Sandwich Leave Policy: Its Meaning, Purpose, and Sample

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Organizations have specific policies and regulations regarding employee leave management, which are often decided based on the business plan. Since there are several policies in place, employees may find it challenging to keep track of all of them.

Out of the many policies, the sandwich leave policy is the most confusing for employees. Some organizations have this policy in place, and some do not, as the government does not have any specific rules related to it.

We have discussed everything you must know about the sandwich leave policy.

What is a Sandwich Leave Policy?

Sandwich leave is a policy for employees who take full-day leave on both the pre- and post-holidays/week off. There are no legal restrictions regarding the sandwich leave policy in India or other countries. It is totally up to the organization whether they want to implement a sandwich policy.

Let us understand the sandwich leave rule policy with an example. Suppose a public holiday falls on Friday, and one of your employees has applied for a leave of absence on Thursday and Monday. At the cost of two leaves, that particular employee seeks to get a total of five days of vacation (including weekends). However, as a revert to their request, you can inform them that by applying for two days of leave, a total of five days of leave will be deducted from their annual leave balance. This will happen when your organization has a sandwich policy in place.

At first, the sandwich leave rule was made for industrial workers whose productivity mainly depended on the total hours they worked each day. Whenever workers took more days off, their overall productivity decreased. Therefore, managers introduced this policy to ensure that productivity was maintained properly.

In this Policy, You Will Get

Definition of the policy
The purpose of the sandwich leave policy.
Rules of the Sandwich Policy
The actions the organization will take on the employee for breaching the rules of the policy

Sandwich Leave Policy Template

“Name of the company” allows employees to take leaves at regular intervals. However, it is not valid that employees exploit the leave policy by combining regular weekdays with holidays. This is why “Name of the company” has implemented the sandwich leave policy, which will restrict high absenteeism around the holidays.

Definition

When an employee takes time off before and after a weekend or holiday to extend their leave, then the organization will consider those weekend/holiday days as a part of the individual’s leave. This total period of leave is called sandwich leave.

Purpose

Organizations use this policy to restrict employees from taking longer days off and prevent absenteeism in the workplace. This policy can be implemented in the workplace after discussing it with the employees. If a company does not inform employees when they join or before policy implementation, then it will negatively affect the employer branding of the organization.

Rules

First Case

When an employee takes leave for a whole working day both before and after a holiday/week off, it is considered sandwich leave. Accordingly, the individual’s salary will be deducted.

Second Case

In this case, an employee takes a leave for a full day before the week-off/holiday and subsequently takes another half-day leave after the week-off/holiday. The holiday/week-off will be considered the sandwich leaves, and based on that, the employee’s leave balance will be deducted. This will be the same case if the situation is vice-versa (i.e., half-day leave taken before and a full day after a week off/holiday).

Actions

According to the policy, if an employee takes leave before and after a holiday, both the leave and the holiday will be considered part of their leave entitlement.

To Sum Up

A sandwich policy may seem unfair for employees as it can seize an extra part of their salary. However, if we look at the other side, the organization will maintain a strict policy that prohibits employees from taking additional unnecessary leaves. Ultimately, implementing a sandwich leave policy can lead to enhanced employee productivity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a sandwich leave policy legal?

In many countries, there are no specific laws regarding sandwich leave policies. This means it’s up to the individual organization to decide whether or not to implement one. However, it’s important to communicate this policy clearly to employees to avoid any confusion or disputes.

How can I know if my company has this policy?

The best way to find out is to check your employee handbook or ask your HR department.

What are some alternatives to this policy?

Some companies offer blackout periods around holidays during which employees cannot take leave. Others may have a policy that discourages taking leave around holidays but doesn’t penalize employees for doing so.

How can I avoid having my leave request impacted by this policy?

If you know your company has a sandwich leave policy, try to plan your leave around days that won’t be affected by the policy. For example, if a holiday falls on a Tuesday, you could request leave for Wednesday and Thursday instead of Monday and Tuesday.

Is it okay to negotiate a leave request that this policy might impact?

It depends on your company culture and your relationship with your manager. In some cases, you may be able to negotiate a leave request that would normally be affected by this policy. However, it’s important to be prepared for the possibility that your request may be denied.