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Notice Period Calculator

Work out the minimum notice for ending employment under the National Employment Standards, including the extra week for employees 45 and over.

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What is the minimum notice period in Australia?

Under the National Employment Standards it runs from 1 week for up to a year of service to 4 weeks beyond five years, with one extra week for employees who are 45 or over and have at least two years of continuous service. Awards, agreements and contracts can set more than the minimum.

Where Compono fits

The cheapest notice period is the one you never have to work out, because the right person stayed. Most early exits are not pay disputes, they are fit and engagement problems that were visible long before the resignation letter. Compono reads culture fit and work personality at the point of hire and tracks engagement once people are in, so the departures you can prevent get prevented. Lyre's used Compono Hire to scale from 4 to 70 people across five continents in two years without losing fit.

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How it's calculated

The minimum notice of termination by an employer follows the National Employment Standards (section 117 of the Fair Work Act): 1 week for up to a year of continuous service, 2 weeks for one to three years, 3 weeks for three to five years, and 4 weeks beyond five years. An employee who is 45 or over and has completed at least two years of continuous service gets one extra week. These are minimums. An award, enterprise agreement, contract or redundancy clause can require more, and never less. The Standards do not set how much notice an employee has to give when they resign, that comes from the award or contract. This is general guidance, not legal advice.

Common questions

Does the notice period change for older employees?

Yes. An employee who is 45 or over and has completed at least two years of continuous service is entitled to one additional week of notice on top of the service-based amount.

Do employees have to give the same notice when they resign?

Not under the National Employment Standards. Employee notice on resignation is set by the applicable award, enterprise agreement or contract, so check the document that covers the role.

Can notice be paid out instead of worked?

Yes. An employer can pay in lieu of notice rather than have the person work it out. This tool gives the minimum period. It is general guidance, not legal advice, so confirm the specifics against the relevant award or agreement.

Figures are estimates using published benchmarks. Sources shown above; rates reviewed annually.