Letter of Resignation

What is a resignation letter?

A resignation letter is a letter that is used by an employee to inform the employer of their intention to resign from their position within the organisation. A resignation letter can be used by an employee working for a company.

What is the difference between a resignation letter and a dismissal letter?

A resignation letter is a notice from the employee to their employer clearly stating the intention or decision to resign.

A dismissal letter is a notice from the employer addressed to the employee informing them of the termination of their employment.

Is it mandatory to have a resignation letter?

It will be mandatory to give a resignation letter when it is stated in the employment contract that the resignation must be in writing. Similarly, continuous employment contracts will usually require an employee to give notice if they wish to end the employment and a resignation letter can be used to give this notice.

Additionally, it is worth noting that a verbal resignation, even if permitted, could prove problematic in the long run and as such, it is good practice to have a written letter or notice that documents the resignation.

What must a resignation letter contain?

A resignation letter must contain:

• The name and address of the employee sending the letter;
• The name and address of the employer;
• If applicable, the name of the person within the employer's organisation to whom the letter is addressed (e.g. the employee's manager);
• The employee's notice period;
• The anticipated date when the employee will leave the workplace; and
• Any details of unused holidays and entitlements that will be unclaimed by the resignation date.

What has to be done once a resignation letter is ready?

The completed resignation letter should be posted to the employer's address or submitted to the employer in person or via email (if permitted). As is standard practice, the letter should be submitted to the manager who is directly responsible for the employee resigning.

The completed resignation letter should be sent/delivered as soon as possible once the employee wishes to resign. If there is a delay, it may cause the notice period to commence at a later date.

Which laws are applicable to a resignation letter?

Employment Rights Act 1996

Help from a lawyer

You can choose to consult a lawyer if you need help.

The lawyer can answer your questions or help you through the process. You will be offered this option when you complete the document.

How to modify the template?

You fill out a form. The document is created before your eyes as you respond to the questions.

At the end, you receive it in Word and PDF formats. You can modify it and reuse it.