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.
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Objectives
Our sabbatical program has the following objectives:
 To enhance productivity, creativity and passion for conservation in outstanding longterm 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.
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
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.
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
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.
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