4.4 Unpaid Leave

4.4.1 Qualifying Events

Unpaid leave may be requested for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to personal health issues, family caregiving responsibilities, educational pursuits, and other personal matters.

4.4.2 Duration of Unpaid Leave

The duration of unpaid leave will vary depending on the reason for the request and will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Our Company reserves the right to grant or deny unpaid leave requests based on business needs.

4.4.3 Requesting Unpaid Leave

Employees should request unpaid leave by submitting a written request to their immediate supervisor or manager. The request should include the reason for the leave, the expected start and end dates, and any relevant supporting documentation, if applicable.

We encourage employees to provide as much advance notice as possible when requesting unpaid leave. However, in certain situations, such as emergencies, leave requests may be made with shorter notice.

4.4.4 Approval & Denial

Approval of unpaid leave requests is subject to management discretion and business needs. The company will consider the impact of the leave on operations and may require employees to provide additional information or adjust their request.

If a leave request is denied, the employee will be provided with a written explanation of the reason for the denial.

4.4.5 Job Protection

In most cases, we will provide job protection for employees on approved unpaid leave. Upon returning from unpaid leave, employees will generally be reinstated to their previous position or an equivalent one.

4.4.6 Duration Limits

Unpaid leave durations may be subject to maximum limits, which will be communicated to employees upon request and will depend on the specific reason for the leave.