there is the possibility of the employer terminating 'early' if notice is given too far in advance of the agreed notice period, apparently four weeks in this case, but a day here or there won't matter.  I'd suggest handing the notice in towards the end of week five, assuming a countdown of weeks five to one - with one being the last week worked.  It gives time for Personnel to work things out, but not long enough for the employer to start messing around; that's assuming the employer is that sort, plenty simply won't care that much if notice is given early.  

enzolondon1

So is it not a case of handing notice for example in on 9th Jan, notice period starts 10th Jan and leaving date 10th Feb as this would be a month? 

Looking at it it looks as though 16th Jan would be handing in notice day for them to commence their new position on 20th Feb. This means their last day with us would be 17th Feb which is a Friday (but they don't work on a Friday?)

Ditzy_Mitzy

It seems as if you're overthinking this.  Standard procedure is usually, in my experience, for the employee to hand in his or her notice on or just prior to the four week date (assuming four weeks' notice) and then for the exact departure date to be agreed; there is often holiday accrual to sort out, don't forget, and occasionally gardening leave.  

I have resigned from a part time job in the past, but it was so long ago that I can't really remember what happened.  I think they just counted four calendar weeks, regardless of working days within them, and ended my employment on whatever the last contracted day of the last working week happened to be.  

Savvy_Sue

The notice period can be a month, or 4 weeks: these are not quite the same. Most employers wouldn't quibble about the difference, but I have politely suggested to my HR that we should be clear and consistent (because our contracts say one thing, and our staff handbook says the other ... and a manager did want to quibble ...)

Your colleague is employed continuously, even on the days they don't work. So their last day actually working (15th Feb) can be earlier than the last date on which they are employed (19th Feb). 

And as already stated, there may be leave they are owed: will they want to take it (which could make the last working day earlier) or be paid for it?

enzolondon1

Savvy_Sue said:

The notice period can be a month, or 4 weeks: these are not quite the same. Most employers wouldn't quibble about the difference, but I have politely suggested to my HR that we should be clear and consistent (because our contracts say one thing, and our staff handbook says the other ... and a manager did want to quibble ...)

Your colleague is employed continuously, even on the days they don't work. So their last day actually working (15th Feb) can be earlier than the last date on which they are employed (19th Feb). 

And as already stated, there may be leave they are owed: will they want to take it (which could make the last working day earlier) or be paid for it?

Cheers for the reply. If they hand in their notice on 11th January does this make their leaving date 11th February irrespective of it not being a working day for them? The concerns from my colleague seem also to be that a start date has been agreed and recruitment in their new place have confirmed this on their recruitment system but no contract or unconditional offer has been sent yet. My understanding is always to wait for these but as a start date has been agreed and confirmed with recruitment I suspect my colleague handing in their notice next week should be OK? 

General_Grant

enzolondon1 said:

Savvy_Sue said:

The notice period can be a month, or 4 weeks: these are not quite the same. Most employers wouldn't quibble about the difference, but I have politely suggested to my HR that we should be clear and consistent (because our contracts say one thing, and our staff handbook says the other ... and a manager did want to quibble ...)

Your colleague is employed continuously, even on the days they don't work. So their last day actually working (15th Feb) can be earlier than the last date on which they are employed (19th Feb). 

And as already stated, there may be leave they are owed: will they want to take it (which could make the last working day earlier) or be paid for it?

Cheers for the reply. A  If they hand in their notice on 11th January does this make their leaving date 11th February irrespective of it not being a working day for them? The concerns from my colleague seem also to be that a start date has been agreed and recruitment in their new place have confirmed this on their recruitment system but B  no contract or unconditional offer has been sent yet.  My understanding is always to wait for these but as a start date has been agreed and confirmed with recruitment I suspect my colleague handing in their notice next week should be OK? 

A   Correct - if notice is one month and notice is handed in on 11 January, the one month begins on 12 January and ends on 11 February irrespective of whether it is a normal working day.

B   In an ideal world, all written contractual things would be to hand before giving notice to a current employer but, in real life, compromises have often to be made.  And, in any case, if things change for the new organisation, they could withdraw their offer of employment despite having issued contractual documents.  So one might as well trust that the job materialises, as most likely it will.

enzolondon1

General_Grant said:

enzolondon1 said:

Savvy_Sue said:

The notice period can be a month, or 4 weeks: these are not quite the same. Most employers wouldn't quibble about the difference, but I have politely suggested to my HR that we should be clear and consistent (because our contracts say one thing, and our staff handbook says the other ... and a manager did want to quibble ...)

Your colleague is employed continuously, even on the days they don't work. So their last day actually working (15th Feb) can be earlier than the last date on which they are employed (19th Feb). 

And as already stated, there may be leave they are owed: will they want to take it (which could make the last working day earlier) or be paid for it?

Cheers for the reply. A  If they hand in their notice on 11th January does this make their leaving date 11th February irrespective of it not being a working day for them? The concerns from my colleague seem also to be that a start date has been agreed and recruitment in their new place have confirmed this on their recruitment system but B  no contract or unconditional offer has been sent yet.  My understanding is always to wait for these but as a start date has been agreed and confirmed with recruitment I suspect my colleague handing in their notice next week should be OK? 

A   Correct - if notice is one month and notice is handed in on 11 January, the one month begins on 12 January and ends on 11 February irrespective of whether it is a normal working day.

B   In an ideal world, all written contractual things would be to hand before giving notice to a current employer but, in real life, compromises have often to be made.  And, in any case, if things change for the new organisation, they could withdraw their offer of employment despite having issued contractual documents.  So one might as well trust that the job materialises, as most likely it will.

Absolute star.Thanks very much for the clarity there. Much appreciated!