---
title: "SparkWell Unpaid Leave Policy"
slug: "sparkwell-unpaid-leave-policy"
updated: 2025-10-22T21:11:07Z
published: 2025-10-22T21:11:07Z
canonical: "resourceportal.antientropy.org/sparkwell-unpaid-leave-policy"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://resourceportal.antientropy.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# SparkWell Unpaid Leave Policy

### Who is this for?

          

This content is designed for participants in Anti Entropy's SparkWell fiscal sponsorship program. While some context will be specific to SparkWell and may need more context, we've made these resources public because they may, nevertheless, be useful to others who may be founding or building an organization.

## 1. About this Policy

1.1. Employees employed for at least 90 days may request unpaid leave for personal reasons not covered by federal or state leave laws or other organizational policies (Paid Sick Leave, Vacation, Family & Medical Leave, etc.).

1.2. This policy does not form part of any employment contract and may be amended at any time.

1.3. **Important Note:** Employees who are contracted under an Employer of Record (EOR), such as Deel, will need to follow the policies of the EOR provider and, where they differ, the EOR policy takes precedence.

## 2. Requesting Leave

2.1. Unpaid leave must be approved in advance by your supervisor, who will discuss benefit continuation and whether the leave is permitted.

2.2. Submit requests in writing to your supervisor as far in advance as possible, ideally at least 30 days before planned absences.

2.3. Generally, unpaid leave requests should not exceed 30 days unless there are exceptional circumstances. Requests exceeding 30 days are evaluated case-by-case and subject to approval at our sole discretion.

2.4. Approval decisions consider staffing and budgetary needs, leave purpose, requested length, and your performance quality. Requests may be denied based on these or other reasonable considerations.

2.5. Employees absent without supervisor approval may be subject to Misconduct and Discipline procedures and discharge. Such absences will be treated as unpaid leave.

## 3. Reasons for Taking Unpaid Leave

3.1. Unpaid leave may be requested for personal reasons not covered by other leave policies. Common reasons include:

- Personal or family matters not covered by Family & Medical Leave
- Completing academic work or professional development
- Sabbatical leave to pursue personal projects or rethink career plans
- Extended travel
- Other personal circumstances

3.2. **Note**: Nothing in this policy replaces, violates, or conflicts with legally mandated federal or state leave laws. If you believe your situation may be covered by legal leave protections, discuss this with your supervisor.

## 4. Benefits During Unpaid Leave

4.1. Benefit continuation is determined case-by-case:

4.1.1. **Healthcare benefits**: May be continued at our discretion. If continued, you are responsible for both your portion and our portion of premiums during unpaid leave.

4.1.2. **Vacation and sick leave accrual**: Does not accrue during unpaid leave periods.

4.1.3. **Other benefits**: Your supervisor will discuss which benefits, if any, continue during unpaid leave.

## 5. Impact on Employment Terms

5.1. **Employment tenure**: Time on unpaid leave may not count toward eligibility for certain benefits requiring a minimum employment period.

5.2. **Performance reviews**: Unpaid leave periods will be considered when scheduling annual performance reviews.

5.3. **Seniority**: Unpaid leave may affect seniority calculations, depending on leave length.

## 6. Returning from Unpaid Leave

6.1. Before your scheduled return date, confirm with your supervisor that you will be returning to work as planned.

6.2. While we will make reasonable efforts to return you to your previous position, we cannot guarantee position availability upon return, particularly for extended unpaid leaves.

6.3. If your unpaid leave extends beyond the originally approved period without authorization, it may be considered job abandonment and result in termination of employment.