Garden leave
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In the United Kingdom, Garden leave (or gardening leave[1]) describes the practice whereby an employee who is leaving a job (having resigned or otherwise been terminated) is instructed to stay away from work during their notice period, while still remaining on the payroll. This practice is often used to prevent employees from taking with them up-to-date (and perhaps sensitive) information when they leave their current employer, especially when they are leaving to join a competitor.
Employees continue to receive their normal pay during garden leave and are covered by any contractual duties, such as confidentiality agreements, until their notice period expires.[2]
The term can also be used when an employee is sent home whilst subject to disciplinary proceedings, when they are between projects, or where, as a result of publicity, their presence at work is considered counter-productive. The Tracey Temple affair is an instance of the latter case.
The term is frequently used in Formula One motor racing to describe what happens when valued technical staff choose to move between teams. In an attempt to prevent proprietary information about performance and design falling into competitors' hands, the engineer in question is placed on garden leave, sometimes for many months, to ensure that when he is finally able to join his new employer his knowledge is no longer current (or useful).
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Encarta Dictionary - gardening leave". Microsoft. http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_561533271/gardening_leave.html. Retrieved on 2006-11-25.
- ^ "Notice and notice pay". Directgov. http://www.direct.gov.uk/Employment/Employees/RedundancyAndLeavingYourJob/RedundancyAndLeavingYourJobArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=10026689&chk=ErZX00. Retrieved on 2006-11-19.
