Sabbatical leave is an extended break from work, typically lasting several weeks to several months, granted to employees who have been with a company for a qualifying period. It is used for rest, study, travel, or personal projects, and the employee returns to their role afterwards. It may be paid, partly paid, or unpaid depending on policy.

Sabbaticals are rarely a statutory right; they are a benefit companies offer to reward loyalty, prevent burnout, and retain experienced staff. They are especially popular in SaaS, startups, and creative industries, and among EU and APAC technology firms that compete hard for talent.

Because sabbaticals are long and need careful handover planning, they should be logged like any other leave type. Recording them in Calamari's Time Off module keeps the absence visible to the team and preserves an accurate record of entitlement and return dates.