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What is a notice period in Singapore?
A notice period is the time that must pass between the day one party tells the other that the employment will end and the employee's last day. In Singapore, the Employment Act 1968 (section 10) lets either the employer or the employee end a contract of service by giving notice. The notice can be replaced by paying the other side the salary that would have accrued during the notice period (section 11), which ends the employment immediately.
Contract notice versus the statutory default
The first thing to check is your employment contract. If it sets a notice period, that period applies, and it must be the same for the employer and the employee. The Employment Act default applies only when the contract says nothing about notice. The default depends on how long the employee has worked for the employer when notice is given:
| Length of service | Default notice |
|---|---|
| Less than 26 weeks | 1 day |
| 26 weeks to less than 2 years | 1 week |
| 2 years to less than 5 years | 2 weeks |
| 5 years or more | 4 weeks |
How the calculator works
It first measures your service from the start date to the date notice is given. If your contract sets a notice period in days, weeks or months, it adds that period to the notice date. Otherwise it picks the statutory step that matches your length of service. The notice is counted from the day after notice is given, so the end date is the notice date plus the number of days or months.
For pay in lieu, the calculator works out a daily rate. For a daily-rated employee this is simply the daily rate. For a monthly-rated employee it follows the Ministry of Manpower method: monthly gross rate multiplied by 12, divided by 52 weeks and by the number of working days per week. It then multiplies this rate by the working days in the notice period. A notice of less than one week counts calendar days as working days, while longer periods are converted by the proportion of working days in the week.
Worked example
Suppose an employer terminates an employee who started on 12 February 2024, with notice given on 20 October 2026. The employee has about two years and eight months of service and the contract has no notice clause, so the default is two weeks (14 days). The employee earns S$3,200 a month and works 5.5 days a week. The daily rate is 3,200 × 12 ÷ (52 × 5.5) = about S$134.27. Two weeks cover 11 working days, so the pay in lieu is about S$1,476.92. If the employer chooses pay in lieu, employment ends on the notice date. Otherwise the employee works until 3 November 2026.
Common situations
- Resignation with a one-month contract clause: notice runs for one calendar month from the day after notice is given, whatever the length of service.
- Employee wants to leave sooner: the employee can pay the employer pay in lieu for the unserved notice, or the parties can agree a shorter notice in writing.
- Probation: many contracts give a shorter notice during probation. Enter that period as the contractual notice.
- Misconduct: an employer may dismiss without notice after due inquiry under section 14, which this calculator does not cover.
- Retrenchment: notice still applies, and retrenchment benefits are a separate matter, normally set in the contract or following the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment.
What to prepare next
Once you know the last day, put the notice in writing. An employee can use a Letter of Resignation or a Two Weeks' Notice Letter and state the last working day clearly. An employer should prepare an Employer's Letter of Termination, or a Retrenchment Notice if the reason is economic, stating the termination date, the notice period or pay in lieu, and the date of final payment.
Limits of the calculation
The result is an estimate based on the dates and salary you enter. Pay in lieu can differ if your salary includes variable allowances or if your contract defines salary differently. Check the contract and, if in doubt, the Ministry of Manpower guidance.