{"id":2024,"date":"2026-01-28T05:55:16","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T05:55:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.info-tech.com.sg\/blog\/?p=2024"},"modified":"2026-04-24T06:53:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T06:53:07","slug":"sabbatical-leave-without-quitting-your-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.info-tech.com.sg\/blog\/sabbatical-leave-without-quitting-your-job\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Take Sabbatical Leave in Singapore Without Quitting Your Job?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At some point in your career, annual leave just isn\u2019t enough. You might feel exhausted, need to care for family, or just want room to recharge without walking away from the job you’ve built. That’s when the question starts to pop, can you take a sabbatical leave in Singapore without resigning?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer is yes, you can, <\/strong>but it isn\u2019t guaranteed or protected by law. In Singapore, sabbatical leave falls outside statutory leave laws, which means it works very differently from yearly time off, sick leave, or childcare leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Sabbatical Leave Works in Singapore<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sabbatical leave in Singapore works as an agreement between two parties, not a legal entitlement. The Employment Act does not regulate sabbaticals, but it allows employers and employees to agree on extended periods of paid or unpaid leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In real life, this means employees can take time off work for a while without quitting their job as long as the employer says yes and both sides agree on the terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key thing here is the goal. A sabbatical should be short-term, and everyone expects the employee to come back after a set time. This makes it different from quitting or taking a break from your career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Type of Sabbatical<\/strong><\/td>Common in Singapore?<\/strong><\/td>Salary During Leave<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Unpaid<\/td>Very common<\/td>No salary paid<\/td><\/tr>
Partially paid<\/td>Sometimes<\/td>Reduced pay<\/td><\/tr>
Fully paid<\/td>Rare<\/td>Full salary continues<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Do You Need to Quit Your Job to Take a Sabbatical?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

No. As long as your employer approves the sabbatical formally, you remain employed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you set up a sabbatical, you stay employed. You’re still on the payroll even though you’re not working during that time. But this works if you get it in writing. If you stop showing up without written approval, your employer might see it as unauthorized leave or abandonment of employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why in Singapore, you always go through HR or leave management<\/strong><\/a> to get a sabbatical, not just by word of mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do Companies Pay for Sabbatical Leave?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In most Singapore companies, employees don’t get paid for sabbatical leave. This means they won’t receive their monthly salary while they’re away. Some employers might give partial pay or allowances, but this isn’t common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employees should clarify whether the following apply during the sabbatical:<\/p>\n\n\n\n