How to Accurately Reflect Sabbatical Periods in Experience Letters Without Misleading

We have one unique case wherein one of our employees was on maternity leave and extended sabbatical for more than a year. In fact, the maternity leave was also preceded by 3 months of unpaid leave due to health issues. Eventually, she could not resume work, and we completed her exit formalities last month. While creating the experience cum relieving letter, I cannot write the end date as her actual last working day since that was a year back, and the exit happened just now. However, writing the recent exit date as the end date also does not seem right as it gives a wrong picture and inflates her experience.

Handling Exit Dates in Experience Letters

How do we deal with such cases? Can we mention the exit date as the end date and write a note stating the sabbatical period? Is there any other way? Please advise.

Thank you.

This is a settled case. You have to mention the end date as per the last working date being considered by the company in the experience certificate. Leave taken due to illness and otherwise; a valid reason not being able to submit resignation should be a ground good enough to issue the experience certificate with the last working date as the date.

Yes, you are within your rights to mention the sabbatical leave if you wish to. But, if you ask me, I would not do so. It would be unreasonable on my part as it was without a choice that the employee had to go on extended leave.

Considerations for Rejoining

Answer my question: What if she rejoins again and works for 6 months or so, and then resigns? What experience certificate will you issue? Will you still mention sabbatical leave?

It's my opinion that you must mention "Start Date" and "Last Working Date" as you would consider her for her full and final settlement, irrelevant of whether she worked or not.

Regards,
Ukmitra