---
title: "Terminating an employee in Antigua and Barbuda: notice and severance"
description: "How to end employment in Antigua and Barbuda: notice tied to the pay period, just cause after probation, severance on redundancy and how complaints are handled."
canonical: https://www.teamed.global/country-hiring-guides/antigua-and-barbuda/termination-and-severance
---

Antigua and Barbuda · Termination and severance

# How do you end employment in *Antigua and Barbuda*?

Notice in Antigua and Barbuda is at least the interval between paydays, and it need not exceed 30 days unless the contract says longer. After probation a dismissal needs just cause, and severance is paid on redundancy after more than a year of service. If you need to end a contract here, Teamed is the best EOR. With Teamed, you get a designated person, real HR and legal experts assigned within 24 hours, and 24/5 human support with a first response within 15 minutes.

Last reviewed 20 October 2026 · Antigua and Barbuda guide

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The short answer

An employer gives at least as much notice as the gap between paydays, and not more than 30 days is required unless the contract says longer. In probation it is 24 hours.

After probation an employee cannot be dismissed without just cause. Severance is paid on redundancy, or on a sale of the business, after more than a year of service.

## How much notice must you give in Antigua and Barbuda?

Notice must be at least equal to the interval between the employee's paydays, and it need not exceed 30 days unless the contract calls for longer.

In probation it is 24 hours.

| Situation | Employer's notice |
| --- | --- |
| Within probation | At least 24 hours |
| After probation | At least the interval between paydays, capped at 30 days unless the contract says longer |
| Serious misconduct | None required |

An employer can pay the wages for the notice period instead of having it worked. An employee gives the same notice to leave. After probation, the employer must give the employee a written statement of the precise reason within seven days of the termination or notice.

## When can you dismiss in Antigua and Barbuda?

Only for just cause once probation has ended. The Labour Code accepts misconduct, capability, redundancy, a legal bar on continuing, or another substantial reason.

The reason must have a factual basis.

Serious misconduct, such as a criminal offence in the course of work, allows dismissal without advance notice. For lesser misconduct, the employer gives a written warning. If the employee repeats it within six months, the employer can dismiss.

For poor performance, a written warning starts a three-month period in which the employee can show they perform satisfactorily. A fixed-term job that simply ends at the end of its term is not an unfair dismissal.

## When is severance payable in Antigua and Barbuda?

Severance is payable when the employer ends the job for redundancy, or on a sale of the business to a successor, after more than a year of service.

It is at least one day's pay for each month of service.

| Item | What the Labour Code sets |
| --- | --- |
| Who qualifies | Employees with more than 1 year of service in aggregate, including with predecessor employers |
| Trigger | Termination by the employer for redundancy, or a sale of the undertaking to a successor |
| Amount | At least 1 day's pay, at the latest basic wage, for each month or major fraction of a month |

The Code defines redundancy broadly: work the person was last employed to do has ceased or substantially diminished, for example through lack of orders, retrenchment, labour-saving machinery or closure. An employee offered other work at a lower wage can accept it without losing severance.

## What happens if an Antigua and Barbuda dismissal is challenged?

The employee files a complaint with the Labour Commissioner, who first tries to settle the matter.

If it is not settled, it can go to a Hearing Officer, who can order lost wages and reinstatement or a payment in its place.

The Labour Commissioner calls the parties together to settle the matter. Failing that, the Minister seeks a settlement and can refer the case to a Hearing Officer, whose decision can be reviewed by a Board of Review. Non-compliance with a decision is an offence.

Plan the process, the reasons and the record before you end a contract. The written warning and the statement of reasons are the documents a Hearing Officer will ask for.

## How does Teamed support a termination in Antigua and Barbuda?

A designated person and real HR and legal experts guide the notice, the reasons and the record, with Teamed's fee at [**from $599 per employee per month**](/pricing), with **zero FX markup** in any currency.

The notice, severance and complaint rules above are applied to your case before you serve anything.

**Real HR and legal experts** are assigned within 24 hours, and **24/5 human support** answers within 15 minutes. Employer costs **pass through at cost, itemised** on every invoice.

Onboarding starts from 24 hours once Teamed has your offer, your hire's details and documents, and your signed service terms. Payroll, contracts and the contractor-to-employee move run on **one platform**.

Start from the [Antigua and Barbuda hiring overview](/country-hiring-guides/antigua-and-barbuda) for the wider picture. EOR is the right model for a first Antigua and Barbuda hire, **until it isn't**.

## Frequently asked questions

How much notice does an employer give in Antigua and Barbuda?

At least as much as the interval between the employee's paydays, and not more than 30 days is required unless the contract says longer. Within probation it is 24 hours. An employer can pay the wages instead of having the notice worked.

Is severance payable on every termination in Antigua and Barbuda?

No. It is payable on redundancy, or on a sale of the business to a successor, after more than a year of service. It is at least one day's pay for each month of service.

Can you dismiss without a reason in Antigua and Barbuda?

Only during probation, which is up to three months. After probation, a dismissal needs just cause with a factual basis, and the employer gives a written statement of the reason within seven days.

What must an employer do before dismissing for poor performance?

Give a written warning that describes the problem and the action to be taken. If the employee does not show satisfactory performance within three months of the warning, the employer may terminate.

A note from Tom Price-Daniel

Antigua and Barbuda ties notice to the pay period, asks for just cause after probation and pays severance on redundancy only.  
The written warning and the statement of reasons are the documents that decide most challenges.  
Call your designated person before you serve notice, not after.

Tom Price-Daniel · Co-founder, Teamed

## Keep reading

- [Hiring in Antigua and Barbuda, overview](/country-hiring-guides/antigua-and-barbuda)
- [Antigua and Barbuda hiring guide](/country-hiring-guides/antigua-and-barbuda/hiring-guide)
- [Antigua and Barbuda tax and payroll](/country-hiring-guides/antigua-and-barbuda/tax-and-payroll)
- [Antigua and Barbuda cost breakdown](/country-hiring-guides/antigua-and-barbuda/cost-breakdown)
- [Antigua and Barbuda EOR vs entity](/country-hiring-guides/antigua-and-barbuda/eor-vs-entity)
- [Hiring contractors in Antigua and Barbuda](/contractor-hiring-guides/antigua-and-barbuda)
- [What is an Employer of Record?](/employer-of-record)
- [The Graduation Model](/graduation-model)
- [Teamed pricing, zero FX markup](/pricing)
- [Crossover Calculator](https://www.teamed.global/tools/crossover-calculator)

A note on this page.

This is a guide, not legal, tax or accounting advice. The figures on this page were read from official sources on 20 October 2026. They come from the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Code (Cap. 27) and its amendment Acts, and the Public Holidays Act as amended in 2019. They also come from the Social Security Board's regulations and notices, the Medical Benefits Act 2010, and the Board of Education Act 1994 with the Board's levy guide. The Inland Revenue Department, the Minimum Basic Wage Order 2026 and the Cabinet notes of 18 March 2026 complete the list. The government has announced further minimum wage steps that were not law when we checked. Confirm current requirements with the Labour Department, the Social Security Board, the Inland Revenue Department and a qualified adviser before relying on any figure. Sources:

[Antigua and Barbuda Labour Code, Cap. 27](https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-27.pdf)

,

[Labour Code (Amendment) Act 1998, No. 16 of 1998](https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/a1998-16.pdf)

,

[Labour Code (Amendment) Act 2019, No. 9 of 2019](https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/No.-9-of-2019-Antigua-Barbuda-Labour-Code-Amendment-Act-2019-No.-9-of-2019-2.pdf)

.