Leave Schemes

What are some progressive leave schemes you can offer to employees.

What Are Leave Schemes

Over and above leave that is mandated by law, an organisation can offer additional leave schemes, which may be paid or unpaid.

Types of Leave Schemes

Here are some examples of leave schemes you may consider:

Marriage and Family Leave

Bereavement Leave

Paid leave that an employee is entitled to due to the death of a family or household member.

Compassionate Leave

Paid or unpaid leave for employees to deal with a crisis in the family (normally the death of a family member). Compassionate leave may also cover a serious or incapacitating illness of a family member.

Eldercare Sick Leave

Time-off for employees to take care of their elderly parents or family members when they are ill.

Extended Childcare Leave

Additional time-off, over and above statutory requirements, for employees with young children. This may be fully paid, part-paid or unpaid leave. The duration varies between organisations.

Extended Maternity Leave

Additional time-off, over and above statutory requirements, for female employees due to pregnancy and childbirth. This may be fully paid, part-paid or unpaid leave. The duration varies between organisations.

Family Care Leave

Time-off for employees to take care of their family members. It applies to a wider range of family members than childcare or eldercare leave (e.g. older children for whom childcare leave no longer applies, or an employee’s siblings or grandchildren). The range varies between organisations.

First Day of School Leave

Time-off for employees to bring their children back to school after holidays (e.g. on the first day of school). This may range from a few hours off to a full-day, so that parents can pick their children up after school as well.

Marriage Leave

Time-off for employees getting married. It is granted at the organisation’s discretion. It is usually fully paid leave, but may be part-paid or unpaid if the leave is granted for an extended period of time.

Personal Leave

Birthday Leave

A day off, over and above annual leave, that employees can take to celebrate their birthday. Some organisations allow employees to take this leave in the week before or after their actual birthday.

Emergency Leave

Paid or unpaid leave that an employee takes at the last minute due to unexpected emergencies.

Personal Day Off

A day off for employees to celebrate personal events (e.g. birthdays, anniversaries). This is commonly paid leave over and above annual leave entitlement.

Study/Exam Leave

Paid, part-paid or unpaid leave for employee to study for or take an examination.

Unrecorded Time Off for Family/Personal Matters

Paid time-off in-lieu for overtime work or working on a day off.

Voluntary Service Leave

Leave taken to spend time on community service or specific welfare organisations which may have been "adopted" by the organisation. This may be fully paid, partially paid or unpaid leave.

Extended Leave

Leave of Absence

A scheme that enables employees to take unpaid leave for an extended period. It may be used for a variety of circumstances, such as dependent care and continuing education.

Block Leave

Annual leave taken in a block of time (e.g. one week or more, to provide employees with a period of extended rest and refreshment). Sabbatical leave and career break leave are examples of block leave.

Career Break Leave

A block of leave that can range from a week to a few months. Career break leave may be fully paid, part-paid or unpaid (e.g. a long holiday to visit overseas relatives). The employee’s return is considered a continuation of employment.

Sabbatical Leave

A large block of leave taken for personal pursuits (e.g. few years for further studies on a full-time basis). Sabbatical leave may be fully paid, part-paid or unpaid

Some organisations provide employees with paid sabbatical leave after a period of service (e.g. one month after every five years of service). The employee’s return is considered a continuation of employment.

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