Gardening Leave
A paid notice period during which an employee remains employed but is asked not to perform regular work or access sensitive operations.
Plain English
The person is still employed and paid but temporarily stays away from work.
In context
Gardening leave is often used to protect confidential information customer relationships or transition plans and depends on contract and local law.
Example
“The executive spent the final month of the notice period on gardening leave.”
When you'll hear this
- employee departure
- leadership transition
- sensitive handoff
Common misunderstanding
Gardening leave is not automatically unpaid suspension or immediate termination.
Also known as
garden leave
Commonly used by
Related terms
Updated: 2026-08-27
