Quitting your job, country by country
The WorkFree calculators are currency-agnostic and the core decision is the same everywhere: can your runway cover the gap? What changes by country is the context around the numbers, notice rules, leave payouts, health cover, pensions, and whether any government support exists after a voluntary quit. These country guides cover those differences for the seven countries we focus on.
The four things that change when you cross a border
Wherever you are, the runway question is identical: can your savings cover the gap until your next income arrives? What differs by country is the context around that number, and it tends to come down to four things worth checking in every guide below.
- Notice. In some countries, such as the United States, employment is mostly at-will and notice is a courtesy. In others, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and Singapore, your notice is contractual or statutory and genuinely binding, which shapes your timing.
- Final pay and leave. Whether your unused leave is paid out on departure varies. It generally is in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and often Singapore and Canada, while in the US it depends on your state and your employer's policy.
- Health cover. This is the decisive factor in the United States, where replacing employer insurance can be your largest new cost. In countries with residency-based public health, including the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland, leaving a job does not touch your basic cover.
- Retirement and government support. Your retirement savings stay yours everywhere, though access rules differ. Government income after a voluntary quit ranges from a possible benefit sanction to nothing at all, which is why we always suggest planning your runway without it.
Pick your country below, then run the numbers with the quit my job calculator, which works in any currency.
These are general orientation guides, not legal advice. Employment law and benefit rules differ by country, state or province, and contract, and they change over time. Use them to know what to check, then verify the specifics for your own situation before you act.
United States
At-will employment, no statutory notice in most cases, and replacing employer health insurance as the biggest cost. Leave payout varies by state.
United Kingdom
Binding notice periods, accrued holiday paid out, NHS unaffected, and workplace pension stays yours.
Canada
Resigning generally rules out EI regular benefits, so plan your runway with no government income support.
Australia
Notice and leave payouts follow the National Employment Standards; unused annual leave is paid out and super is unaffected.
New Zealand
Contractual notice applies, final pay includes unused annual holidays, and KiwiSaver continues independently.
Singapore
Notice is contractual and often settled by payment in lieu; CPF continues, and many company benefits end on your last day.
Ireland
Statutory minimum notice plus your contract terms, accrued annual leave paid out, and public health entitlement unaffected.
Quitting your job by US state
In the United States, when you get your final paycheck and whether unused vacation is paid out are set by state law, not federal law, so they vary. Detailed guides for the all 50 states:
California
Fast final pay and mandatory vacation payout, with no use-it-or-lose-it.
Texas
Final pay by the next payday, vacation by policy, no state income tax.
New York
Final pay by the next payday, vacation by written policy.
Florida
Final pay by the next payday, vacation by policy, no state income tax.
Illinois
Earned vacation must be paid out, final pay by the next payday.
Washington
Final pay by the next payday, vacation by policy, no wage income tax.
Georgia
Final pay by the next payday, vacation by policy, state income tax.
Pennsylvania
Final pay by the next payday, vacation by policy, local Earned Income Tax.
Ohio
Final pay by the next payday, vacation by policy, local city income tax.
North Carolina
Accrued vacation payable unless a written forfeiture policy applies.
Michigan
Final wages on the regular payday; vacation payout depends on your written policy.
New Jersey
Final pay by the next payday; vacation by policy; Get Covered NJ for health cover.
Virginia
Final pay by the next payday; non-competes are limited for lower-wage workers.
Arizona
Final pay by the next payday after a quit; a low 2.5 percent flat income tax.
Tennessee
No state income tax on wages; final pay by the next payday or 21 days.
Massachusetts
Accrued vacation is paid out as wages; final pay by the next payday.
Indiana
Accrued vacation generally payable unless a written policy forfeits it; plus county tax.
Missouri
No statutory final-pay deadline for a quit; vacation payout by policy.
Maryland
Accrued leave payable unless a disclosed forfeiture policy applies; state plus local tax.
Wisconsin
Final pay by the next payday; vacation payout depends on your policy.
