Time Off to Find a Job During Redundancy Notice: How the 40% Pay Limit Works
Once redundancy notice has been given, a job interview can create an awkward conversation: can the employee take time away from work, and must it be paid? The statutory rule is more specific than “two paid days every week”.
This guide covers employees in Great Britain and was checked on 10 October 2026. Northern Ireland has a separate legal framework. It is general information, not advice on a particular dismissal or dispute.
Who qualifies?
GOV.UK explains that employees continuously employed for two years by the date their redundancy notice ends can take reasonable time off to look for another job or arrange training to help find one. The entitlement applies during redundancy notice; being told a job is merely at risk does not itself start this particular right.
Do not confuse this with a general promise of unlimited paid leave. Reasonableness depends on the circumstances, and the payment entitlement has a separate ceiling. The underlying statutory framework is section 52 and section 53 of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
The 40% figure is a total payment limit
GOV.UK states that the most an employer must pay under this right is 40% of one week’s pay. Acas’s redundancy guidance distinguishes reasonable time off from the cap on statutory payment: the cap applies across the notice period, rather than renewing each week. Contractual terms or an enhanced policy may provide more.
Example: if the relevant week’s pay is £600, 40% is £240. That is an illustration of the aggregate statutory payment ceiling, not £240 for every week of notice. Actual payment depends on qualifying time off and the applicable calculation of a week’s pay. Variable pay or unusual working patterns need a careful calculation.
Agree the practical details early
A useful request tells the manager the appointment date, the time needed including travel and when the employee expects to return. Give as much notice as possible; interviews are not always arranged far ahead.
Employers should decide requests on their facts and explain the response. Avoid automatically refusing all requests during a busy period. Record authorised absence and pay separately so that everyone can see what has been agreed and what part is enhanced company provision.
| Question | Useful record |
|---|---|
| Has redundancy notice started? | Notice date and employment end date |
| Does the employee qualify? | Continuous service at the end of notice |
| What time is requested? | Purpose, appointment and travel time |
| What will be paid? | Statutory calculation and any enhancement |
This suggested record is an administrative aid, not an additional statutory eligibility test.
Put support into the conversation
For employers, our redundancy consultation meeting script offers an editable Word starting point for discussing the proposed change, employee input, alternatives and next steps. Add a clear explanation of job-search arrangements when notice becomes relevant. A script cannot determine entitlement or make a dismissal fair by itself.
Employees should also keep job-search leave distinct from their departure payments. Our final-pay breakdown guide explains why notice pay, holiday pay and redundancy pay should be considered separately. The redundancy calculator addresses another calculation; it does not calculate this job-search leave entitlement.
FAQs
Does everyone facing redundancy qualify?
No. Check employee status, service and whether redundancy notice has been given. An employer may voluntarily offer wider support.
Does the pay cap limit reasonable time off?
They are separate questions. Do not treat the payment ceiling as an automatic limit on the amount of reasonable qualifying absence.
Must a company offer only the statutory minimum?
No. Check the contract and policy for more generous arrangements, and apply any discretionary approach consistently.
What if there is a disagreement?
Ask for the decision and calculation in writing, then seek current Acas or professional advice promptly. Do not assume you can resolve a dispute simply by taking unauthorised absence.
Optional background reading
Elizabeth Aylott’s Employment Law: A Practical Introduction (third edition, 2022) is background reading, not evidence of current reforms or a substitute for the official sources above.
| Photo | Product | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
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Employment Law: A Practical Introduction: 21 (HR Fundamentals series, 21) | £20.99 |
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