If you decide to dismiss an employee and pay them in lieu of their notice, what date do you make their last day of employment?

Is it the day you dismiss (because they are not working their notice period) or is it the day they would have left had you agreed for them to work their notice period(i.e. 2 or 4 weeks later)?

Does it really matter? I’m thinking it might if the notice period would take them over the end of their 6 month contractual probationary period for example.

Jayne Stutt