Resignation Letter Template Australia (Free) and How Much Notice to Give

Published: 21 October 2026

To resign in Australia, give your employer a short written letter stating your role, your notice period and your last day. Most modern awards require 1 to 4 weeks' notice depending on how long you've worked there. Your contract or enterprise agreement may set a different period, so check it first. The free template below covers everything an employer needs.

⬇ Download the free resignation letter template (Word, .docx). It opens in Word, Google Docs or Pages. Delete the [bracketed] guidance before you send it.

How much notice do I need to give when I resign?

Many modern awards set employee notice by length of continuous service. For example, the General Retail Industry Award uses this table:

Your continuous service with the employer	Notice you must give
Not more than 1 year	1 week
More than 1 year, up to 3 years	2 weeks
More than 3 years, up to 5 years	3 weeks
More than 5 years	4 weeks

Source: General Retail Industry Award 2020, clause 37.1, Table 13. The award notes that an employee's notice matches what an employer must give, except employees don't add the extra week employers owe to workers over 45.

Your contract can require longer notice, which is common for salaried and senior roles (four weeks or a month is typical). Casuals usually aren't required to give notice unless their award or agreement says otherwise.

What if I don't give enough notice?

Under that retail award clause, if an employee aged 18 or over doesn't give the required notice, the employer may deduct up to one week's wages from what it owes. It can't do that if it agreed to a shorter notice period. Other awards have similar rules. Leaving on good terms also matters for references, so ask for an earlier finish date rather than walking out.

Resignation letter example

"Dear Sam,

Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as Customer Service Officer at Coastal Logistics.

In line with my award, I am giving two weeks' notice. My last day of work will be Friday 6 November 2026.

Before I leave I will document the returns process and hand over my open cases to the team. Please let me know how I can best help during the notice period.

I would appreciate confirmation of my final pay, including any accrued annual leave owing.

Thank you for the support and training over the past 18 months.

Yours sincerely,
Jordan Lee"

What's in your final pay when you resign

Wages for every hour worked up to your last day.
Accrued, unused annual leave, including leave loading if your award or contract provides it on termination.
Long service leave if you've reached the qualifying period under WA's long service leave law.
Not paid out: unused personal (sick and carer's) leave.

Under modern awards such as the General Retail Industry Award (clause 18.4), your employer must pay everything owed no later than 7 days after your last day. Check your final payslip against your leave balance.

Resigning to start a new job?

Don't resign until you have a written offer. If you're still looking, browse current Perth jobs, update your resume, and check what your role pays in our salary guides before you negotiate.

Sources

General Retail Industry Award 2020 (MA000004), clause 37.1 (notice by employee, deduction rule) and clause 18.4 (payment on termination).
Fair Work Ombudsman: Resignation.