Leaver & Exit Pack
How you handle someone leaving says as much about you as how you hired them. Handle it well and you protect the team, your data and clients, and your reputation. Handle it badly and you turn a routine departure into a dispute, a bad-reference claim, or a competitor walking off with your client list. You get every stage here, from the moment they resign to the reference request months later, and the paper trail that proves you did it properly.
Start to finish
From acknowledging the resignation through notice, handover and the last day, to references after they have gone.
Customised to you
Letters and checklists pre-filled with your company name, contacts and process. You add the leaver's details.
Protects the business
Restrictive covenants reminder or continuing obligations letter, with data and access offboarding.
Reflects the law in Great Britain
Notice, garden leave, pay in lieu, holiday on termination and references. Reflects the law in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland, not Northern Ireland) as at 30 October 2026.
What's included (18 customised documents)
Guidance
- How to Use This Pack
- Leaders' Guide to Handling Leavers Well
Resignation & Notice Letters
- Resignation Acknowledgement Letter
- Unclear or Heat-of-the-Moment Resignation Letter
- Garden Leave Letter
- Pay in Lieu of Notice Letter
- Early Release Agreement Letter
- Restrictive Covenants Reminder Letter (or Continuing Obligations Letter if your contracts have no covenants)
Process & Offboarding
- Handover Plan Template
- Exit Interview Template and Question Bank
- Leaver Offboarding Checklist
- IT and Access Offboarding Checklist
- Final Pay and Benefits Summary
- Stakeholder and Departure Communications
References, Property & Other Exits
- Reference Response and Policy
- Return of Company Property Record
- Other Leaver Types: Retirement and Fixed-Term
- Leaver and Exit FAQ
- 🔒 Secure payment via Stripe
- ✓ Written by a Chartered FCIPD professional
- ⬇ Instant download after customisation
Frequently asked questions
Do we have to accept a resignation straight away?
A clear resignation is binding once it is given, so there is nothing to accept, and you cannot refuse it. The person cannot withdraw it without your agreement. Employment ends when the notice period runs out, unless you both agree a different date, or the contract allows payment in lieu of notice and you use it. If it was unclear or said in the heat of the moment, check it first: give the person a day or two to confirm it in writing, and accept a retraction if they change their mind. Processing an angry resignation on the spot can become an unfair dismissal claim. The pack includes a letter for exactly this.
How much notice does an employee have to give?
If they have worked for at least a month, the legal minimum is one week. Most contracts ask for more, and the contractual notice is what normally applies. Someone who has worked less than a month, with no notice term in their contract, does not have to give statutory notice.
Can we make someone leave immediately?
Only if their contract allows it or you both agree. You can place them on garden leave or pay them in lieu of notice where the contract provides for it. Pay in lieu of notice is taxed as earnings. The pack includes both letters.
Can we enforce a non-compete clause?
Only if it is reasonable: no wider than needed to protect a genuine business interest, in scope, area and length. The pack includes a restrictive covenants reminder letter (or a continuing obligations letter if your contracts have no covenants) to send at the point of resignation. In October 2026 the government confirmed it will legislate to restrict non-compete clauses. No details have been published, and nothing has changed in law yet.
Do we have to give a reference?
No, unless you promised one in the contract, you are an FCA or PRA regulated firm and the request is a regulatory reference, or you agreed to as part of a settlement. Whatever you say must be true, accurate and fair. The pack includes a reference policy and response template so you stay consistent.
Can I edit the documents after download?
Yes. All 18 documents are in Word format and fully editable. Your company details are pre-filled by the wizard, and you complete the leaver-specific details, such as the last working day, before you send each letter.
Got a tricky departure?
If a resignation is heading towards a dispute, a senior exit needs handling carefully, or you are weighing a settlement, get in touch. Some departures are worth a conversation before you act.