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View full libraryThe Resignation Acceptance with Garden Leave Letter formally acknowledges an employee's resignation and confirms that the Company will require them to remain away from work during all or part of their notice period. It sets out the resignation date, termination date, garden leave arrangements, pay and benefits, confidentiality and any requirements applying during the notice period.
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If you are managing employee resignations, the toolkit brings together practical HR templates covering resignation, notice, handover, exit and final pay.
This template brings together the key information, sections and considerations you need to create a clear, comprehensive and professional HR document. Preview the document below.
[Sender name]
[Sender address]
[date]
[Recipient name]
[Recipient address]
Dear [Recipient first name],
Acceptance of Resignation and Garden Leave
I am writing to formally acknowledge receipt of your resignation dated [date of resignation], in which you confirmed your intention to resign from your position as [job title].
I confirm that the Company accepts your resignation. In accordance with your contract of employment, your notice period is [number] weeks and your employment will therefore terminate on [termination date].
Garden leave
We have decided that you will not be required to attend work or undertake your normal duties during your notice period. You will therefore be placed on garden leave with effect from [date].
During your garden leave, you will remain employed by the Company and will continue to receive your normal salary and contractual benefits, subject to the terms of your employment contract and the arrangements set out in this letter.
You should not undertake work for the Company or contact customers,
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A Resignation Acceptance with Garden Leave Letter formally confirms that an employer has accepted an employee's resignation and has decided that the employee will remain away from work for all or part of their notice period. The employee remains employed and normally continues to receive their contractual pay and benefits during the garden leave period.
The letter provides a clear written record of the resignation, notice period, termination date and garden leave arrangements, while setting out important expectations around confidentiality, Company property, contact and other contractual obligations.
The letter is used where an employee has resigned but the employer does not want or need them to continue attending work during their notice period. This can be particularly useful where the employee has access to confidential information, customer relationships, commercially sensitive material or other information that the employer does not want actively used during the notice period.
It can also provide a practical way of managing the employee's departure while preserving the employment relationship until the contractual termination date.
The template is suitable for HR professionals, managers and employers dealing with an employee resignation where the employee is to remain away from work during some or all of their notice period.
The employer should manage the employee's access, contact arrangements, Company property and outstanding handover requirements consistently with the employee's contractual obligations. HR should also ensure that payroll, holiday, benefits and the employee's final termination arrangements are processed correctly.
Related HR resources and workflow
Explore the HR resources that may be relevant before and / or after using the Resignation acceptance with garden leave letter, helping you understand the wider process, maintain appropriate documentation and follow a consistent approach.
Our Guide to Managing an Employee Resignation offers step-by-step instructions for a smooth transition, ensuring professionalism and maintaining positive relationships.
The Exit Interview Meeting Invitation Letter formally invites an employee to an exit interview before or shortly after they leave the organisation.
Use these best practice actions, recommended timescales and process stages to understand when and how the Resignation acceptance with garden leave letter should be used, helping ensure each step is handled consistently and appropriately documented.
Understand the common mistakes to avoid when using this HR template, helping you reduce risk, prevent unnecessary costs and ensure the process is handled correctly.
Garden leave is where an employee remains employed and receives their normal contractual pay and benefits but is instructed not to work during some or all of their notice period. The employment relationship continues until the agreed or contractual termination date.
Potentially, but the employer should first check the employee's contract. An express garden leave clause will generally provide the clearest contractual basis for requiring an employee not to work during their notice period.
HRDocBox combines deep HR knowledge, practical application and years of experience with real employee departures and HR processes. The template covers more than simply accepting a resignation: it addresses garden leave, continuing employment, pay, confidentiality, Company property, access, holiday and final termination arrangements.
AI can produce a basic resignation acknowledgement, but garden leave needs careful consideration of the employment contract, notice period, pay, benefits, confidentiality and the employee's continuing obligations. HRDocBox combines UK employment-law knowledge, practical HR experience and best practice to provide a more complete starting point.
Generally, yes. An employee on garden leave remains employed during their notice period and normally continues to receive their contractual salary and benefits. The specific arrangements should be checked against the employee's contract.
Not necessarily. During garden leave the employee remains employed by the original employer and continues to be bound by applicable contractual obligations. Whether they can undertake other work will depend on the contract and circumstances.
Yes, an employer may need to restrict or withdraw access to systems and confidential information as part of managing garden leave. This is particularly relevant where the employee has access to commercially sensitive information. The arrangements should be proportionate and consistent with the employee's contractual position.
Yes. Holiday generally continues to accrue during the notice period because the employee remains employed. The employer may also be able to require the employee to take accrued holiday during the notice period where the contractual and statutory requirements are satisfied.
Having the Resignation acceptance with garden leave letter ready saved us from drafting the correspondence from scratch. It struck a good balance between being professional and sounding like something we would actually send. It helped us get the tone right without making the letter feel stiff.
How this content is developed and reviewed
The Resignation acceptance with garden leave letter template is developed using a practical HR methodology that considers current UK employment legislation, ACAS guidance, CIPD good practice and the real-world HR process it supports. Templates and supporting information are regularly reviewed and updated, with additional reviews triggered by significant changes to legislation, guidance or established HR practice, helping ensure each document remains practical, relevant and suitable for UK employers.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing resignation HR processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
HRDocBox has been creating practical UK HR documents since 2009.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
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