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A practical career break policy template that supports extended employee leave while balancing organisational needs.
1 Overview
1.1 A career break is an extended period of unpaid leave granted to employees who wish to take time away from work for personal reasons, such as travel, study, caring responsibilities, or personal development. This policy outlines the eligibility criteria, application process, and key principles governing career breaks to ensure fairness and consistency across the organisation.
2 Scope
2.1 This policy applies to all eligible employees who meet the criteria outlined below. It ensures that career breaks are granted fairly and consistently, balancing employee needs with business requirements.
3 General Principles
3.1 Eligibility
3.1.1 Career breaks are available to employees with a minimum of [X] years of continuous service.
Employees must have a satisfactory performance record and not be subject to any ongoing
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For more value, this is also found in our Full library and Absence and attendance policy templates
This policy template helps organisations provide a structured approach to career breaks, allowing employees to take extended time away from work for personal, family, or developmental reasons.
It sets out clear eligibility, application, and approval processes, helping both managers and employees manage expectations and responsibilities.
By adopting this policy, employers show commitment to flexibility, retention, and employee wellbeing, while ensuring business continuity and fairness across the workforce.
Yes. This template has been designed for organisations of all sizes, including small businesses, charities and growing employers. It follows UK employment law best practice and can be adapted to suit your organisation.
Yes, all of our templates are drafted with the latest ACAS guidance and UK employment legislation in mind. We review and update them regularly, so you can be confident they remain compliant.
Yes, we highlight the areas of the document that you need to update with your own details, and where you need to make decisions to suit your situation. This saves you time and ensures that you meet best practice.
Yes. Once purchased, you'll be able to download it instantly. Templates are provided in editable Word or Excel format so you can customise them easily, and in PDF format for easy sharing.
If you're looking for broader support, we also offer toolkits and library bundles that include the Career break policy template, along with other HR templates and policies for fully managing your situation. These may be more cost-effective if you need deeper advice.
AI-generated templates can be useful as a starting point, but they may not reflect current UK employment legislation, your organisation's specific circumstances, or the wider HR process. This professionally drafted template has been prepared using current UK employment law and HR best practice, helping reduce the need for significant amendments.
Absence and attendance policies
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£34.90
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