Sikkim Allows Up To 3-Year Paid Sabbatical For Regular Government Employees

The Sikkim government  introduced a sabbatical leave scheme that allows regular government employees to take a maximum leave for nearly three years with 50 per cent basic pay for those interested in pursuing their desired ventures without worrying about losing their government job.

The Personnel Department in a notification of August 14 said the sabbatical leave scheme for regular state government employees seeks to give multiple opportunities, which otherwise are not available to them due to service rules.

Under this scheme, an employee will be allowed sabbatical leave for not less than 365 days, extendable up to a maximum of 1,080 days, for only once in the entire service period. Interested employee should have completed not less than five years of continuous service, the notification said.

The employees on sabbatical, however, can be recalled to duty whenever the state government finds it necessary to do so in the interest of the state by giving a notice of one month. Similarly, employees can rejoin duty after giving a month's notice.

The scheme won't apply to any government employee who is a member of the All India Service or serving the state government on deputation from the centre, other state governments' PSU, boards and centrally sponsored schemes.

Employees against whom department inquiry or vigilance cases are being considered or pending or those placed under suspension are not eligible till the cases are solved. Those who have taken bank loans for which repayment is deducted from their salary will not be eligible for the sabbatical leave if the EMI cannot be met from the 50 per cent reduction in monthly pay during their leave period.