Olivia is the Head of Legal at Lawpath, where she helps Australian businesses navigate complex legal challenges with practical, commercially minded advice. She specialises in employment matters, contract drafting, pre-litigation strategy, dispute resolution, commercial law and startup compliance, and has supported clients across technology, healthcare, professional services and retail. Olivia is passionate about making legal services accessible, personable and effective for every client.
A resignation letter is a short, formal written note that tells your employer you’re leaving your job, when your notice starts, and what your last day will be. You don’t need to explain yourself, apologise, or write a page of feelings. A few clear lines will do, and you can create a free resignation letter template and have it ready in minutes.
Here’s the thing most people get wrong. The letter is the easy part. What actually trips people up is the notice period, the final pay, and whether a quick email even counts. Get those right and the letter writes itself. Get them wrong and a clean exit can turn into a pay dispute on your way out the door.
- A resignation letter just needs four things. Your intention to resign, the date, your notice period, and your last day. Reasons are optional.
- The NES minimum notice periods do not apply to you when you resign. Those weeks are the notice an employer must give you. Your notice comes from your contract, award, or enterprise agreement.
- Email is usually fine, but a signed letter is safer. What matters is a clear written record of the date you gave notice and your last day.
- Your employer can’t reject your resignation. They can hold you to your notice period or pay you in lieu, but they can’t refuse to let you go.
- Get any change to your notice in writing. The most common exit dispute we see starts with a verbal deal to leave early that nobody wrote down.
What should a resignation letter include?
A good resignation letter is short and factual. It confirms you’re resigning, states your last day, and leaves the door open for a decent reference. That’s it. The ones that go wrong try to do too much.
Include these four things:
- A clear statement that you’re resigning from your position.
- The date you’re handing in the letter.
- Your notice period and your final working day.
- A short, polite sign-off. Thanks, not an essay.
You do not have to give a reason. Plenty of people feel they owe their boss a detailed explanation. You don’t. A line like “I’ve accepted a new role” is enough, and sometimes saying less protects you. Save the detail for the exit chat if you want to give it.
Keep the tone warm and keep a copy. A resignation letter is a record, not a diary. Where people slip up is venting in writing. If the job ended badly, a calm letter is the one you’ll be glad sits on file later.
Resignation letter templates you can copy
Below are six resignation letter formats for the situations that come up most. Copy the one that fits, swap in your details, and you’re done. Each uses square brackets for the bits you fill in.
1. Standard resignation letter (with notice)
The one most people need. Formal, friendly, done.
Dear [Manager’s name],
I’m writing to formally resign from my position as [job title] at [company name]. In line with my notice period, my last day will be [date].
Thank you for the opportunities I’ve had here. I’ll do everything I can to hand over my work smoothly before I finish.
Kind regards,
[Your name]
2. Resignation letter requesting shorter notice
Use this when your new role starts before your notice period ends and you want to ask for an early release.
Dear [Manager’s name],
I’m resigning from my position as [job title], effective [date]. My contract sets a [number]-week notice period, but I’d like to request a final day of [earlier date] as my new role begins on [date].
To make the handover work, I’ll [prepare documentation / train a colleague / finish current projects]. I’m happy to discuss what suits the team.
Kind regards,
[Your name]
3. Immediate resignation letter
For serious personal or health reasons when you can’t work notice. Leaving without notice can affect your final entitlements, so read the notice section below before you send this.
Dear [Manager’s name],
I’m writing to resign from my position as [job title] with immediate effect, as of [date]. Due to [personal / health] circumstances, I’m unable to work my notice period. I’m sorry for the short notice and I’ll help with a remote handover where I can.
Kind regards,
[Your name]
4. Resignation during probation
Notice is usually shorter during probation. Check your contract for the exact figure.
Dear [Manager’s name],
I’m writing to resign from my position as [job title], which I started on [date]. As I’m still within my probation period, I understand my notice period is [number] week(s), making my last day [date].
Thank you for the opportunity. I’ll wrap up what I can before I go.
Kind regards,
[Your name]
5. Casual employee resignation
Casuals usually don’t have to give formal notice, but a short message keeps things clean and protects your reference.
Hi [Manager’s name],
I’m letting you know I won’t be available for further shifts at [company name] after [date]. Thanks for having me on the team. Happy to work any shifts already rostered up to then.
Thanks,
[Your name]
6. Senior or manager resignation (handover focus)
Senior roles often carry longer notice and a bigger handover. Signal both.
Dear [Manager’s name],
I’m writing to resign from my role as [job title] at [company name]. My notice period is [number] weeks, so my final day will be [date].
I know this role has a lot moving through it, so I’ll put together a full handover plan covering [key projects, contacts, and responsibilities] and keep you across progress each week until I finish.
It’s been a genuine pleasure. Thank you.
Kind regards,
[Your name]
Once you’ve picked a format, you can customise and download your own version through our free resignation letter template, or read our full guide on how to write a resignation letter if you want to go deeper.
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How much notice do you have to give when you resign?
Your resignation notice comes from your employment contract first, then any award or enterprise agreement that applies. If none of them set a period, you still have to give “reasonable notice”. There’s no single legal number that applies to everyone who resigns.
Here’s the part almost every resignation article gets wrong. People see the Fair Work minimum notice table, the 1 to 4 weeks based on years of service, and assume it’s the notice they have to give. It isn’t. Those minimums sit in section 117 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), and they’re the notice an employer must give you when they end your job. They don’t set what you owe when you walk out the door.
