Few things are as good a reward for one's hard work. Whether you've put in years of service or gone above and beyond for a company, sabbaticals are often the light at the end of the tunnel. If you're goal-oriented or if you anticipate wanting a reprieve a few years into your career, consider a company with an attractive sabbatical program. Travel, try something new or simply hang out on the beach.
Whatever you choose to do with your sabbatical, these companies are here to support you.
Charles Schwab
Sabbatical Details: According to their employee benefits guide, “After five years, eligible employees can apply for a 28-day paid sabbatical, which can be used for relaxing and pursuing personal or professional development, such as community service, education, or reflecting on their career and life.”
Where Hiring: Austin, Westlake and El Paso, TX; Chicago, IL; Richfield, OH; Lone Tree, CO; Indianapolis, IN; Orlando, FL; Phoenix, AZ; San Francisco, CA & more.
What Employees Say: “Excellent benefits and pay, and a wonderful culture. Management is committed to ensuring you have the support you need in order to be successful. A sabbatical is provided every 5 years of service.” —Current Employee
Adobe
Sabbatical Details: “Planning your dream vacation? Ready to finally write that novel? Adobe offers a sabbatical program to give you extended time to relax, recharge and reenergize,” reads Adobe’s benefits site. “Who's eligible? Regular U.S. employees who have completed at least five years of continuous employment and are scheduled to work at least 24 hours a week.”
Where Hiring: San Jose, CA; Seattle, WA; Lehi, UT; Chicago, IL; Boston, MA; Santa Monica, CA; Austin, TX & more.
What Employees Say: "Good benefits, great cafeteria with lots of options, basketball court and other amenities." —Current Employee
Intel
Sabbatical Details: “After seven years of full-time service, U.S. and Canadian employees** are eligible to take eight weeks off. Paid,” reads Intel’s blog. “I find that Intel employees really value the sabbatical benefit. Employees have “count-downs” to their first sabbatical on their office walls and long-tenured employees smile with a knowing jealousy. Sometimes, when employees return from sabbatical, there are parties or good-natured pranks played on them. Sabbatical is a tradition that sort of draws employees together.”
Where Hiring: Santa Clara, CA; Albuquerque, NM; Folsom, CA; Boulder, CO; Boise, ID; Hillsboro, OR; Hudson, MA & more.
What Employees Say: “Good Salary and excellent benefits. Bonding leave and sabbatical are awesome!” —Current Employee
Epic
Sabbatical Details: ”As an Epic employee, every five years you are eligible for four weeks of paid time off. If you choose to spend your sabbatical in a country you've never been to before, we will help fund the trip for you and a guest. To date, Epic staff have taken more than 3,000 trips on their sabbatical to over 100 different countries.”
Where Hiring: Madison, WI
What Employees Say: “I've been at Epic over 10 years. What gets me to work each day is that I have a lot of variety and autonomy. My career has changed enough that I've never been bored - there's always been a new challenge. I get lots of feedback and validation and feel valued by my manager, coworkers and company.” —Current Employee
PayPal
Sabbatical Details: “In addition to our Time Off program, we offer four weeks of paid sabbatical for every five years of service, a unique benefit that few tech companies can match.”
Where Hiring: Omaha, NE; Chicago, IL; Chandler, AZ; San Jose, CA; Timonium, MD & more.
What Employees Say: “Wonderful benefit. I wish all companies had this reward after 4 or 5 years of service.” —Former Employee
Deloitte
Sabbatical Details: “Deloitte offers two sabbatical programs: an unpaid one-month sabbatical that can be taken for any reason; and a three- to six-month sabbatical that can be taken to pursue personal or professional growth opportunities in the areas of career development or volunteerism. While on a three- to six-month sabbatical, professionals continue to receive 40% of their pre-sabbatical base salary.”
Where Hiring: New York, NY; Atlanta, GA; Washington, DC; Phoenix, AZ; Milwaukee, WI; Harrisburg, PA & more.
What Employees Say: “Great benefit for a company of this size.” —Current Employee
Autodesk
Sabbatical Details: According to their benefits guide, “Eligible employees receive a six-week paid sabbatical every four continuous years of full-time U.S. Autodesk employment. This is an opportunity to travel or spend quality time with your family and friends while getting well-deserved rest and relaxation.”
