Notice

When a Civil Servant's appointment is terminated, the following minimum periods of notice shall be given, unless any of the following exceptions apply:-

• if the civil servant is dismissed on disciplinary grounds (in which case the period of notice to be given is entirely within the discretion of the Public Services Commission – see Regulation A 20.6 Notice period following dismissal on disciplinary grounds) 
  or
• prematurely retired on ill-health grounds (see Section B – Employee Relations to these Regulations) 
  or
• retires from the Civil Service

Last updated January 2019 – Amendment No. 15-064

A) By the Commission:

All permanent appointments

Fixed Term and Temporary Appointments

As specified in the terms of the appointment.

B) By the civil servant

For the purpose of calculating the last day of service the 3 month period will be treated as 13 weeks (ending on the last working day of a week).

Where a civil servant resigns voluntarily, the period of notice may expire

• only on the last working day of a week ie. a Friday
  or
• on the last working day of the week if a bank/public holiday falls at the end of the week 
  or
• on a day agreed with the Accounting Officer, who may delegate this responsibility via an appropriate formal delegation of authority

Last updated : 2 April 2012 - Amendment No 11-006

Any civil servant wishing to tender their resignation from the Civil Service should do so in writing via their Accounting Officer, addressing the letter to the Secretary of the Public Services Commission.

The minimum notice period required to be given by a civil servant is detailed above at Regulation A20.1b – Notice periods although all staff are encouraged to give as much notice as possible to facilitate the task of the Commission in recruiting a successor (Refer to A20.2 – Last working day).

Last updated : 20 November 2007 – Amendment Ref 07-039

In certain circumstances the Secretary of the Public Services Commission may reduce the required period of notice if after consultation with the civil servant's Accounting Officer, it is considered appropriate to do so.

Except in the case of dismissal on disciplinary grounds, if for any reason the minimum period of notice cannot be given to a civil servant on termination of employment, they shall receive pay in lieu of the unexpired period of notice.

Where a civil servant is dismissed on disciplinary grounds, the Public Services Commission will pay due regard to their length of service and the nature of the disciplinary offence when deciding on the period of notice to be given.

Civil servants in part-time/job share appointments will be given the same notice periods as their full time equivalents.

a) General Compensation in lieu of notice is compensation for a civil servant whom a department cannot continue to employ during their notice. It is not payable where the date of leaving is mutually agreed or where a civil servant leaves on resignation before the end of the notice period provided for in this section by mutual agreement.

b) Pay increases in the Notice Period Compensation in lieu of notice will be calculated by reference to the gross rate of pay effective on the last day of actual service. It will not be recalculated for any increases in pay taking effect during the outstanding notice period for which it is paid. This includes stages of staged pay awards and deferred pay increases. However, where a pay increase is agreed after the last day of actual service but has an effective date of before the last day of actual service the compensation in lieu of notice should be recalculated to take account of the increased rate of pay.

Last updated : 16 June 2014 - Amendment Ref. 14-010