Sabbatical Program

sample sabbatical policies from nonprofit organizations

Several of the organizations that have received Sabbatical Awards from the Durfee Foundation have adopted sabbatical policies for other staff at their organizations. Some samples are provided below:

Community Conservancy International

After 3 years of employment, employees are eligible for one month paid sabbatical, which can be combined with their vacation time.

Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE)

Each SAJE employee will receive the following paid vacation:

1st year	2 weeks (10 days)
2nd year and beyond	3 weeks (15 days)
In the 5th year	4 weeks (20 days)

Additionally, in the 7th year of employment, employees will be provided with a 3 month paid sabbatical in lieu of other paid vacation time.

The Children’s Clinic

If an opportunity arises for a TCC employee to work or undertake a special project or sabbatical outside of the clinic for a period of six months or less, the employee may request a work sabbatical. Applicants must have been employed full-time by the clinic for at least seven years and must meet the following criteria:
• The employee's work performance is superior.
• The employer deems that there are acceptable resources and adequate coverage available during the employee's absence.
• The employee provides a detailed description and documentation of the sabbatical or work opportunity.
• The employee understands and accepts that this is a leave without pay.
The employee has not taken an unpaid leave of absence in the prior two years.
All leaves must be approved by the Executive Director and the Board of Directors.

Peace Over Violence Sabbatical Leave Program

Effective institutions are guided and sustained by creative, committed and dependable people. Peace Over Violence’s Sabbatical Leave Program instituted by the Board of Directors recognized that leaders need time to think, rest, reflect and rejuvenate if they are to keep their organizations and programs ahead of the curve.

Peace Over Violence recognizes that there are leaders within the various facets of our very own organization: project directors, coordinators, administrative personnel, managers, case managers, emergency response team personnel, etc., who exhibit year after year the commitment, creativity, tenacity, management and leadership qualities that help make POV the dynamic and model agency that it is.

They exhibit these qualities on an on-going basis and sometimes under demanding conditions and often with relentless deadlines. These efforts contribute to POV’s best practices for the betterment of our community. The enormous demands of working in social change, social justice and social service organizations such as our own often interfere with taking sufficient time off to refresh and rejuvenate.

In an effort to create opportunities to replenish the stores of energy and inspiration for our agency’s committed staff, POV offers the Sabbatical Leave Program as a benefit. The program will offer paid leave for a minimum of 6 weeks to a maximum of 10 weeks if a staff member so chooses to combine the leave with their regular vacation time. The sabbatical leave comes with a cash stipend for expenses up to $3,000.

This sabbatical time will be designed by the employee and could be used for travel, study, writing, staff development, artistic endeavors, reflection, family time or any other pursuits that will enable and encourage renewal.. They may not work for POV or take any other employment during this time.

The employee must be in good standing, an employee for a minimum of 8 years, have not requested and received a leave of any kind of more than 1 week duration (regular sick leave and vacation time exempted) such as parenting leave, maternity leave, worker’s comp leave, special leave without pay etc. during the fiscal year in which they are applying. The eligible employee must submit an application requesting to be considered for the sabbatical leave program describing how they will utilize their sabbatical time.

Eligibility
Candidates for this program should:

Have worked for POV for a minimum of 8 years full time or 10 years part-time
Have received positive and above average performance evaluations and deemed to be in good standing
Not have received this award in the past 5 years or have received any other fellowship, mentorship or special award that carries opportunities away from the POV through another organization or foundation within 2 years
Be an outstanding staff member who has demonstrated a track record of consistent contribution to the organization and hence to the work POV does in the community at-large.
Accept the sabbatical as an opportunity to refresh and rejuvenate and as an opportunity to come back refreshed with renewed commitment.
Be recognized by their peers and supervisors as a deserving individual.

The Candidate’s supervisor should:

Offer an endorsement of the request for leave, establish that the employee is in good standing with above average performance evaluations and authorize the sabbatical leave dates
Approve a work plan operational during the candidates absence, and upon the candidate’s return
Make sure that regular health and other benefits are maintained for the candidate during the period of leave.

Requirements
The primary requirement for the sabbatical leave is that the time is spent away from work. This may take the form of pleasure travel, pursuit of a vocational interest spent away or at home with one’s family. The leave can combine more than one element or more than one location, but candidates should take care not to over schedule their sabbatical time. POV recognizes that some candidates may have a desire or need for professional development. Consequently, participation in tuition-based training programs, residencies or study time may constitute a component of an applicant’s proposal.

The other requirements for the sabbatical leave are that it involves a minimum of 6 weeks paid leave taken as a totality to a maximum of 10 weeks and that awardees submit a brief written report about the sabbatical to the Executive Director who will transmit that report to the Board of Directors within two months of completion.

One sabbatical leave will be granted to a deserving candidate annually (Fiscal Year). The POV Board of Directors reserves the right to change or suspend the sabbatical leave program.

Selection Committee

The selection committee will be made up of two board members appointed by the Chair of the Board of Directors and the Executive Director.

Deadline:

Applications submitted by June 1st to the Executive Director with all accompanying paperwork.

Presented to Board of Directors before the April board meeting.
Selection process & decision by June 30th.
Sabbatical leave taken within a 12 month fiscal year.