How much notice do you actually have to give, or get?
For site workers and apprentices quitting, being let go, or walked off the job. Covers the NES minimum notice plus what a contract or award can change.
Sound familiar?
- “You've been walked off site and told not to come back — is that even legal?”
- “You want to quit but don't know how much notice you owe.”
- “Your boss reckons you get no notice, but you've been there years.”
What this tool does
Works out the NES minimum notice your employer must give based on your length of service (and the over-45 loading), and compares it against your contract. The longer of the two applies.
Count from your first day, not your contract date. Check your payslips if unsure.
What the law actually says
- •Under the NES, the minimum notice an employer must give runs from 1 week (up to a year of service) to 4 weeks (over 5 years), plus an extra week if you're 45+ with at least 2 years' service.
- •A contract or award can give more notice than the NES, never less. Casuals generally get no notice, and genuine contractors are governed by their agreement, not the NES.
- •Guidance only, not legal advice.