Can a Housekeeper Resign by WhatsApp in Spain?
A housekeeper can resign by WhatsApp, but an employer should not dismiss this way. Here is what Spanish law says in 2026 and how to do it properly.
In short
With WhatsApp woven into daily life, many families ask us whether a working relationship can be started, or ended, with a simple message. The answer is not the same for the worker as it is for the employer, and Spain's 2022 domestic-employment reform changed the rules. Let us take it step by step.
Is a WhatsApp resignation valid?
Yes. Article 49.1.d) of the Workers' Statute (Estatuto de los Trabajadores) allows a contract to be terminated 'by resignation of the worker', without imposing a written form; it only refers to the notice period set by the collective agreement or by custom. It is therefore enough for the housekeeper's conduct to reveal, clearly and unequivocally, her intention to end the relationship, and a WhatsApp message expresses that will without ambiguity.
The courts confirm this. Judgment 4870/2024 of the High Court of Justice of Galicia (Tribunal Superior de Justicia, TSJ), dated 29 October 2024, found a resignation communicated by WhatsApp to be valid even though the worker later deleted the message: the context and her subsequent actions showed her intention to leave. In short, deleting the message does not undo the effects of the resignation if the intention was clear.
What can I do if my housekeeper resigns by WhatsApp?
Very little, if her intention to leave the post is clear enough: a resignation is a unilateral act by the worker and does not need your acceptance. The sensible thing is to keep the conversation (screenshots showing the date and number) in case any disagreement arises later, and to process the deregistration from Social Security (Seguridad Social) from the date the work ends.
On notice: she is advised to give some warning in advance (around 15 days is the figure usually cited) but, as there is no specific statutory notice period for domestic employment and no collective agreement setting one, a failure to give notice does not, on its own, allow you to deduct anything from the final settlement (finiquito) unless the contract has agreed otherwise.
Is she entitled to a final settlement (finiquito) if she resigns?
Yes. Even though it is a voluntary resignation that generates no severance pay, the housekeeper is entitled to the final settlement (finiquito), which includes the wages owed up to the last day of work, the proportional share of the extra payments (pagas extraordinarias) — accrued over their corresponding six-month period, not by dividing a single payment by 360 — and any holiday accrued but not taken. You can see the full breakdown in our guide to calculating a housekeeper's final settlement.
Can I dismiss my housekeeper by WhatsApp?
It is not prohibited by law, but it is strongly inadvisable. A dismissal must be communicated in writing and state the grounds; a WhatsApp is not a reliable form of notification and usually leaves the reasoning weak, so the courts examine it case by case and, in practice, it frequently ends up declared unfair (improcedente). The safe approach is to hand over a signed letter or, if there is any doubt, to send a burofax (a certified postal communication with proof of its content and delivery).
It is worth clearing up a very common mistake: the dismissal letter is a unilateral communication from the employer, not a document the worker has to sign for it to be valid. Her signature only proves that she has received it ('recibí', meaning received); if she refuses to sign, it is enough to record the delivery before two witnesses or to send the communication by burofax with certification of its content.
There is no longer 'dismissal without cause': the framework since 2022
Royal Decree-Law 16/2022 (Real Decreto-ley 16/2022), in force since 9 September 2022, abolished termination at will (desistimiento) — the option of ending the contract without giving a reason. Today every termination at the employer's initiative must rest on one of the set grounds in Article 11 of Royal Decree 1620/2011 (RD 1620/2011) — loss of trust being a common one — with its corresponding severance pay and notice. These are the figures in force in 2026:
| Route of termination | Severance pay | Notice |
|---|---|---|
| Resignation by the worker | No severance pay (final settlement only) | Recommended around 15 days; no fixed statutory period |
| Termination by the employer with cause (Article 11.2, RD 1620/2011) | 12 days per year, up to a maximum of 6 monthly payments | 20 days if length of service exceeds 1 year; 7 days in all other cases |
| Fair disciplinary dismissal | No severance pay | Not applicable |
| Dismissal declared unfair (improcedente) | 33 days per year, up to a maximum of 24 monthly payments | — |
Severance pay for unfair dismissal is governed by the general regime of the Workers' Statute (33 days per year, up to a maximum of 24 monthly payments), ever since the 2022 reform removed the reduced severance pay specific to domestic employment. For the full calculation, the notice period and the grounds for a null and void dismissal, see our guide on how to handle the dismissal of a housekeeper.
How to communicate the end of the contract correctly
- Hand over a written letter stating the specific grounds and the effective date.
- Make the severance pay available to the worker at the very moment of the communication.
- Respect the notice period: 20 days if length of service exceeds 1 year; 7 days in all other cases.
- Obtain the 'received' (recibí) signature; if she refuses, record it before two witnesses or use a burofax with proof of delivery.
- Deregister her from Social Security (Seguridad Social) and settle the final settlement (finiquito).
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Frequently asked questions
- Is a voluntary resignation communicated by WhatsApp valid?
- Yes. A resignation does not have to be in writing (Article 49 of the Workers' Statute): it is enough for the housekeeper's intention to leave the post to be clear and unequivocal, and a WhatsApp expresses it clearly. The High Court of Justice of Galicia, in a judgment of 29 October 2024, accepted one as valid even when the worker later deleted the message.
- What notice must a housekeeper give if she resigns?
- There is no specific statutory notice period for domestic employment; giving around 15 days' warning is recommended. As no period is set by law or by a collective agreement, failing to give notice does not, on its own, allow anything to be deducted from the final settlement (finiquito) unless the contract has agreed otherwise.
- Is a housekeeper who resigns entitled to a final settlement?
- Yes. A voluntary resignation generates no severance pay, but it does generate a final settlement (finiquito): the wages owed up to the last day, the proportional share of the extra payments (pagas extraordinarias) and any holiday accrued but not taken.
- Can a housekeeper be dismissed by WhatsApp?
- It is not prohibited, but it is inadvisable. A dismissal must be in writing and state a cause; a WhatsApp is not reliable and is usually declared unfair (improcedente). The recommended approach is a signed letter or a burofax, bearing in mind that since Royal Decree-Law 16/2022 every dismissal needs a justified cause.
