Going on Sabbatical
My son chillaxin'
Today I’m feeling very lucky. I’m on sabbatical, sitting on a tropical patio, listening to the birds, sipping my morning coffee.
A tiny percentage of US companies offer sabbaticals, and fewer are paid. At my organization, after ten years on the job, all full-time staff get three months of paid leave, in addition to their regular leave. We also get a $500 vacation expense reimbursement at two, five, ten, fifteen (etc.) years, which obviously does not pay for a vacation but which *feels* really good and encourages staff to splurge a little, treat themselves. We are given flexibility in how we use our extended leave; we can take it all at once, use it in two week segments over the space of two years , or even cash some of it out so that you have the funds to go somewhere or do something unforgettable.
All said, I will have five months of paid leave over the next two years. Is that cool or what?
Several months ago, I mentioned starting to dream about my sabbatical so I’m reporting back that I’m taking the next two weeks to go to Costa Rica with my family. Then I’ll take two weeks in August/September to visit family in North Carolina and Florida, hopefully stopping by the HR Florida State Council. After that, who knows?
Have you ever been fortunate enough to experience a sabbatcial? Please share! Or if your company offers other innovative benefits, I’d love to hear those too.