What is the legal minimum notice period for terminating an employment contract?

In Washington, the amount of notice an employer must provide when terminating an employment contract is dependent on the length of time the employee has been employed with the company. If the employee has been employed with the company for fewer than 90 days, then the employer is not required to provide any notice at all. If the employee has been employed for 90 days or more, then the employer must provide at least seven days of written notice to the employee prior to termination. If the employee has been employed for at least one year or more, then the employer must provide at least 30 days of written notice to the employee prior to termination. It is important to note that even if an employer is not required to provide certain amounts of notice, the employer and employee may mutually agree to a different termination notice period as part of their employment contract. This is especially common in cases where the employee holds an important role within the company or may have a lengthy tenure with the company. Additionally, employees should be aware that should they terminate their employment contract, they are legally obligated to provide their employer with notice as well. The amount of notice an employee is required to provide is generally the same as the amount they would need to receive if they were being terminated.

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