HR and leave management glossary
Clear definitions of the leave, absence, and HR terms you run into, with practical notes on how they apply day to day.
108
Terms defined
9
Categories
Featured terms
Annual Leave
Annual leave is paid time off from work that employees are entitled to take each year for rest, relaxation, and personal activities.
Sick Leave
Sick leave is time off work taken by an employee due to illness or injury, which may be paid or unpaid depending on employment terms and statutory requirements.
Maternity Leave
Maternity leave is time off work for pregnant employees before and after childbirth, with statutory protections and pay entitlements.
Paternity Leave
Paternity leave is time off work for fathers or partners following the birth or adoption of a child.
Shared Parental Leave
Shared Parental Leave (SPL) allows eligible parents to share up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay between them in the first year after their child's birth or adoption.
Compassionate Leave
Compassionate leave is time off work granted to employees dealing with serious personal circumstances such as bereavement, a family emergency, or caring for a dependent.
Jury Duty
Jury duty is a civic responsibility requiring eligible citizens to serve on a jury in court, for which employees have the right to take time off work.
Sabbatical
A sabbatical is an extended period of leave from work, typically for personal development, travel, research, or rest, often offered to long-serving employees.
Study Leave
Study leave is time off work granted to employees for educational purposes such as attending courses, preparing for exams, or completing professional qualifications.
TOIL
TOIL (Time Off In Lieu) is time off granted to employees as compensation for overtime worked, instead of receiving overtime pay.
Unpaid Leave
Unpaid leave is time off work where the employee does not receive their regular salary, typically used when paid leave entitlements are exhausted or for specific personal reasons.
Parental Leave
Parental leave is unpaid time off work for eligible parents to care for their child, providing up to 18 weeks per child until the child turns 18.
Browse by category
Leave types
Annual Leave
5 min read
Sick Leave
6 min read
Maternity Leave
7 min read
Paternity Leave
4 min read
Shared Parental Leave
8 min read
Compassionate Leave
4 min read
Jury Duty
4 min read
Sabbatical
5 min read
Study Leave
4 min read
TOIL
4 min read
Unpaid Leave
4 min read
Parental Leave
5 min read
Bank Holidays
4 min read
Adoption Leave
5 min read
HR metrics
Legal terms
Working Time Regulations
6 min read
Statutory Sick Pay
5 min read
Statutory Maternity Pay
6 min read
ACAS
5 min read
Employment Tribunal
6 min read
Notice Period
5 min read
Redundancy
6 min read
Fit Note
5 min read
GDPR
7 min read
Unfair Dismissal
6 min read
Contract of Employment
5 min read
Probationary Period
5 min read
Right to Work
6 min read
Minimum Wage
5 min read
Flexible Working
5 min read
Processes
Accrual
5 min read
Pro-Rata
5 min read
Carryover
5 min read
Return to Work
5 min read
Leave Approval
4 min read
Absence Management
6 min read
Onboarding
5 min read
Offboarding
5 min read
Performance Review
5 min read
Disciplinary Procedure
6 min read
Grievance
5 min read
Time Tracking
5 min read
Phased Return
5 min read
Self-Certification
4 min read
US-specific
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Technology
What each entry covers
Definitions
A short definition for a quick answer, plus a longer explanation when you need the detail.
Legal notes
Where a term has a legal meaning, we note the relevant rules and link to official sources.
Related tools
Links to related calculators, leave policy guides, and industry pages so you can go from definition to action.