If someone who leaves their job is given gardening leave, they continue to receive their salary and in return they agree not to work for anyone else for a period of time.
[British, business]
He is on gardening leave from Goldman Sachs before taking up his new part-time post.
gardening leave in British English
or garden leave
noun
British informal
a period during which an employee who is about to leave a company continues to receive a salary but does not work
Examples of 'gardening leave' in a sentence
gardening leave
He should be put on gardening leave.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
I am going to have to serve my gardening leave come what may.