Unpaid Leave or Extraordinary Breaks: What You Should Know

In our lives, each day doesn't roll out the same way. Sometimes it's good, sometimes not so much. We often term the exceptionally good or bad times as extraordinary breaks. These extraordinary breaks hold significance in coping with life's ups and downs, and they are commonly referred to as unpaid leaves or extraordinary leaves.

I've come across various questions from many about these breaks, such as why they are granted, the duration, who is eligible, and whether unpaid leaves are considered part of the work period. Let's delve into the core topic after providing some essential information. It's worth noting that Bangladeshi labor laws don't explicitly address unpaid leaves, but they have provisions in the Labor Act that offer insight. Let me present a few examples.

Primarily, such breaks are given when an employee doesn't have any remaining paid leave days or enjoys time off when a certain job doesn't allow for it. The employer considers these instances under special consideration.

In Bangladesh, the Labour Rules state that temporary employees can be granted leave for 6 months due to illness and 3 months for other reasons. However, there is no specified timeframe for permanent employees.

If an extraordinary break is due to health reasons, those days will be counted as workdays according to Section 14 of the Bangladesh Labour Act. Nonetheless, if it's for any other reason, those days won't be included as workdays.

Employees on unpaid leaves, as per Section 126, will receive basic wages without other allowances.

Though there's no specific mention of unpaid leaves in Bangladeshi labor laws, the Labour Act does offer a framework for understanding how these breaks might be managed. It's important to communicate with your employer and understand the terms surrounding unpaid leaves to make the most of these extraordinary breaks in your work journey.