Sabbatical. You have heard the word before. It's often associated with the teaching profession. What does it mean?  Should you offer it as an option, an employee benefit?

What is a sabbatical?  Is it a form of vacation?  There are plenty of variables when it comes to providing an answer. It is time off from work. It might be a form of paid leave, but it might not be paid. The time period can vary. It might be four weeks or as long as a year. The purpose of this type of break is to allow the employee to work on a project or undergo an activity they would not be able to do while fulfilling the requirements of their full-time job. Sabbaticals are often associated with academia, so examples of the reasons might be to write a book, complete a research project, work on an archeological site or study towards an advanced degree.