Paid Time Off (PTO) Policy

Overview 📋

PTO Benefits

25 days PTO annually (24 days + 1 birthday) + public holidays + unlimited sick leave

Full allocation available from day one; vacation usage begins after 30 days of employment.

All time off requests are submitted and approved through Rippling.

Policy Effective Dates:

PTO Salaried policy: Active from 01/01/2024
Paid Sick Leave: Active from 07/01/2025

PTO Entitlement 📅

Annual Allocation

24 Flexible Days

Use for vacation, personal time, or any reason

1 Birthday Day

Your birthday off as a paid day

Public Holidays

All official holidays in your country

Sick Leave

Unlimited sick days as needed

Full allocation granted on day one; vacation days can be taken after 30 days of employment.

Balance Limits

graph LR
    A[25 Days Annual] --> B{Year End}
    B -->|Use It| C[Refresh to 25]
    B -->|Save It| D[Rollover Up to 10 Days]
    D --> E[Max Balance: 35 Days]

    style A fill:#e1f5ff
    style E fill:#fff3cd

Limit Type	Amount
Maximum balance	35 days total
Annual carryover	Up to 10 days
Rollover usage window	12 months (no mid-year expiry)
Longest single vacation	35 days (subject to balance/approval)
Negative balance	Up to 5 days (manager approval)
Vacation waiting period	30 days after start date
Excess days	Forfeited (use it or lose it)

Rollover usage: Carried-over days can be used at any time during the following calendar year (12 months).

Tenure Milestones 🎉

Employees earn additional PTO days based on length of service:

Years of Service	Additional Days	Total Annual PTO
0-2 years	+0	25 days
2-4 years	+1	26 days
4-6 years	+2	27 days
6-8 years	+3	28 days
8-10 years	+4	29 days
10+ years	+5	30 days

Automatic Increase

Additional days are automatically added to your annual allocation and accrue monthly along with your base PTO.

Prorated Allocations

Mid-Year Hires

Mid-year hires receive prorated PTO for the 24 flexible days based on start date.

Birthday day is always included regardless of start date!

Types of Leave 🏖️

For planned time off

Submit requests 2 weeks in advance
Coordinate with your team for coverage
Update calendar and Slack status
Vacation available after 30 days of employment
Maximum single vacation: 35 days
Up to 5 days negative balance allowed with manager approval

Longer Trips

Provide 1 month notice for vacations exceeding 2 weeks

Official Holiday Calendars

Country-Specific Holiday Calendars

GOV.UK Bank Holidays - Official government bank holidays

Requesting Time Off 📝

flowchart TD
    A[Submit in Rippling] --> B[Manager Reviews]
    B --> C{Approved?}
    C -->|Yes| D[Notify Team]
    D --> E[Update Calendar]
    E --> F[Update Slack Status]
    F --> G[Set Email Auto-Responder]
    C -->|No| H[Discuss with Manager]
    H --> A

    style A fill:#e1f5ff
    style G fill:#d4edda

Request Process

Submit in Rippling - All requests go through Rippling
Manager approval - Your direct manager approves in Rippling
Update team - Notify colleagues and update calendar/Slack

Minimum Notice Requirements

Leave Type	Notice Required	Example
Planned vacation	2 weeks	Submit by May 1 for May 15 trip
Short breaks	1 week	Submit by Monday for next Monday
Sick leave	ASAP	Same-day notification
Birthday leave	1 week	Casual team notification

Longer Vacations

Provide 1 month notice for vacations exceeding 2 weeks to ensure proper coverage planning.

Coordination and Coverage 🤝

Before taking PTO:

Notify Your Team

Give advance notice and discuss coverage

Document Work

Record ongoing tasks and handoffs

Update Systems

Calendar, Slack status, email auto-responder

Identify Backup

Designate backup contacts for urgent issues

Pro Tips for Smooth PTO

Set up email auto-responder with backup contact
Document all in-progress work before leaving
Have a handoff meeting with your backup
Turn on Slack "away" status with return date
Set calendar as "Out of Office"

Unused PTO 📊

Use It or Lose It (Partially)

Up to 10 days roll over to next calendar year
Rollover days can be used anytime during the following year (no mid-year expiry)
Days beyond 10 are forfeited (use it or lose it)
Maximum balance cannot exceed 35 days

Exceptions to Rollover Limits

Exceptions may be considered for:

Special Circumstances

Extended illness preventing PTO use
Business-critical projects requiring deferral
Other exceptional situations

Manager pre-approval required - discuss with your manager if you anticipate needing an exception.

International Considerations 🌍

Local Labor Laws

Some countries require additional leave benefits beyond this policy.

When local law provides greater benefits, those requirements apply.

Contact HR if you have questions about your specific location.

PTO Examples 💡

Standard Vacation Request

Scenario: 2-week vacation in August

1. June 15: Submit request in Rippling for Aug 1-14
2. June 16: Manager approves in Rippling
3. June 20: Notify team in standup
4. July 25: Document handoffs and set up coverage
5. July 31: Enable auto-responder, update Slack/calendar
6. Aug 1-14: Enjoy vacation! 🏖️

Sick Day

Scenario: Wake up feeling ill

1. 8:00 AM: Slack/email manager: "Feeling unwell, taking sick day"
2. When able: Submit sick day in Rippling
3. Next day: Return to work or extend sick leave

Birthday Leave

Scenario: Birthday on Thursday, July 10

1. July 3: Mention to team: "Taking July 10 off for birthday"
2. July 8: Submit in Rippling for July 10
3. July 9: Set auto-responder, update status
4. July 10: Enjoy your day! 🎂

Year-End Rollover

Scenario: 30 unused days at year-end

Starting balance: 30 days
Rollover limit: 10 days
Forfeited: 20 days

Jan 1 balance: 10 (rollover) + 25 (new allocation) = 35 days

Use Your Time

This employee lost 20 days! Plan vacations throughout the year.

Questions?

Need Help with PTO?

Question Type	Contact
Policy questions	Your manager or HR team (`#hr` on Slack)
Rippling issues	Post in `#it-support` on Slack
Special requests	Your direct manager
Country-specific rules	HR team in `#hr`

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