Knowing how to calculate 2 weeks notice is an essential skill in today’s workplace, where changing jobs is a relatively common practice. In fact, more than 30% of US-based workers changed their place of employment during a recent two-year stretch. Understandably, there’s a good deal of confusion over the way to do the calculation.
For example, people often ask pertinent questions like, “Does 2 week notice include weekends?” “Does the day you give notice count towards your two weeks?” and “Is two weeks notice 10 or 14 days?” So, if you’re preparing to pay a visit to the boss’s office in the near future and give official notice, review the following facts and hints about how to do the calculation, when it’s best to give notice, and other related points.
What About Giving Two Weeks’ Notice On A Monday?
The question about giving two weeks notice on a Monday is one that does not have a definitive answer. However, to be on the safe side and give your employer a greater amount of time to find a replacement for you, it makes sense to NOT give notice on a Monday.
Some people prefer to hand in a resignation letter and give notice at the end of the day on a Friday, thus allowing a period of needed relaxation after a stressful event.
If you do give notice on a Monday, and if you do NOT count the day of notice as part of the 10 work days notice period, your last day of work would be a Monday, which is an awkward way to exit a job.
The preferred last day for most workers is Friday, which makes for a natural break with the weekend following your final day.
So, if you have some latitude with the decision, aim to give notice on a Friday when there are no upcoming holidays during the next two weeks.
Related Article: Two Weeks’ Notice: What You Need To Know
Does 2-week Notice Include Weekends?
Some people may confuse whether 2-week notice includes weekends. Weekends don’t figure into the official notice period because the timing only takes “work days” into consideration. Here’s a hypothetical.
If you give notice on the last workday before a four-day weekend company holiday (for which everyone gets the four-day weekend), the so-called “two-weeks notice does not include those days. Say you give notice on May 2, Wednesday, just before a four-day holiday. Your last day of work would be Friday, May 18, which is 10 full work days after your notice date.
Should You Count the “Notice Day” When Measuring The Two Weeks?”
A common issue about notice is, “Does the day you give notice count towards your two weeks?” As with all such questions, it’s best to first check with any employee manuals or officially posted company policies if they exist. Follow what they suggest.
If there are no such policies in place, it’s common to NOT count the day of notice so as to give your employer a bit of extra time to make arrangements for your replacement to be found and trained.
If your company has one, read what the employee handbook says about giving notice. Likewise, check the fine print of an employment contract if you signed one when going to work. Handbooks and contracts override common practices and general rules of etiquette.
Related Article: Can You Use PTO During Your 2-Week Notice?
Is Two Weeks Notice 10 Or 14 Days?
The term “two weeks” is ambiguous in formal business circles because it could mean two calendar or two business weeks, which are not the same things.
One thing that throws a wrench into the works is that weekends are not part of the calculation, as noted above. Ten “business days,” or 10 “work days,” to be more precise, does not always equate to 14 calendar days.
For those reasons, the general understanding of “two weeks notice” is taken to mean 10 work days, not 14 calendar days.
Does Two Weeks’ Notice Include Holidays?
Always remember to omit holidays when figuring out how to calculate 2 weeks notice. The answer to the direct question, “Does two weeks notice include holidays Holidays?” is, “No, it does not.”
So, remember to omit federal, state, and special company days where everyone gets the day off. And if you take off work for religious holidays that not everyone takes, treat those days as “holidays” for the sake of giving notice. So, no matter where you work, it’s important to omit holidays when figuring how to calculate 2 weeks notice.
Example:
Suppose you plan to give two weeks notice on Monday, June 30. Except for the upcoming July 4 holiday, there are no other holidays you’ll be taking between the notice date and the following two weeks. Ten business days from the notice day would be July 15, Tuesday.
Note that the holiday turns the length of the notice period into a 15-day stretch. Also, keep in mind that even if when a major holiday falls on a weekend, most companies have a tradition of taking off either the preceding Friday or the following Monday, so you would still count the day off as a holiday for the sake of determining your last official day of work after giving two-week notice.
Related Article: Can You Take Back A 2-Week Notice?
Using A Notice Period Calculation Formula
Understanding how to calculate 2 weeks notice is a worthwhile skill, but it’s even better to use a handy formula to be accurate before you make the departure announcement to your supervisor. The actual math formula is quite simple, but you need to collect some basic data before proceeding. Here are the variables to write down:
- L = The date of the last day you want to work
- ND = The actual date you give notice
To figure out when to make the official quitting announcement, use the mathematical version of the notice period calculation formula below, remembering to always check the company employees’ manual first to see if there are any rules about how you must handle notice periods.
L minus 14 calendar days = ND
Example: If you want your last day of work to be Friday, March 22. That date is the “L” in the formula. Thus, L minus 14 calendar days is March 8, also a Friday, which is your “ND,” or Notice Date, according to the formula. Determining how to calculate 2 weeks notice does not involve higher math but should consider all the relevant factors. Remember, unless the company manual mandates notice, giving it is a courtesy but also a typical practice in the modern business world.
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