Colorado
Earned vacation is paid out as wages; final pay by the next payday.
Minnesota
Final pay by the next payday, within 20 days; MNsure for cover.
South Carolina
Pay within 48 hours or next payday; employers must follow their written policy.
Alabama
No state final-pay statute; your employer's policy and pay cycle govern.
Louisiana
Pay by next payday or 15 days; vested vacation generally paid out.
Kentucky
Pay by next payday or 14 days; vacation by policy; kynect for cover.
Oregon
With 48 hours notice, final pay is due on your last day; vacation by policy.
Oklahoma
Final pay by the next payday; vacation payout depends on your policy.
Connecticut
Quit pay by next payday; vacation per policy; Access Health CT for cover.
Utah
Quit pay by next payday; vacation by policy; a flat income tax of about 4.5 percent.
Nevada
Quit pay by next payday or 7 days; no state income tax; Nevada Health Link.
Iowa
Final pay by next payday; vacation is wages where your policy owes it.
Arkansas
No statutory deadline for a quit; expect the next payday; vacation by policy.
Mississippi
No state final-pay statute; your employer's policy and pay cycle govern.
Kansas
Final pay by next payday; vacation is wages where your policy makes it earned.
New Mexico
Quit pay by next payday; vacation by policy; beWellnm for cover.
Nebraska
Pay by next payday or two weeks; earned vacation must be paid out.
Idaho
Pay by next payday or 10 days; 48 hours on written request; Your Health Idaho.
West Virginia
Final pay by next payday; vacation payable per your policy.
Hawaii
Quit pay by next payday, or last day with notice; mandated employer cover ends.
Maine
Pay on next payday; larger employers must pay out accrued vacation; CoverME.gov.
New Hampshire
Quit pay by next payday, faster with notice; no state income tax on wages.
Rhode Island
Pay by next payday; accrued vacation payable after a year of service; HealthSource RI.
Montana
Only state needing good cause to fire after probation; earned vacation paid out.
Delaware
Final pay by next payday; vacation payout depends on your policy.
South Dakota
Pay by next payday; no state income tax; vacation by policy.
North Dakota
Pay by next payday; accrued vacation payable unless written conditions; low tax.
Alaska
Quit pay on next payday 3+ days after notice; no state income tax.
Vermont
Quit pay on last payday; vacation by policy; Vermont Health Connect.
Wyoming
Pay by the regular payday; no state income tax; earned vacation per policy.
Start with the math wherever you are: the quit my job calculator gives you a readiness band in about a minute, and the guides cover each part of the decision in depth.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries does WorkFree cover?
Seven Tier 1 countries, the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Ireland, plus detailed guides for the all 50 US states. Each covers notice, final pay, leave payout, health cover, and government support after a voluntary quit.
Does quitting work the same in every country?
The core decision is the same everywhere, whether your runway covers the gap, but the rules around it differ. Notice, leave payout, health cover, and benefits after a voluntary quit vary by country and, in the US, by state.
Are these country guides legal advice?
No. They are general orientation, not legal advice. Employment law differs by country, state, and contract and changes over time, so use them to know what to check, then verify the specifics for your situation.
Why do US states have their own guides?
In the US, final-pay timing and whether unused vacation is paid out are set by state law, not federal law, so they vary widely. The state guides cover those differences with the specific state rules.
People also ask
Which country has the best protections when you quit?
It depends what you value. Countries with residency-based public health, like the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland, do not tie your basic cover to your job, while the US ties health cover to employment. Notice and leave-payout rules also differ.
Do the WorkFree calculators work in any currency?
Yes. They are currency-agnostic, so you enter amounts in your own currency and the math is identical. The country pages cover the context that varies.
Can I get unemployment after quitting in these countries?
Generally a voluntary quit limits or rules out government support in all seven countries, though the mechanics differ, from benefit sanctions to disqualification periods to no scheme at all in Singapore. Each country page explains its rules.