Time Off

updated 2021.03

Scope

This policy applies to all of our partners who take leave for any reason.

Policy elements

Leave can fall into several categories, based on reason and length. Leave includes, but is not limited to:

• Vacation: for leisure, including travel or time spent at home.

• Sick days: to heal in the event of a short term illness or injury, or complications from a disability.

• Federal or religious holidays: to observe a holiday, or any religious event.

• Bereavement: to mourn the loss of a loved one.

• Maternity/paternity leave: to birth or care for a newborn baby, or as a result of pregnancy and/or pregnancy disability.

• Family and Medical Leave: to heal or help a family member in the event of a long-term illness or injury, or complications from a disability.

• Legal: to appear in court, or fulfill any other legal obligation.

Length

The requirements for leave notification partially depend on length. If a partner plans to take a half-day to two work days off, they are requested to offer one week’s notice. Anything three days or longer requires two week’s notice. However, we encourage partners to offer as much notice as possible.

Sick Days, Bereavement, and Unforeseeable Events

Partners are required to notify the organization as soon as they are able to, in the event of a sudden illness or injury (including of a family member), death of a loved one, or any other emergency.

Vacation

Partners are required to give the organization at least two week’s notice before taking vacation time lasting three work days or longer. partners are expected to fulfill their work commitments (e.g. an employee should not plan a vacation during an event or deadline they previously committed to). At the start of each sprint, all partners should already be notified if anyone is taking vacation time during the course of the sprint, so they can plan accordingly. We encourage partners who work full-time to take four weeks of vacation time each year. PTO accrual for part-time employees is detailed below.

Federal and Religious Holidays

The organization observes the following holidays:

• New Year's Day (January 1).

• Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Third Monday in January).

• Presidents' Day (Third Monday in February).

• Memorial Day (Last Monday in May).

• Juneteenth (June 19)

• Independence Day (July 4).

• Labor Day (First Monday in September).

• Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Second Monday in October).

• Veterans Day (November 11).

• Thanksgiving Day (Fourth Thursday in November).

• Christmas Day (December 25).

If a holiday falls on a weekend, the nearest weekday is off (e.g. if it is on a Saturday, Friday is taken off).

Partners can observe any other religious holiday they see fit, but are required to provide one week’s notice, given that it does not conflict with a previously-made work commitment.

Other Reasons for Leave

Taking leave for three work days or longer, for any foreseeable reason, as it applies to family or child duties/care, personal leave, jury duty, probation, or leave to appear in court, which also may include time to prepare for such, requires two week’s notice. We understand that this is not always possible, and we prioritize the fulfillment of work commitments, even over adequate notice.

Procedure

When you plan to take leave, you need to:

• Consider the commitments you’ve already made, particularly if they are time-sensitive.

• Determine the nature and length of your leave.

• Notify the organization in accordance with the nature and length of your leave, maximizing notice time when possible.

• Plan a catch-up meeting and craft an agenda to ensure that you fulfill all obligations when you return from leave.