Salary FYI

Notice Period

Employment

The length of time an employee or employer must give before terminating the employment relationship, typically specified in the employment contract or mandated by law.

## Notice Period

A notice period is the advance warning required before ending employment. It gives both parties time to prepare for the transition.

### Statutory Minimums

| Country | Employee Notice | Employer Notice |
|---------|--------------|-----------------|
| US | None (at-will) | None (at-will) |
| UK | 1 week (< 2 years), then 1 week/year | Same, capped at 12 weeks |
| Germany | 4 weeks (then scaling with tenure) | Same, up to 7 months |
| France | 1–3 months | 1–3 months |
| Japan | 2 weeks | 30 days |
| India | Typically 1–3 months (contract) | Same |

### Payment in Lieu of Notice

Many jurisdictions allow either party to pay the equivalent salary instead of requiring the person to work through the notice period.

### Garden Leave

During notice, employees may be placed on 'garden leave' — still employed and paid but not required to work. This prevents them from joining a competitor immediately.