Notice period calculator · Australia 2026

Notice periods in Australia 2026

The notice an employer must give often grows with the years you have worked for them. The calculator above works out your notice period from your hire date and last day, together with severance and final pay.

The rules in brief

• Notice and redundancy pay: Minimum notice is 1 week (up to 1 year of service), 2 weeks (up to 3), 3 weeks (up to 5) and 4 weeks after that, plus 1 week if you are over 45 with at least 2 years; it can be paid in lieu. When a job is made redundant at an employer with 15 or more employees, NES redundancy pay is 4 weeks after 1 year rising to 16 weeks after 9 years, then 12 weeks from 10 years (long service leave takes over). Unused annual leave is paid out.
• Tax on termination payments: A genuine redundancy payment is tax-free up to $13,598 + $6,801 per complete year of service (2026–27). The rest is an employment termination payment taxed at 32% including Medicare (17% from age 60) up to the $270,000 cap and 47% above. Pay in lieu of notice on a dismissal is taxed the same way, with the cap reduced by your other income above $180,000.

Notice from your employer, by years of service (National Employment Standards minimum)

These are the legal minimums. A contract or collective agreement can give longer notice.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the notice period after 5 years in Australia?
3 weeks.

Can my contract give more notice?
Yes. A contract or collective agreement can give more than the legal minimum, but not less.

Rules and official sources: see “Rules applied (2026)” in the calculator. Last checked: October 2026. Estimates for information, not financial advice.