1300 344 480
1300 344 480
1300 344 480

Notice & redundancy

The National Employment Standards minimums when employment ends: how much notice of termination the employer must give (or pay in lieu), and how many weeks of redundancy pay apply, including the over-45 bonus week, the excluded employment categories and the small-business exemption. Awards, agreements and contracts can add more; they can't give less.

The situation

Results update as you go.

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Work it out from dates instead
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45 or over with 2 or more years' service adds a week to the employer's notice.
staff

Minimum notice –

0weeks

The employer must give this much written notice, or pay the employee what they'd have earned working it out.

NES redundancy pay –

0 weeks' pay At the base rate for ordinary hours.

How the rules apply here

The scales & rules behind this calculator
  • Notice (s 117 Fair Work Act): up to 1 year gives 1 week · 1–3 years gives 2 · 3–5 years gives 3 · over 5 years gives 4; plus 1 week when the employee is 45+ with at least 2 years' service (employer-given notice only)
  • Notice exclusions: casuals; fixed-term/task/season employees; trainees on fixed training agreements; daily-hire building & construction and meat-industry employees; seasonal weekly-hire meat employees; any dismissal for serious misconduct
  • Redundancy pay exclusions: under 12 months' continuous service; casuals; fixed-term/task/season; apprentices; trainees; small business employers (fewer than 15 employees, counting associated entities and regular casuals), though award industry-specific redundancy schemes can still apply
  • Service for redundancy pay excludes unpaid leave (other than community service or a period the employer authorises to count)
Continuous service (redundancy)Weeks' pay (s 119)
1–2 years4
2–3 years6
3–4 years7
4–5 years8
5–6 years10
6–7 years11
7–8 years13
8–9 years14
9–10 years16
10+ years12 (the scale steps down at 10 years)

General information only. These are the NES floors; the applicable award, enterprise agreement or contract may provide more (and industry redundancy schemes can override the small-business exemption). This isn't legal, financial or BAS advice. Digit Business Advisors are registered BAS agents. talk to us, or check fairwork.gov.au, before finalising a termination.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Notice & Redundancy Entitlements Calculator

Under section 119 of the Fair Work Act 2009, National Employment Standards redundancy pay starts at 4 weeks for at least 12 months of continuous service, rises to a maximum of 16 weeks at 9 to 10 years, then steps down to 12 weeks for 10 or more years. It is paid at the employee's base rate of pay for ordinary hours.
Employers with fewer than 15 employees, counted at the time notice is given and including regular casuals and employees of associated entities, are generally exempt from National Employment Standards redundancy pay. Some awards, such as in building and construction, contain industry-specific redundancy schemes that apply despite the small business exemption.
The National Employment Standards minimum is 1 week of notice for up to a year of continuous service, 2 weeks for 1 to 3 years, 3 weeks for 3 to 5 years and 4 weeks beyond 5 years, plus 1 extra week when the employee is 45 or older with at least 2 years of service. Notice can be worked out or paid in lieu.
No. Casual employees are excluded from both the notice of termination and redundancy pay provisions of the National Employment Standards. Fixed-term, task and seasonal employees, and trainees on fixed training agreements, are also excluded, although an award, enterprise agreement or contract can provide more generous terms.