How to resign from a job in Tunisia: notice period and final pay

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Topic: Employment law

How to resign from a job in Tunisia: the notice period, proving you resigned, final pay and your work certificate, plus a resignation letter template.

In Tunisia, an employee on a permanent contract (CDI) can resign at any time, as long as they tell the employer in writing and work the notice period set by the Labour Code, which a collective agreement or the contract often makes longer. When you leave, you are owed your pay up to the last day, payment for untaken annual leave and a certificate of employment. Resigning does not, in principle, entitle you to severance pay. What notice period applies when you resign? The Labour Code (art. 14 bis) requires one month's notice, sent by registered letter, to end an open-ended contract. However, the sector-wide collective agreement that covers your employer often sets longer periods depending on your grade (worker, supervisor, manager), and your own contract may have a specific clause too. In practice: re-read your employment contract and any amendments; ask to see the collective agreement that applies, especially the article on notice; work the longest period required by the law, the agreement or your contract, unless your employer releases you from it in writing. During the notice period you keep working as normal and keep being paid. If you leave without working it and without being released, the employer can claim an indemnity for the notice not observed, usually calculated on your pay for the period you didn't work. A pregnant employee, however, can leave without notice and without owing any indemnity for it (art. 18 of the Labour Code). Note too that Law No. 2025-9 of 21 May 2025 reformed the Labour Code on contract types and probation; it did not change the rules on notice or resignation. How do you prove you resigned? A resignation does not need the employer's acceptance, but it must be clear and unambiguous, and its date must be provable because the notice period runs from it. The Labour Code provides for a registered letter; handing it over against a receipt can serve as extra or alternative proof: send the letter by registered post with acknowledgment of receipt ; or hand it to your employer or HR against a dated, signed receipt on a copy you keep. An email on its own, or telling your manager verbally, can lead to an argument about the date or even about whether you resigned at all. Resignation letter template for Tunisia Here is an outline you can adapt: [Full name] [Address] To: Mr/Ms [name], [company name] [City], [date] Subject: Resignation Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to inform you of my decision to resign from my position as [job title], which I have held since [start date]. I will work the notice period required by [the Labour Code / the collective agreement / my contract], so my last working day will be [date], unless we agree otherwise. Please provide my certificate of employment and any sums due to me on that date. Yours faithfully, [Signature] You don't need to give a reason. Avoid any wording that could read as giving up your rights. Resigning during probation or on a fixed-term contract During probation , which can last up to six months and be renewed once, either side can end the contract before probation ends by informing the other 15 days in advance, by any means that leaves a written trace (Labour Code as amended by Law No. 2025-9). A fixed-term contract can no longer include a probation period. On a fixed-term contract (CDD) , things are different. In principle you cannot end it before its end date on your own, unless the employer agrees or has committed serious misconduct; otherwise you may be asked to pay damages. Try to agree a leaving date in writing. Since Law No. 2025-9, a CDD is only allowed in exceptional cases set by law; if yours does not fit them, it may legally be a permanent contract, so check with a lawyer. Final pay: what your employer owes you Resigning does not cancel the rights you have already earned. When the contract ends, you are entitled to: your salary up to your last working day, including the notice period you worked; payment in lieu of any annual leave you haven't taken; pro-rata bonuses, where your contract or the collective agreement provides for them; a certificate of employment stating your start and end dates and the job you held, which the employer must give you when you ask for it. On the other hand, resigning does not normally give you severance pay or compensation for unfair dismissal. Also check that your pay was declared to the CNSS (social security) for your whole period of employment. Don't sign a "full and final settlement" receipt until you have checked every amount and understand what it means. Claims arising from your employment must generally be brought within one year of its end. Can the employer refuse? What about walking out? Your employer cannot refuse your resignation or keep you beyond the notice period, but can insist that you work your notice. If your contract has a non-compete clause, check its terms before joining a competitor. Walking out without notice (abandon de poste) does not automatically count as a resignation. The employer usually sends a formal notice asking you to return, and can then treat the absence as serious misconduct and dismiss you without notice. That is the worst outcome for you: a written resignation is clearer and safer. Frequently asked questions Do I have to give a reason for resigning? No. Resigning is your right and needs no justification. If you are leaving because your employer is not meeting its obligations, though, see a lawyer before you put anything in writing. Can I take back my resignation? Once the letter has reached your employer, you can generally only withdraw it if the employer agrees. Think it through before you send it. My employer won't give me a certificate of employment. What can I do? Ask for it in writing, then contact the labour inspectorate. If the employer still refuses, you can take the matter to the labour court. I was pressured into resigning. Do I have any rights? A resignation obtained under pressure can be treated by the court as a dismissal, with the rights that come with it. Keep any evidence of the pressure and see a lawyer quickly. When should you see a lawyer? Most resignations go smoothly. See an employment lawyer, however, if you are on a fixed-term contract, if you are leaving because of unpaid wages or harassment, if your employer refuses to pay what you are owed, or if you are asked to sign a waiver. The site's directory lists lawyers registered with the ONAT by city. This article gives general information and does not replace advice from a lawyer who looks at your own situation.

Last updated: 19 October 2026