Two things follow from that. The extra week of notice for employees over 45 with two years’ service? That’s an employer obligation too, so it never applies to your resignation. And casual employees generally don’t have to give any notice at all, unless a contract or award says otherwise.
So where does your number come from? Work through it in this order.
| Where you look | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Your employment contract | The first place to check. A stated notice period here is usually the one you’re bound to. |
| Your modern award or enterprise agreement | Many awards set 1 to 4 weeks based on length of service. If it requires more than your contract, the longer period generally wins. |
| Nothing in writing anywhere | You owe “reasonable notice”. What’s reasonable depends on your seniority, pay, and how long you’ve been there. |
As a rough guide, awards and contracts commonly land on one week if you’ve been there under a year, two to three weeks for a few years’ service, and four weeks or more once you’re past five years or in a senior role. Treat that as a starting point, not a rule. Your actual figure is whatever your contract or award says. For the longer end of the scale, see our guide on a long notice period when resigning.
Can you leave early anyway? You can ask, and many employers agree, especially if you offer a tidy handover. But refusing to work a notice period you’re contractually bound to can count as a breach of contract, and it can cost you. More on that next. If you’re weighing it up, our guide on whether you can resign without notice walks through the risks.
What happens to your final pay and leave when you resign?
When you resign, your final pay should include your ordinary wages up to your last day plus any accrued annual leave you haven’t taken. The Fair Work Ombudsman says final pay is usually paid within 7 days of your employment ending, though your award or agreement can set a different timeframe. Check the current rules on the Fair Work resignation and notice page.
Accrued annual leave gets paid out. Long service leave might too, depending on your state and how long you’ve been there. Personal or sick leave doesn’t get cashed out, so there’s no point hoarding it on the way out.
Can your employer dock your final pay if you leave early? Only if your contract or award clearly allows the deduction, and even then it can’t push your pay below the minimum you’re owed. A boss who’s annoyed you’re leaving can’t invent a penalty on the spot. If a deduction looks wrong, that’s the moment to talk to an employment lawyer before you sign anything.
What we see in Lawpath consultations
Your resignation letter itself almost never causes a problem. The disputes come after it, and they follow a pattern.
The one our lawyers see most often starts with a verbal deal. An employee hands in notice, then agrees in a quick chat to skip the rest of the notice period and leave early. Nobody writes it down. A fortnight later there’s a fight over whether that time should be paid, and neither side has a record of what was actually agreed. The fix is boring and free: confirm any change to your notice or last day in an email, same day.
A second pattern is the messy exit. People underestimate how much the handover matters. Wiping a work laptop, deleting emails, or walking out mid-project is the fastest way to turn a neutral resignation into a legal problem, and it can put your final pay and reference at risk. Leaving well is partly self-interest.
If your contract has a restraint clause, a long notice period, or anything about garden leave, it’s worth a quick read before you resign, not after. A short review now beats untangling it later. You can have an employment lawyer check the clause through Lawpath in a day or two, which is usually quicker and cheaper than people expect.
Smart ways to hand in your notice
Tell your manager before you send the letter
A letter that lands cold feels like an ambush. A two-minute heads-up first, then the letter to confirm it, lands far better. The letter is the record. The conversation is the courtesy.
Keep a copy and note the date
Save a copy of the letter and the date you handed it over. If anything’s ever questioned, that record settles it. This is exactly where email helps: it timestamps itself.
End on good terms
Most managers have resigned from a job themselves. They get it. Australian industries are smaller than they look, and the colleague you leave today can be the referee, client, or hiring manager you meet in three years. A clean exit is worth more than the satisfaction of a dramatic one.
Frequently asked questions
Can I email my resignation letter?
Yes. An emailed resignation is valid in Australia. A signed letter or a clear email both work, as long as there’s a written record of the date you gave notice and your last day. Email has the edge because it timestamps itself automatically.
Do I have to give a reason for resigning?
No. You’re not required to explain why you’re leaving. “I’ve accepted a new opportunity” is a complete reason. Keeping it brief is often the smarter move, especially if the job ended on a sour note.
Can my employer refuse to accept my resignation?
No. Resigning is your decision, and an employer can’t reject it. They should acknowledge it. What they can do is hold you to your notice period or pay you in lieu of notice. For more, read our guide on whether an employer can refuse a resignation.
What if I can’t work my full notice period?
Talk to your employer and ask for an early release. Many agree, particularly if you offer a solid handover. Leaving before your notice ends without agreement can breach your contract and may affect your final pay, so get any early finish confirmed in writing.
Will I be paid for unused annual leave?
Yes. Accrued annual leave you haven’t used is paid out in your final pay. Long service leave may also be payable depending on your state and length of service. Personal and sick leave is not cashed out when you resign.
Can I withdraw my resignation after I’ve handed it in?
Only if your employer agrees. Once you’ve resigned, they’re not obliged to take you back. If you change your mind, raise it fast and in writing. The sooner you ask, the better your odds.
Do casual employees have to give notice?
Usually not. Casuals generally aren’t required to give formal notice unless a contract or award says so. Even then, a short message telling your employer your last shift keeps the relationship and your reference intact.
How much notice do I give if I’m still on probation?
Notice during probation is usually shorter, often one week, but check your contract for the exact figure. Being on probation doesn’t remove your obligation to give the notice your contract sets.
Resign with confidence
Resigning feels bigger than it is. You’re not doing anything wrong, you’re just moving on, and people do it every day without drama. Get the notice right, keep a copy, and leave the handover tidy. That’s the whole job.
When you’re ready, put it in writing in a few minutes. Create your free resignation letter with Lawpath today.
