The 13 most important types of leave every HR leader should know

Life doesn’t pause for work. Employees experience births, illnesses, personal milestones, and unexpected crises, all of which can pull them away from their jobs. Well-structured leave policies, clearly highlighted in your total rewards package, show employees: "We expect life to happen, and we have built support into our system." That clarity fosters trust, reduces confusion, and strengthens loyalty.

And it pays off. In a recent survey, nearly three quarters of employees said they would switch companies for better family benefits like parental leave. Meanwhile, sick leave and other leave types are proven business enhancers, linked to improved morale, retention, and overall performance.

Let’s break down the most common types of leave so you can evaluate how your organization structures leave of absence from work.

Family & caregiving leave types

When employees are juggling family responsibilities, like welcoming a newborn or caring for a loved one, they need support that goes beyond compassion. These leave types help stabilize personal lives, reduce stress, and keep your workforce engaged.

Parental leave

Maternity, paternity, and adoption leave fall here. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guarantees 12 weeks of unpaid leave, but many companies choose to go beyond. Paid parental leave pays off: the ROI is estimated at $2.57 for every $1 invested, and extended leave at companies like Google eliminated gender attrition gaps.

In recent years, employers have taken parental leave a step further by making it more equitable. Modern policies often provide the same amount of time for birthing and non-birthing parents, which helps normalize caregiving responsibilities across genders. Many organizations also now include adoption leave, foster care leave, and surrogacy leave, reflecting the wide variety of ways families are formed. Some companies are even offering phased return-to-work programs, giving new parents flexibility as they transition back into their roles.

This shift acknowledges that parental leave is not just about recovery from childbirth, it is about supporting all parents in the critical early stages of bonding and caregiving.

Bereavement leave

Coping with loss is never easy. Providing dedicated time for mourning, attending services, and emotional recovery shows you care and helps employees process grief without additional stress.

In the past, bereavement leave was often limited to immediate family and a fixed number of days. Many companies are now taking a more flexible, employee-led approach that lets individuals define who matters to them. Salesforce, for example, offers up to 20 days of paid bereavement leave and provides grief counseling to support employees through loss.

Compassionate leave

Sometimes employees face life moments that don’t fit neatly into an existing leave bucket. That’s where compassionate leave comes into play. It can cover situations such as a loved one’s serious illness, supporting an aging parent, responding to a partner’s accident, or managing a child’s medical crisis. Unlike bereavement leave, which is tied to loss, compassionate leave is focused on helping employees step away during urgent caregiving situations so they can focus on family without fearing job loss.

Personal leave

While many leave types focus on health or caregiving, personal leave is designed to support the wide range of other life events employees encounter. It might be used to take a mental health break, pursue a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like travel or volunteer work, or handle significant life logistics such as moving, resolving legal matters, or attending to financial planning. Some employees may also use personal leave for professional growth, such as completing a certification program or participating in an intensive training. Whatever the reason, personal leave ensures employees have the flexibility to step away when life doesn’t fit into a predefined bucket.

Health & wellness leave types

An employee’s health—physical, emotional, and mental—is worth protecting for their well-being as much as for the health of the organization. Wellness-focused leave types demonstrate that you value people first, while also creating a more engaged, productive, and resilient workforce.

Sick leave

Paid sick leave isn’t just compassionate, it’s smart business. It’s tied to better morale, lower turnover, higher profitability, and reduced presenteeism. Additionally, research shows that paid sick days  reduce injury rates and healthcare costs.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 78% of civilian workers had paid sick leave in 2020, with an average of 8 days per year. But that number drops significantly for lower-wage workers, where only about half have paid sick leave benefits. Access also varies by occupation, with white-collar workers far more likely to have coverage than those in service and labor roles. These gaps mean that without strong employer policies, the workers most in need of protection often have the least access. Expanding paid sick leave not only promotes fairness but also helps create healthier workplaces overall.

Vacation leave

Rest is not a luxury, it fuels creativity, reduces burnout, and enhances resilience. A refreshed employee is a productive one.

Sabbaticals / leaves of absence

Extended time away helps employees return refreshed, inspired, and more committed. Many companies are starting to offer paid sabbaticals as part of their benefits package, while others provide the option as unpaid leave. At HubSpot, for instance, employees become eligible for a four-week paid sabbatical, along with a $5,000 bonus, after five years of service. People use this time for everything from family travel to personal passion projects, returning with renewed energy and perspective.

Civic & cultural leave types

Supporting employees’ community ties and personal values strengthens their connection to your organization, but it also signals a deeper commitment to equity. Not every workforce celebrates the same holidays, participates in the same traditions, or shares the same civic responsibilities. By offering diversified leave types such as floating holidays, religious observance leave, or voting leave, companies recognize that one size does not fit all. Providing flexibility in this area creates a more inclusive culture where employees feel respected for who they are and supported in the ways that matter most to them.

