Many employees in our country are happy with six months of unpaid leave for a trip to Australia, Asia or South America, but to what extent is such a sabbatical possible now that there is a shortage of staff almost everywhere and the workload is increasing?
It is possible to request a few months of unpaid leave, but at this time it is mainly the question whether it is actually possible.
Employees in the Netherlands can make use of a number of leave schemes, but only if they meet the conditions. However, employees have no right to demand a sabbatical from their boss.
“It is included in some collective labor agreements. This concerns higher positions in which people work 24 hours a day, so to speak,” explains Ruben Houweling, professor of employment law at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Employers’ association AWVN has not noticed that the number of requests for a sabbatical has increased now that employees are in a stronger position because of the shortage on the labor market. “People also have to earn money, and you have to be able to afford unpaid leave,” said a spokesperson.
Moreover, it is not self-evident that employees immediately receive leave for a sabbatical, says the AWVN. “An employer does not have to automatically agree. There is already a high workload, and this only increases if someone travels for a long period of time. An employer can therefore always refuse that, because of a compelling business interest.”
‘Mainly a matter of give and take’
Professor Houweling believes that it is mainly a matter of give and take. “After two years of corona and an extremely high workload, an employee can say that he is on his gums: then you either take a rest for a while, or you fall over. But on the other hand, it might be time to go to the company doctor.”
The AWVN does not notice that these kinds of discussions lead to more labor disputes. “No, incidents rarely occur because things always work out in consultation. Employees and employers do not benefit from it.”
Only in the worst case can it lead to a labor dispute, says Houweling. “But then as an employee you really have to sharpen it. In the worst case, that can lead to a forced dismissal.”
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