How long is "one month's notice"?

Question

When a contract of employment says you need to give "one month's notice", does that actually mean exactly one month or is it actually one month and one day?

For example, if you handed your notice in on 1st Jan then the "month" of January ends on 31st Jan (because 1st Feb is in the month of February), so surely "one month's notice" would mean your last day at work would be 31st Jan and not 1st Feb (even though you resigned on 1st Jan).

Now, if you handed your notice in on, say, 16th Jan, does that mean "one month" later would be 15th Feb or 16th Feb? Does your last day at work become the 15th or the 16th?

And what about a "calendar month"? Does that have to follow the literal yearly calendar? In the same example, if you handed your notice in on 16th Jan, would "one calendar month's notice" actually start on 1st Feb and continue until the "calendar month" of February was over?

Any advice is welcome but I'm specifically looking for a legal position on this.

Answer 1

A month is a month



30 days is 30 days



4 weeks is 4 weeks



What don't you understand?



If you give your one month notice in on the 16th January, your last day at work would be 15th February. If you want to really pedantic, your notice takes effect at 00.01 hrs on the 16th (assuming your employer receives it on that day) and expires at 23.59hrs on the 15th of the next month. No matter the length of the month in days.

Answer 2

If it just says "a month's notice" it means the same than a calander month. A calander month means that you have to still spend a full calandar month period (jan / feb / mar etch) with the company. So if you resign on 17th Jan, you can only really leave after the last day of feb because you need to be there for at least the full feb. You cannot leave 17 feb because jan would not be a complete calander month.



The only time you can give notice on 1 jan and leave 31 jan or 17 jan for leaving 17 feb for example, is when it says that the notice period is 30 days.



This is how it should work but the company may be willing to negotiate the one (calander) month notice to a 30 day term.



Hope it makes sense

Answer 3

Anyplace I've worked counts 30 calendar days as a month and 14 as two weeks

Answer 4

Why not just ask your supervisor what their interpretation is?



If it doesn't match yours, then work it out.



If you can't work it out (we are talking 1 day!) then follow the dispute resolution rules in the contract.



By the time you could get through all that, one month by any measure would be gone :)



If you need important, timely advice to make a decision, then you should consult an attorney that represents you. No opinions you get here will be of any value should you get into a dispute over your contractual terms.

Answer 5

Think of it this way. It is 20 working days from date of notice.

Answer 6

30 days from the date on the notice.

Answer 7

4 weeks

Answer 8

30 days is 30 days....one month 30 days. calendar month 30 days....the 31 st day of the month would be overlooked...

and counted into the next month......I am not a legal expert...but that is what makes sense to me....

Answer 9

4 working weeks.

Answer 10

Boy this is a tough one.....let's see, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say...a month.



Listen, if you 're dealing with somebody that's going to split hairs like this, get their interpretation, and get the hell out.



update:

I see, it's a trick question, you only want the answer you WANT to hear.

Answer 11

30 days * 24 hours =?



beats me.

Answer 12

4 working weeks. so don't try it in feb

Answer 13

Depending which month and if it is a leap year. I hope this answers your question.

Answer 14

This is usually at the descretion of your boss.

Answer 15

two days.

Answer 16

a month u **** lol