Where Hiring: Denver, CO; Boston, MA; Portland, OR; San Francisco, CA; San Rafael, CA; Novi, MI & more.
What Employees Say: “Good work life balance, excellent benefits, great employees that take great ownership in the quality of their work, company seems to truly care about their employees, flexibility to work remote.”—Current Employee
Biogen
Sabbatical Details: “Biogen offers a highly competitive benefits package,” says a current employee. “The health, dental, and vision coverage are among the best in the industry, and the 401(k) matching is excellent. Additionally, after six years of employment you can take a one-month paid sabbatical. Some roles offer work-from-home capability, but that can be a double-edged sword because it can conflict with maintaining a healthy work-life balance. The PTO policy is generous, but some roles find it more difficult than others to get actually get the time off that is requested.”
Where Hiring: Cambridge, MA; Research Triangle Park, NC; San Francisco, CA & more.
Genentech
Sabbatical Details: “If you've been with Genentech full-time for six years, you're eligible to take six continuous weeks off with full pay and benefits. It’s a good time to recharge.”
Where Hiring: South San Francisco, CA; Little Falls, NJ; Hillsboro, OR & more.
What Employees Say: “Very unusual to have such a rich sabbatical program!!!”—Current Employee
AARP
Sabbatical Details: “AARP’s Renewal Program offers eligible employees a dedicated period of paid time away from work — four weeks — to disconnect from the demands and responsibilities of the workplace. Renewal is a one-time opportunity for eligible employees. Renewal leave must be taken in a four-week block. With manager approval, employees may add accrued vacation time. Renewal may be taken starting June 1 of the year in which the invitation is extended. To be eligible employees must be in good standing, have completed at least seven consecutive years as a full-time employee, and meet other requirements listed in detail on InfoNet.”
Where Hiring: Washington, DC; Honolulu, HI; Chicago, Il; Philadelphia, PA & more.
What Employees Say: “Great pay, excellent benefits, smart and committed colleagues. Top management will listen to employees and make some positive changes based on employee surveys.” —Former Employee
Alta Planning + Design
Sabbatical Details: “After 5 years of employment, employees are eligible to receive a stipend toward an excursion to Copenhagen, Amsterdam, or another city/region where biking is a way of life.”
Where Hiring: Portland, OR; Durham, NC; San Diego, CA; Chesterfield, MO & more.
What Employees Say: “The company culture promotes appreciation and gratitude for your labor and time and upper management is accesible and respectful.” —Current Employee
Bain & Company
Sabbatical Details: “Take Two: Extended breaks that allow eligible Bainies to take two months off to rejuvenate and/or fulfill personal goals.” Bain also offers “longer sabbaticals and leaves of absence for when life pulls you in different directions.”
Where Hiring: Chicago, IL; Boston, MA; San Francisco, CA; Dallas, TX; Washington, DC & more.
What Employees Say: “Supportive culture and amazing people to work with.” —Current Employee
Chicago Public Schools
Sabbatical Details: “The Chief Executive Officer or his/her designee may grant paid leaves of absence to tenured teachers, who have completed six (6) continuous years of satisfactory service, for the purposes of resident study, travel or other purposes, for a period of at least five (5) months but no more than ten (10) school months (equivalent to one continuous semester or one continuous school year respectively), if the Chief Executive Officer or designee determines that the leave will improve the service of the teacher or contract principal to the public schools. Eligibility for and the terms and conditions of sabbatical leaves will be established by the Chief Executive Officer or designee.”
Where Hiring: Chicago, IL
What Employees Say: “Working with the kids is the best part of the job..” —Current Employee
One Medical
Sabbatical Details: Job descriptions for One Medical detail top-notch dental, vision, health insurance as well as sabbaticals at 5 and 10 years.
Where Hiring: Saint Petersburg, FL; San Francisco, CA & more.
What Employees Say: “The benefits are the best part of working at One Medical. A lot is expected of the administrative assistant but the pay is limited for the first few years.” —Current Employee
