Ending a helper contract requires more than a short message or leaving everything to an agency. Establish the last working date, notice, and payments, and check any legal restrictions. The standard contract generally provides one month's written notice or one month's wages in lieu. Cases involving disciplinary allegations, pregnancy, paid sick leave, or work injury require particular care and case-specific Labour Department guidance before treating the ordinary process as sufficient.
What to have ready
Before you start
Labour Department sample letters and receipts help organise the process without deciding the amounts for your case. List outstanding wages, payment in lieu, annual leave, any applicable severance or long-service payment, and contractual return-travel obligations, checking each separately. The employer and helper each notify Immigration in writing within seven days of termination. Retain confirmation rather than assuming the other party or agency has completed your notification.
What to do, step by step
- Check contractual notice and restrictions, state the notice and termination dates clearly, and retain the written notice and evidence of receipt.
- Calculate individual items using pay, service, and leave records. Ask Labour Department about disputed treatment rather than hiding it in a single all-paid figure.
- Submit your Immigration notification through the official process and check receipt. The helper should separately verify stay and departure requirements for the case.
- Pay through a recordable method, arrange contractual travel, itemise receipts, and retain copies of the document and property handover.
Costs, timing, and things to check
Summary dismissal is a serious step; a poor fit does not automatically remove notice or payment duties. Check legally prohibited dismissal situations.
Do not retain a passport or make owed payments conditional on a waiver. Document disputed items and use the formal employment-resolution channels.
A practical example
For an early ending, build a table showing the final pay period, notice arrangement, unused leave, other items requiring assessment, and return travel, with the calculation basis and payment evidence alongside each. Keep your own Immigration notification confirmation separately. An agency chat saying handled does not prove what was submitted or settle the final-payment calculation.
Complete termination, settlement, and Immigration notification separately, with itemised records for both parties.
Official information and enquiries
These are the reference and service entry points for this guide. Check current fees, eligibility, and schedules with the authority. The preparation date is not each source's official update date.