Definition
A notice period where departing employees remain on payroll but are barred from working or accessing company resources, preventing them from sharing secrets with competitors. Paid time off for being too dangerous to keep around.
Example Usage
After I resigned to join a competitor, they put me on three months of garden leave—I'm getting paid to literally sit in my garden and not work.
Origin
British term from the 1970s, referencing the idea that employees could spend their notice period gardening
Fun Fact
Garden leave is most common in financial services and tech sectors where departing employees possess sensitive competitive intelligence, with some executives enjoying six-month paid sabbaticals.
Source: UK employment law and executive separation practices
Related Terms
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See “garden leave” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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