Unpaid leave as a recruiting tool?

What if a non-executive candidate asks for more paid vacation time as a condition of employment? Typically, this type of request is only considered for those at the senior executive level.

Would it be prudent to offer 1-2 weeks of additional unpaid leave per year if time off is the most important thing to the candidate? Especially if it's a high-performing candidate with a proven track record?

If so, would a verbal agreement be enough or should the arrangement be put into an offer letter or elsewhere in writing, to protect both the company and the candidate?

Thanks.

Mike

Comments

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  • Is this for an exempt or non-exempt position? If it is for an exempt position, remember there are only certain reasons you can deduct from a person's weekly wage, so if the person wanted to break this 1 or 2 weeks unpaid leave into day increments, you could be in trouble from a FLSA standpoint. 

    I think the better option may be to look at telecommuting or flexible work schedule options versus unpaid leave.

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