Sabbatical Policy Template

Sabbatical Policy Template

Context

As organizations grow, the need arises for specific policies related to employment and the relationship between staff and management. What had once been unspoken or informal arrangements give way to more well defined practices and “rules of the road.” Writing and updating these policies becomes an important part of leading the organization and supporting its mission.

One policy area that deserves attention is the sabbatical. Originally conceived as an arrangement for academics to further their research, the term has come to include a broader approach to ensuring employee renewal and retention. It is now a common practice to have a formal way to allow long term employees to refresh themselves and come back to their work rested and inspired.

What follows is a sample sabbatical policy for use as a template. Elements of the template have been drawn from a number of environmental organizations in the US and Canada. Feel free to amend this to suit your needs. You may not need every section to complete a policy that works for you.

A section of notes and considerations follows. This will help you clarify some of the specifc decisions relevant to your situation and needs.

As you develop your sabbatical policy, feel free to consult with TREC on specific details and questions.

Sample Sabbatical Policy

Purpose

Our organization values long-term resilience and supports employees maintaining a high degree of personal wellness. In order to support employee tenure and continued service to our clients, our sabbatical leave plan provides time for renewal and rejuvenation to qualified long-term employees. Realizing that the pressures of time and responsibility can deplete any employee’s resources over a period of years, we believe that it is in the best interest of our organization and our clients to provide for times of staff learning and revitalization.

The granting of a sabbatical leave implies a positive relationship between all parties involved. The plan for sabbaticals at our organization reflects our desire for maintain high quality programs and energized employees who display increased proficiency in carrying out their work. A sabbatical leave provides a vehicle to motivate valued employees to continue their careers with us.

Objectives

Our sabbatical program has the following objectives:

· To enhance productivity, creativity and passion for conservation in outstanding long-term employees.

· To provide a vehicle to motivate valued employees to continue their careers at our organization.

· To help key staff reach a wider understanding of their work by pulling back from the rigors of the day and gaining a broader perspective on the work of the organization.

· To become a model organization practicing wellness and positive work/life integration.

Eligibility

· Sabbaticals are possible for any employee (.75 FTE or greater) with seven years of service to our organization.

· Sabbatical leave is not an automatic right of employment. Nor may an employee consider sabbatical benefits to be part of any benefits available to them upon termination.

· Part time employees, contract employees and interns are not elegible for sabbatical.

· An employee may not receive cash in lieu of time off for sabbatical. Sabbatical leave cannot be converted into cash benefit upon separation of employment.

Terms

Sabbaticals are granted under the following terms

· Only one staff person at a time can take sabbatical leave.

· Length of the sabbatical may be up to three months of continuous leave.

· The person on sabbatical is understood to be free of ongoing responsibilities related to their position except as indicated in the sabbatical agreement.

· It is not intended that the person on sabbatical engage in other paid work during their time away.

· During the sabbatical, we will provide 100% of the employee’s average FTE salary, plus employee’s current benefits.

· Post sabbatical leave, the position that is held by the employee at the beginning of the sabbatical is guaranteed to the employee at the same rate of pay and conditions as when the sabbatical began.

· Written commitment to return to the organization for one full year post-sabbatical is required. If the employee resigns within one full year of returning from sabbatical, the employee shall provide full repayment to the organization of the costs of salary and benefits provided during the sabbatical.

· Employment remains “at will” at all times while the employee is on sabbatical and after his/her return. Sabbatical arrangements will not affect unforseen organizational changes such as lay off or reorganization.

· After completing the sabbatical, the employee is not eligible to apply again until after seven full years from the end of the sabbatical leave.

Criteria

The Executive Director shall use the following criteria in deciding whether or not to grant sabbatical leave:

· Employee’s performance

· Seniority

· Effect of the sabbatical on clients, programs and other employees

· Availability of replacement personnel

· Effect on the budget

· Benefit to the organization

Implementation

· An eligible employee will submit a written application to the Executive Director, or in the case of the Executive Director, to the Board. The application should include the proposed length of sabbatical, start and end dates and a rationale for how the sabbatical leave will benefit the employee and the organization.

· The request should specifically address the six criteria addressed above. It should contain a written commitment to at least one year of service following the completion of the sabbatical and to reimbursement of the costs of salary and benefits if the employee departs of their own volition before the year is up.

· Applications should be submitted at least four months prior to the beginning of the leave. Ideally, applications should be submitted during the calendar year prior to the proposed leave to allow for budget planning to accommodate the employee’s absence from service.

Approval Process

· All sabbatical requests from staff shall be granted at the discretion of the Executive Director

· In the case of the Executive Director requesting sabbatical, the request will be granted by the President of the Board of Directors

Notes

· Sabbaticals can range in length from two to six months. Three months appears to be typical.

· Length of service prior to sabbatical elegibility ranges from four to ten years.

· Some organizations include health care and other benefits as part of their sabbatical policy. Others cover only the employee’s salary during the sabbatical. It is uncommon to grant the employee payroll advances before or during sabbaticals.

· Some organizations include vacation and sick leave accrual during the sabbatical period, others do not.

· Some organizations require a specific work product to emerge from the sabbatical. This could range from an informal presentation to staff or Board, to a more substantial report or research project. It appears more common, however, for the sabbatical to be granted with the purpose of rejuvenation without commitment to specific work objectives.

· Some organizations require that the sabbatical leave be taken continuously; others allow it to be broken into two segments.

· Organizations vary on the linking of sabbatical to accrued vacation time to lengthen the time away. Many specifically request that this not be done. Others require that the sabbatical include the use of some accrued vacation and sick leave, thereby lowering the cost of the sabbatical to the organization.

· Some organizations require that the sabbatical application be submitted up to a year prior to the proposed leave.

· Some organizations require a commitment of two years of service post-sabbatical.