Religious observance leave

Different beliefs and observances deserve recognition, yet nearly half of employees feel uncomfortable sharing their religious traditions at work, and about 19% of holiday leave requests tied to faith have been declined. In today’s diverse workforce, where one third of Americans no longer identify as Christian, standard holiday calendars leave many feeling overlooked. Offering religious observance leave or floating holidays, which 30% of employers currently do, is more than considerate. It’s a powerful stride toward equity, belonging, and respect.

Floating holidays

Floating holidays give employees the flexibility to choose which days matter most to them, whether it’s for cultural or religious observance, family traditions, or personal milestones. By empowering employees to select their own meaningful days off, companies demonstrate respect for a diverse workforce while also ensuring fairness in how time off is distributed.

Military leave

Job protections for employees on active duty, reserves, or training honor service and reinforce stability. Under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), employers must provide unpaid leave for military service and guarantee job reinstatement upon return. Many companies go further by offering paid military leave or additional support for service members and their families.

Voting leave

In many states, employees are legally entitled to time off to vote, often up to two hours of paid leave. For example, California and New York both require employers to provide paid voting leave if an employee’s schedule would otherwise prevent them from casting a ballot.

Beyond compliance, some companies make voting part of their culture. Citigroup offers three hours of paid time off to vote, while Tory Burch has given employees Election Day off to encourage civic participation.

Volunteer time off (VTO)

Volunteer Time Off encourages community involvement while reinforcing your company’s commitment to social responsibility. About 60% of U.S. companies offer paid VTO, typically giving employees around 20 hours per year to volunteer. Research shows that employees who use VTO are far more likely to stay with their employer, making it both a cultural and retention win.

With VTO, your benefits do more than check a box. They actively demonstrate your values. Companies like Salesforce lead the way here, giving employees up to 56 hours of VTO each year to support causes they care about.

Special Circumstance Leave Types

Life throws curveballs that employees cannot plan for, from natural disasters to jury duty to unexpected educational opportunities. Special circumstance leave types give organizations the flexibility to support their people through events that fall outside the more common categories like vacation or sick leave. By recognizing these moments, employers show they value employees as whole people whose lives may require flexibility beyond day-to-day responsibilities.

Disaster leave

Natural disasters don’t respect project timelines. Whether it’s a hurricane or wildfire, this leave of absence from work helps employees manage emergencies without jeopardizing jobs. During the California wildfires, for example, employees facing evacuation or health impacts from hazardous smoke were able to take protected leave under laws like the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or the California Family Rights Act (CFRA). Many employers also go further by offering their own disaster leave policies, giving staff time (paid or unpaid) to handle urgent responsibilities such as family care, cleanup, or navigating property damage.

The most effective disaster leave policies are clear, flexible, and communicated quickly. Employees should know who qualifies, how much time is available, and whether the leave is paid or unpaid. It’s also important to lean on your benefits broker during times of crisis. Brokers can help HR teams draft employee communications and ensure staff understand the full scope of benefits that may apply—such as mental health resources, emergency assistance programs, or insurance protections—so they feel fully supported during an already stressful time.

Jury duty leave

Serving on a jury is a civic responsibility that underpins the justice system. While there is no federal requirement for employers to provide paid jury duty leave, the Jury System Improvements Act protects employees from being fired or penalized for serving. State laws vary widely: for example, New York requires employers to pay the first three days of jury service, while

Texas only requires unpaid leave. Many employers go beyond the law and offer paid time off, ensuring employees can serve without worrying about lost wages. You can explore the requirements in your state with this state-by-state jury duty leave guide.

Study leave

Encouraging professional development, through courses, conferences, or certification, benefits both employee and employer. New skills drive better performance, and offering study leave signals that you are invested in your employees’ long-term growth. This type of leave often goes hand-in-hand with benefits like tuition reimbursement or professional development stipends, creating a holistic support system for learning. Together, these benefits help employees pursue education without sacrificing financial stability or job security, while employers gain a more skilled and engaged workforce.

Why is it important to have clearly defined leave policies?

Having clearly defined leave policies is critical because employees need to understand exactly what support is available to them when life gets complicated. Even if your approach includes broad categories, like personal leave or a general leave of absence from work, spelling out how those policies work gives employees confidence to use them. During times of stress, the last thing someone should have to worry about is whether they are “allowed” to step away. Clear policies remove uncertainty, reduce hesitation, and ensure employees feel supported when they need it most.

Turning leave policies into true employee benefits

Leaves are powerful signals: they say, “We trust your life will happen, and you are still essential.” But designing a leave strategy that truly supports employees takes more than just listing out policies. This is where working with your benefits broker becomes invaluable. A broker can help you decide which types of leave to offer, recommend leave management vendors that streamline the process, and show you how to pair leave with other benefits like tuition reimbursement, employee assistance programs, or mental health support. The result is a leave program that is not only compliant and easy to administer but also aligned with your company’s values and designed to give employees the flexibility they need to thrive.