The term used for a period during which an employee remains on normal salary and bound by their contract of employment but is requested, usually under an express term of the contract, not to attend the office or contact clients or customers. Employers often use garden leave during an employee's notice period to prevent the employee from having further access to customers, clients and staff and to prevent the employee from working for a competitor.
For more information, see Practice note, Restrictive covenants and garden leave (www.practicallaw.com/8-200-3267).