Sandwich Leave Policy: Meaning, Examples and Rules

The leave management varies across companies. One of the best management policies is the sandwich leave policy, which restricts employees from taking leave by capping the number of days beyond the provided holidays or weekends. It helps employers reduce mass absenteeism and low team productivity. However, the rules of the policies vary from one company to another and from one region to another.

This blog explains sandwich leaves in detail, including their benefits and drawbacks.

What is Sandwich Leave Policy?

A Sandwich Leave Policy is a set of rules and policies that restrict employees from taking leave on the day (s) between national/public holidays. If any employee takes personal leave between public holidays, those holidays will be considered unpaid, and the leave balance will be deducted.

Besides public holidays, utilising the provisions of the company leave policy, they can deduct the leave balance for Saturday and Sunday of any random week if any employee takes two leaves on Friday and Monday.

The sandwich policy was developed for factory workers to eliminate employee turnover and increase engagement. At the same time, it curbs mass worker absences, thereby reflecting lower productivity. If casual leave is concerned under the sandwich policy, the company will notify the employees through the leave management system.

Example of a Sandwich Policy

Let’s take two scenarios as examples of the Sandwich Leave Policy.

1. If an employee takes two days of leave on Friday and the following Monday, the weekends are considered paid leave rather than earned holidays.
2. If an employee takes leave between two consecutive holidays, then the leave day, along with the holidays, is considered sandwich leave. Employees have to pay for the consecutive three days( Two holidays and a paid leave)

How the Sandwich Leave Policy works?

There are no specific rules and restrictions on the sandwich leave policy in India. According to government labour laws and policies, employees can avail of a minimum of 15 days of paid leave or 1.5 days of paid leave for every 20 days of work provided by their company. Aside from the announcement of paid leave details, there is nothing to mention regarding sandwich leave in government policy.

However, companies can tailor their policies to deter extended leave or prevent employee absenteeism. In general, leave policies differ from state to state. It is essential for companies to understand the laws and compliance requirements of each state and to introduce a sandwich leave policy.

Relevance of Sandwich Leave Policy in Leave Management

Integrating the Sandwich Leave Policy is indeed challenging. Employees can commend the company for implementing the policy or offer constructive criticism.

We will discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of implementing the sandwich leave policy within the organization. Let’s dig into the following points in detail.

1. Improved Productivity

According to the Labour Law in India, adult workers can take two days of leave for every twenty days of work. However, in many organizations, employees misuse this right by taking leave on days between public holidays or by marking themselves absent on Fridays and Mondays in any consecutive week. This mass banking of employees leads to lower productivity and higher employee turnover.

However, the sandwich leave policy ensures that companies correctly combine their time off and paid leave. It allows employees to take sandwich leave by informing their employers.

Moreover, the policy allows companies to eliminate unscheduled employee leave and enhance employee engagement, ultimately benefiting productivity.

2. Reduced Absenteeism

Without a Sandwich Leave Policy, employees took more than one paid or unpaid leave between two public holidays to extend their holiday duration. This resulted in widespread employee absenteeism during the same period, which affected overall productivity.

The sandwich rule is one effective way to reduce absenteeism. By implementing the policy through their HRMS software, employers can provide options for planned breaks, and employees are less likely to take unscheduled leave. This results in minimum absenteeism and more employee engagement.

3. Cost Saving

It is standard for employees to feel burned out and take leave to get a fresh start. They plan for paid leave surrounding public holidays to extend their time off. In this scenario, employers face mass absenteeism as many workers take leave around the same time. Maintaining cost-effectiveness and productivity can become challenging.

Implementing the sandwich leave policy can be a one-time solution to minimizing employee absenteeism. The policy restricts employees from taking leave between two public holidays and ensures planned breaks. Moreover, it minimizes mass employee time off and reduces the likelihood of unplanned absences and sudden leave, which distort employee workflow and productivity.

4. Positive Company Image

Companies lose their reputation due to an irregular workforce, absenteeism, low productivity, employee turnover, and other factors. Employers face issues when employees take sandwich leave at random, which affects productivity. The company image also gets affected.

The sandwich leave policy allows employers to curb employees’ mass absenteeism. It implements a planned leave policy that ensures balanced employee well-being and maintains the employer’s brand and company reputation.

5. Legal Protection

The Sandwich Leave Policy introduces Indian labour laws and related regulations regarding employees’ rights to apply for leave. Under the policy, employees can take necessary breaks or apply for planned leave without fearing discrimination.

On the other hand, employers gain relief from the fear of employee turnover, decreased productivity, or potential disputes related to leave entitlement.

6. Employee Retention

A fair evaluation of employees’ performance enhances the employee retention rate. Employee Sandwich’s leave policy ensures that employees receive recognition and rewards that motivate their enthusiasm for work.

It highlights the scheduled leave planner for employees, so they need not take sudden sandwich leave. Moreover, it provides flexibility in the workforce, so employees are motivated and contribute to company productivity.

Disadvantages of implementing the Sandwich Leave Policy

Integrating the Sandwich Leave policy is somewhat encouraging from employers’ point of view, but employees face some challenges as a result. Those are,

• Counts weekends and public holidays as part of the leave period.
• Reduces the total number of paid leave days available to employees.
• Makes short vacations or long weekends more expensive in terms of leave balance.
• Discourages employees from taking planned leave when needed.
• Creates dissatisfaction if employees feel the policy is unfair.
• May lead employees to avoid taking adequate breaks, affecting their overall well-being.
• It increases confusion or disputes if the policy is not clearly communicated.
• It reduces employee engagement and satisfaction if implemented without flexibility.

