4 Weeks Notice Letter Template: When 4 Weeks Is the Norm

When 4 weeks applies

• Senior management and executive roles (US). Most director and above offer letters at public companies specify a 30-day notice period. The clause is usually mutual (the company also gives 30 days notice for termination without cause). C-suite roles often run 60 to 90 days.
• Healthcare and nursing. See the dedicated healthcare nurse page for the full mechanics. RN, LPN, and most allied-health roles run a 4-week handbook norm tied to patient handoff.
• United Kingdom. The UK statutory minimum is one week per year of service up to 12 weeks. Most UK contracts above the entry level specify a 1-month or 3-month notice period in the written statement of terms (a statutory document under section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996). Probationary periods commonly use a 1-week notice. The 4-week norm in the UK is the entry-to-mid level standard.
• Australia and New Zealand. Under the Australian Fair Work Act and the National Employment Standards, the statutory minimum scales with length of service. For most Australian permanent roles the contract specifies 4 weeks for employees with 1 to 3 years of service and 5 weeks beyond 3 years. New Zealand is more flexible but 4 weeks is the practical norm in most professional roles.
• UK public sector and similar. Civil Service, NHS, and local authority contracts in the UK typically specify 1-month notice for entry roles and 3-month notice for management roles in the written statement. The US federal SES uses 30 days as standard.

4 weeks notice letter template

Contract-clause guidance

Before you set the last-day date, read the notice clause in your contract or offer letter. Three things to check:

• Calendar weeks vs working days. "Four weeks" usually means 28 calendar days from the date you give notice. Some contracts say "20 working days" which is materially different. Read carefully.
• Notice in writing. Most contracts require notice to be given in writing. A Slack DM or a verbal conversation alone is not sufficient under most contracts. Email plus a copy on company letterhead is the safest belt-and-braces approach.
• Garden leave clause. Many senior and UK contracts include a garden-leave provision allowing the employer to require you to stop working immediately on notice but continue paying you for the notice period. The clause may also restrict you from joining a competitor during garden leave. See the tech engineer page and the finance page for typical clause shapes.

UK-specific note: probationary period

UK contracts almost always distinguish between the probationary period (usually 3 or 6 months) and the post-probation contract. Probation typically uses a 1-week notice, sometimes 2. After probation the notice flips to the 1-month or 3-month standard. If you are resigning toward the end of your probation, you may be on the shorter notice; check the contract to confirm which regime applies on the date you give notice.

UK Employment Rights Act 1996 section 86 sets a floor (1 week for employees with 1 month to 2 years of service, 1 week per year up to 12 weeks beyond that) but most contracts exceed the floor. The contract controls.