Short answer to this is no (sorry, know you didn’t want to hear that!). They may have stormed out after a row. They may have calmly handed in their notice once their pay was on their bank account. But as far as they’re concerned, it’s over.
You could try and get them to stay with financial incentives. But a court won’t make them work their notice period, as it considers your relationship “broken” (so don’t waste your breath threatening to sue).
You won’t have to pay them though, as they are refusing to work their notice period.
And if you have a clause in your contract (like we do, of course), your can in addition reclaim one day’s pay for every day of their notice period not worked. Which is not meant as a penalty, oh no, just a realistic evaluation of the loss and costs we would have if they walked out and we had to find a short term replacement.
NB if you say that they don’t have to work their notice period, then you DO have to pay them!
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