How to Implement the Sandwich Leave Policy

Here are some steps to implement sandwich leave policies in the leave management system.

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1. Define the Policy Clearly

Start by deciding how the sandwich leave rule will work in your organisation. Mention whether it will be included within the existing leave policy or issued as a separate document. Clearly specify when the rule applies, which days will be counted as leave, and how leave balances will be deducted to avoid confusion.

2. Inform Employees in Advance

Once the policy is finalised, communicate it across the organisation. Ensure every employee understands how the rule works. The employer can include the policy in the employee handbook, the HR portal, or employment documents to keep it easily accessible.

3. Configure Your HRMS or Leave System

Update the leave management software to reflect the new policy.Employers can configure the leave calculation rules so the system automatically applies the sandwich leave policy whenever the defined conditions are met. It reduces manual effort and maintains consistency. Besides, it helps prevent calculation errors.

4. Monitor and Review the Policy

Track how the sandwich leave policy is applied across the organisation and review it periodically. Gather feedback from employees and managers to identify any challenges or ambiguities. If required, refine the policy to ensure it remains fair, transparent, and aligned with your company’s leave practices and business requirements.

How to Manage Sandwich Leave Policy For Employee

Sandwich leaves are a type of leave that occurs between public /national holidays. Integrating and maintaining the policy within the workforce can be a big deal for the organization, as employees may complement the company’s decision or voice their policy concerns.

On the other hand, for employers, integrating the policy within the workforce can be a one-stop solution to reducing employee absenteeism. The sandwich leave structure also ensures a planned leave structure, enhancing employee engagement and maintaining high company productivity.

Here are the following factors for managing sandwich leave policies in the workforce that employers can prepare to implement.

➔ Create Right Policies

If the company plans to implement the sandwich leave policy, it would be best for management to clearly define it in the employee handbook or policy document. In addition, employees should be made aware of eligibility criteria, leave duration, required documentation, and the leave request and approval process through their payroll software.

➔ Streamline Communication

Communication is one of the primary keys to spreading awareness of the sandwich leave policies within the workplace. Besides conveying during onboarding, organizations can communicate through email, meetings, or training sessions. The primary purpose of maintaining sound communication is to provide information on how to apply for sandwich leaves, how to process them, and whom to contact for assistance. Employers can deploy an attendance management system to streamline employee communication.

➔ Maintain Documentation

Employers often find it difficult to determine who is taking sandwich leave and who isn’t. Proper documentation of employee sandwich leave requests and approvals is an excellent way to maintain transparency in the employer-employee relationship. Documentation can be done through an HRMS or a simple leave application form. Moreover, keeping a record of employees’ sandwich leaves can also serve as a future reference.

➔ Track Authority

Acknowledging employees’ authority to handle leave requests helps maintain transparency between employees and employers before integrating sandwich leave requests into the workforce.

It is also essential to keep managers aware of sandwich leave usage to manage workload and scheduling effectively. HR can assist the managers in tracking leave balances and history.

➔ Review and Update

Labour laws and regulations are updated regularly. So, reviewing the sandwich leave policy at every interval ensures that the organization meets its changing needs and remains compliant with labour laws.

FAQs on Sandwich Leave Policy

1. Is Sandwich Leave Policy Legal?

Yes, sandwich policies are legal as long as it is implemented correctly. Organizations can introduce and customize the policy according to their business requirements as long as it doesn’t break any other labour laws.

2. Are National/Public Holidays counted within the Sandwich Leave Policy?

​If one takes sudden leave on the day before, after, or between a national or public holiday. It is included within the Sandwich leave calculation. Some organizations exempt mandatory National Holidays from sandwich calculations, while others will deduct them if they fall between two leave days.

3. Who invented the Sandwich Leave Policy?

The Sandwich Leave Policy, also known as sandwich generation leave or caregiver leave, emerged during the commencement of the round-the-clock shift arrangement. Though the term ‘sandwich leave policy’ is new, the concept has historical roots in the evolution of labour laws and other workplace benefits.

The policy has been implemented in various countries around the world, but will soon be implemented in Sweden, Denmark, and Canada. Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Denmark have long been recognized for their family-friendly policies, including generous parental leave and support for caregivers.

On the other hand, Canada has implemented various programs to support employees in balancing work and caregiving responsibilities, such as compassionate care leave and flexible work arrangements.

4. Can Casual Leave(CL) be Sandwiched?

Any public holidays or earned leave that are considered sandwich leave are converted to casual leave (CL) or paid leave (PL). If employees don’t have enough paid leave balance, the company cuts it from their monthly salary.

5. Is the Sandwich Leave Policy legal?

Yes, it is generally legal. Company policies vary across organizations. It must be explicitly outlined in your employment contract or official company handbook.

6. How can an employee get rid of the Sandwich Rule?

You can avoid this by not booking sudden leave consecutively around a weekend or holiday. For example, returning to work on Thursday or starting your leave on Tuesday rather than Monday will usually exempt the weekend from counting.

7. Does this policy apply to all types of leave?

It depends on your company’s leave policy. Some organisations do not apply the sandwich leave rule if the leave is approved in advance. However, others may treat sick leave taken immediately before or after a weekend or public holiday as sandwich leave. The exact rules vary from one employer to another.

8. How do I know if my company uses this policy?

Review your organization’s employee handbook or check the specific leave management platform your company uses. Here are the transparent use cases of the sandwich leave policy in the Pocket HRMS portal.