Victoria Legal Aid

Giving notice to end employment

In most cases employers must give notice if they are going to end your employment. If you are a permanent employee, check whether you have a document that explains the rules about leaving your job.

How much notice an employer must give

In most cases employers must give notice if they are going to end your employment. The amount of notice they have to give depends on how old you are and how long you have been working for the employer. This may not apply if you are dismissed for serious misconduct (for example theft or assault) or you are a casual employee.

There is information about the minimum notice periods that an employer has to give on the Fair Work OmbudsmanExternal Link website. However, your employer may have to give you more notice if a workplace agreement or your contract of employment says so.

An employer may also choose to pay out their employee for the ‘amount of notice’, which means that you won’t have to work during the notice period but will still get paid for this time.

How much notice to give an employer

If you are a permanent employee, check whether you have a document that explains the rules about leaving your job. This could be an employment contract, an award or a workplace agreement, or all three of these documents. If you don't have a document, call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 to confirm the minimum amount of notice you must give.

If you don’t give the right amount of notice before quitting your job, your employer could keep money from your final pay.

Disclaimer: The material in this print-out relates to the law as it applies in the state of Victoria. It is intended as a general guide only. Readers should not act on the basis of any material in this print-out without getting legal advice about their own particular situations. Victoria Legal Aid disclaims any liability howsoever caused to any person in respect of any action taken in reliance on the contents of the publication.

We help Victorians with their legal problems and represent those who need it most. Find legal answers, chat with us online, or call us. You can speak to us in English or ask for an interpreter. You can also find more legal information at www.legalaid.vic.gov.au

Reviewed 04 March 2022

In this section