Types of Leaves in a Leave Policy

When an employee applies for a job, there are certain things he or she considers before joining the company. Work location, working hours and vacation policies are some of the most important factors that influence an applicant's decision about the job. During the hiring process, one of the first questions most candidates ask hiring managers is about the company's vacation policy. Without a clear and well-documented vacation policy, a company has no chance of hiring the best talent. Additionally, potential employees also want to know what types of vacation the company provides to its employees.

Every company must have a well-communicated vacation policy. Both employers and employees need to have clear communication about vacation policies. Today we will discuss in detail some of the key types of vacation a company should include in its vacation policy.

Vacation is nothing more than a period of time when you don't go to work. The vacation days you are entitled to are most often "paid vacation days," and the vacation days you take after you have used all of the vacation days you have earned are known as lost wages or unpaid vacation. In other words, it is called LOP or LWOP.

Why is a good vacation policy important?

Good and consistent vacation policies help create a positive work environment, reduce the hassle of managing employee vacation, and save time and money for your company. A clearly defined regulation also helps to avoid disputes and ambiguities. A vacation policy also helps determine the number of vacation days, the types of vacation, and the procedure for requesting vacation. With a vacation policy, the company can assure the employee that he or she will be given time off in emergencies or to deal with personal matters.

What are the different types of vacation?

National laws prescribe the minimum vacation that employers must grant their employees. However, different companies have different vacation policies and the details of vacation policies may vary from company to company.

Sick leave

Sick leave, also known as medical leave, is the leave that the company provides to its employees to recover from an illness and take care of their health. They are granted to workers due to illnesses or accidents to which they are exposed. These exemptions must be granted to employees in accordance with labor laws. If an employee takes a sick leave, he can rest for a day without worrying about losing his salary. Because these vacation days are often misused, the employer may sometimes require a medical certificate if more than two or three vacation days are taken per year. According to the law, these vacation days can be granted for up to 15 days per year.

Casual vacation

Companies provide casual leave in addition to the vacation of assigned employees. These vacation days are granted to accommodate urgent personal needs. These vacation days are taken by employees for events such as trips, vacations or family celebrations. Granting these paid leaves of absence allows the employee to balance their professional and private lives. Employees can take a maximum of 8 to 15 days of vacation per year.

Maternity leave

All companies must include this vacation in their vacation policy. A woman needs at least 3 to 4 months of rest after childbirth. This type of leave needs to be included in the leave policy to ensure that female employees are not stressed about their work while caring for the newborn. This leave is granted to the new mother for 7-17 weeks so that she can fully recover. The company should also be prepared to provide additional leave in case of postpartum complications.

Compensatory leave (or comp-offs)

Compensatory leave is granted if employees have to work on a weekend or a public holiday. These exemptions are expressly granted by employers in order to maintain the commitment and motivation of their employees.

Religious holidays

Religious holidays like Christmas, Eid, Holi etc. must be granted to the employees. These are the times when employees want to take a day off and spend time with their family to celebrate the festival. These days should be taken into account in the holiday policy to give employees the opportunity to take holiday during their festival.

So these are some of the major types of leave that need to be included in the leave policy. A good vacation policy helps maintain a positive work culture in the company.

Privileged vacation

This type of vacation is also called "earned vacation" because you earn this vacation for the number of days you have worked at the company. This leave can be used for various purposes such as: B. for vacation, rest periods or other personal tasks. This type of vacation must be planned in advance so that the employer can find an alternative for your workplace. According to the Labor Code, this type of leave must be granted.

An employee can redeem these vacation days using the vacation fund if they remain unused.

These vacation days can easily be carried over to the next year.

Marriage vacation

Some companies offer a special type of leave also known as marriage leave. In some countries this leave is mandatory while in India it is not necessary. The duration of this vacation varies between 1 and 15 days. However, as a rule, most companies grant a vacation of 3 days as marriage leave.

You must provide proof such as a wedding card or certificate before taking the vacation.

Another rule regarding marriage leave is that companies grant this type of leave for the first legal marriage.

Paternity leave

Paternity leave is granted to employees who become fathers. This leave is granted to employees to spend time with their family and newborn. Although there is no labor law regarding paternity leave, companies still grant this leave to their employees.

Vacation entitlement varies between 2 and 4 weeks depending on the company's policy. This leave is granted for a specific period shortly before or after the birth of the child.

Bereavement leave

Bereavement leave is granted to employees in the event of the death of a close relative. The purpose of this holiday is to perform the necessary rituals and recover from the loss of a loved one. This type of leave is also known as a “compassionate leave.” This type of leave is not mentioned in Indian labor laws. Many companies provide bereavement leave for a period of 2 to 20 days.

Lost wages (LOP)

There are cases where employees use all of their vacation balance but still need vacation. In such cases, companies grant them LOP days where salary is deducted.

Any vacation taken in violation of the vacation policy is known as LOP (Loss of Pay).

In the case of LOP vacation, there is no concept of a vacation balance. However, when making payroll, we need to deduct the salary for the number of days of LOP vacation in the month.

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