Is Sabbatical Leave for a 1.5-Year Distance Learning Program Allowed in HR Policies?

Hi Shobha,

An employee of my organization has applied for sabbatical leave of 1.5 years to enroll in a distance learning program. My question is, do we have an HR policy that allows sabbatical leave for distance learning programs?

Thanks.

Understanding Sabbatical Leave

Sabbatical leave is a long leave given to employees. The importance of this leave is that it will not create any break in service; therefore, it is granted on special occasions only. Sabbatical leave is not a right of an employee under any Labour Act; it is purely a welfare scheme of the company.

Eligibility for Sabbatical Leave

Normally, sabbatical leave is not given to pursue any distance learning program, but it is available for full-time Postgraduate or Doctoral programs. If you do not have such a clause in your HR policy, it is always good to clarify that this leave is granted only for full-time courses and not for distance learning, which does not require attending regular sessions. Otherwise, you may receive repeated requests for sabbatical leave using this as a precedent, leading to potential issues.

Regards,
Madhu.T.K