Resigning from a job in Georgia: notice and final pay

Under the Labour Code, an employee can leave a job of their own accord with a written notice (Article 47). Here are the deadlines and what you are owed when you leave.

Notice: 30 days

• You must notify your employer in writing at least 30 calendar days in advance (Article 48)
• Say that you are resigning of your own accord and from which date
• Keep a copy showing the date it was received, or send the notice by email
• The contract can end earlier by written agreement between you and the employer — then you don't need to wait 30 days

If you leave without notice and the employer suffers harm as a result, they may claim damages. So it's better to keep to the notice period or agree in writing.

What you are owed when you leave

• Final settlement — no later than 7 calendar days after the job ends, unless the contract says otherwise (Article 44)
• For each day of delay the employer pays 0.07% of the late amount (Article 41)
• An employment certificate — on request, the employer must issue one stating the work done, the pay and the contract term (Article 14)

Unused leave

By law, paying for unused leave is mandatory when the employer ends the contract (Article 31). When you resign, you are owed it if your contract or the workplace rules provide for it. So check your contract before leaving, or agree with your employer to use your remaining leave before you go.

Severance

Severance (1 or 2 months' pay) is owed by law when the employer ends the contract — for example, due to redundancy. When you resign, you are owed severance only if your contract or an agreement says so.

Non-compete clauses

Your contract may say you won't work for a competitor after you leave. Such a ban can last no more than 6 months, and only if the employer pays you during that time at least your last salary (Article 60). It isn't allowed in education, science or culture.

If you are pushed to resign

If your employer forces you to write a 'voluntary' resignation, it may be challenged as an unlawful dismissal. Deadlines are short: a dismissal is challenged in court within 30 calendar days (Article 48). For other labour claims — such as unpaid wages — you can go to court within 1 year of learning of the breach (Article 74).

How we help

• We review your contract — notice, leave and restrictions
• We help draft the resignation or a termination agreement
• We claim your final pay and the late-payment interest
• If you were pushed out — we assess the case and challenge it

Employment and labour lawyer