Is it legal to quit my job without any notice?

Welcome back to our Is it legal to… Insights series! We are going start 2024 exploring whether you can quit your job without notice.

We’ve all been there – watched Eat, Pray, Love one too many times and now we want to drop everything, quit our jobs and move across the world. But can we?

Well, it depends…

There are two types of notice which are often talked about in the employment sector. The first is Contractual Notice. The second is Statutory Notice.

It is a legal requirement that your contract of employment contains information of your notice period, including how much notice you should provide to your employer and vice versa.

Your Contractual Notice Period is the notice period contained within your employment contract.

Your Statutory Notice Period is the minimum period of notice you must provide.

What is the statutory minimum notice period?

If you have been employed at your job for less than a month, there is no statutory minimum notice period.

If you are still in your probationary period, and it has been over a month, the statutory minimum notice is at least one week.

If you have been employed for over 2 years, then you will need to provide one week’s notice for each complete year of service.

What if I don’t want to work my notice period?

Speak to your employer and see if a compromise can be agreed. There are certain circumstances where you may be paid for your notice period, but not be required to work.

Our employment team here at Fosters are always happy to provide professional advice and assistance on your employment rights.

For more information, please visit their service pages, or contact them directly on 01603 620508 or by email.