What Garden Leave Means
You were told to stay home for your notice period and want to know what that means.
Garden leave has an odd name, but it is a common way to end a job.
What it means
You are asked to stay away from the workplace during your notice period, while you remain employed and keep receiving your normal pay and benefits.
An employer may use it when a role involves sensitive information, or when a handover goes more smoothly without you in the office.
Why it matters to you
You are still employed, so your pay and benefits should carry on as if you were working, unless your contract says otherwise.
If any pay or benefit stops without explanation, raise it in writing, because garden leave should not reduce what you are owed.
What are you allowed to do during it
Check your contract for limits, such as a ban on starting work elsewhere. These terms differ between employers and roles.
Garden leave is not suspension, which usually follows an allegation that has not been resolved.
If your job ends unfairly around this time, check your 60-day window on the deadline calculator.
If you were placed on garden leave and are weighing a claim, an independent lawyer can review what happened. They can handle the claim if it is worth pursuing.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.
Common questions
Am I still paid during garden leave?
Yes. This is what separates it from dismissal: you stay employed and keep your normal pay and benefits.
Can I take another job while on garden leave?
Usually not, since you are still employed by your current employer. Check your contract for the exact restrictions that apply.
Keep reading
If you were placed on garden leave and are weighing a claim, an independent lawyer can review what happened. They can handle the claim if it is worth pursuing.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.