Create one record of the proposed leave arrangement
Give every entry one of three statuses: confirmed, unknown or scenario. Record the source owner and source date beside the status so a verbal assumption or stale document does not silently become a current term.
| Status | Meaning | Source and date field | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirmed | A current governing document or written answer supports the entry | Record title or owner plus issue, effective or accessed date | Use the term only within its stated scope and units |
| Unknown | The source, applicability or term is missing or ambiguous | Record the open question, who should answer it and the date asked | Do not fill the gap with a default or calculator output |
| Scenario | A user-controlled assumption is being tested rather than confirmed | Record the assumption owner, reason, horizon and test date | Keep the result separate from employer or legal terms |
| Field | Confirmed / unknown / scenario | Source owner and date | Your entry and boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dates and duration | Assign one status | Write the governing document or open-question owner and date | Record start, end and review dates without inferring approval |
| Employment status | Assign one status | Write the arrangement owner and date | Record the stated status; no calculator determines job attachment |
| Pay interruption | Assign one status | Write the payroll source and date | Record affected components and pay dates; model only labelled assumptions |
| Benefits and contributions | Assign one status for each plan | Write the plan, insurer, pension or employer source and date | Record cost and timing without assuming continuation or catch-up treatment |
| Return conditions | Assign one status | Write the agreement or question owner and date | Record notice, role, schedule and re-entry wording; no payback result promises a return |
Map recurring, one-time and timing effects separately
- Record foregone pay on the same monthly or annual horizon as the proposed leave.
- Separate costs that continue during leave from one-time leave costs.
- Record work-linked costs that may stop, such as commuting, only when the change is credible.
- Keep confirmed paid support separate from uncertain or conditional support.
- Map due dates and cash timing beside the total; the same total can create a different cash-flow problem.
- Add a distinct re-entry period instead of assuming income restarts on the final leave day.
Ask the questions the calculators cannot answer
- Who must approve the leave, and when is approval final?
- Which pay, bonus or other compensation components stop or change?
- Which benefits continue, who pays each contribution and when are payments due?
- Do balances or service-based terms change during the absence?
- What notice and documentation are required before returning?
- Is the return role, schedule or location described in writing?
- Which answers depend on current local law or scheme rules?
- What is the fallback plan if the leave duration or return date changes?
Use each calculator only for the question it owns
If you are still comparing paid-leave terms rather than planning an unpaid break, return to the paid-leave package comparison and keep the two decisions separate.
For entered foregone pay, continuation costs, offsets and a savings buffer, read the Sabbatical cost guide, use the Sabbatical cost calculator, and check its methodology. Its buffer output is a scenario, not a safety recommendation.
For a later return with entered net pay and recurring work costs, read the Return to work payback guide, use the Return to work payback calculator, and check its methodology. It cannot determine tax, subsidies, care availability or a right to return.
When care costs materially change the work decision, read the Childcare and work cost impact guide, use the Childcare and work cost impact calculator, and check its methodology. Enter current costs rather than a market average.
If a confirmed arrangement instead permits buying or selling paid leave, read the Leave buy or sell guide, use the Leave buy or sell calculator, and check its methodology. Do not use that cash comparison to answer unpaid-leave entitlement or return questions.
Frequently asked questions
- Do benefits continue automatically during unpaid leave?
- Do not assume so. Check the governing plan and employer documents, contribution responsibility and current local rules.
- Does a planned return date guarantee the same role or schedule?
- This checklist cannot make that guarantee. Verify the applicable written arrangement and local protections.
Sources checked
- Wages and working-time concepts and definitions — ILOSTAT (accessed 2026-08-01): Distinguishes hours paid for, hours actually worked and unpaid absences; it does not supply an employer leave rule or local entitlement.
- Resolution concerning the measurement of working time — International Labour Organization (accessed 2026-08-01): Primary conceptual standard for keeping paid time, worked time and absence categories distinct; no jurisdiction-specific right is inferred.