Unpaid Leave

Unpaid leave is time off from work where an employee does not receive their regular salary or wages during the absence. Employees might take it for personal reasons, medical emergencies, family responsibilities, or because they have used up their paid time off.

Unlike paid leave, the employee keeps their job position and employment status throughout, just without compensation, and in some cases they can retain their benefits as well. Companies grant unpaid leave either at their own discretion or because labor law requires it, and employees typically need to follow a formal approval process before taking it.