Visualising time off at Buffer
Our new transparent dashboard pulls in live data from our leave planner to show how our current teammates have been taking time off over the last 12 months
Our Leave and Time Off Policies
We're committed to our team's wellbeing by providing fair and competitive time off through these policies:
Holidays and Time Off
Taking time off and recharging is critical to doing your best work, and we want all teammates to feel great about taking restorative time away. For this reason, the minimum time-off policy is at least 3 weeks (15 work days) throughout the year, in addition to any public or religious holidays teammates observe.
Wellness day
We're a founding partner of a program called Unsick Day that encourages employees to take at least one dedicated day per year for preventive care. We invite teammates to take at least one day per year to schedule preventive care appointments, such as annual physicals, vision exams, and dental cleanings.
Compassionate Leave
In times of loss of a loved one, we suggest teammates take at least 3-5 days off for bereavement leave. Additionally, we offer caregiver leave for team members who are providing eldercare or are caring for sick family members or partners.
Volunteer Leave
Each team member is invited to take one day per quarter to volunteer or serve in any capacity they like, such as working with local food banks, volunteering at animal shelters, or any other initiative team members feel passionate about.
Sabbatical Leave
After every 5 years of working at Buffer, teammates are invited to take a fully paid sabbatical. Sabbatical time can be spent however a teammate likes: from extensive travel, to working on a side project, achieving a life goal, time with family, or something else altogether.
Family Leave
Having a new member of the family is exciting and we want team members to feel as present as possible with their child. We ask all parents to take 16 weeks of fully paid time off, and aim to support all the different ways families might need time to support a new addition - including adoption, surrogacy or foster care.
Personal or Disability Leave
Whenever a teammate is feeling unwell, we want them to rest and recuperate. Sick days can be taken any time as needed and if a teammate needs to take additional time off due to personal circumstances related to health or wellbeing concerns, we’ll pay up to a month (4 weeks) of leave.
Local Election Day
Buffer wants team members to vote and we understand that it takes time to do so. We encourage team members to consider their local election day a holiday and to take time off for voting and any election activities they'd like.
Our minimum 3-week vacation policy
Over the years we've evolved our approach to vacation and time off. We currently have a minimum 3-week vacation policy to encourage teammates to recharge away from work.
Read Our Time off PhilosophyHow 4-day work weeks changed the way we work
For many, 2020 was a stressful year as the world we knew changed forever. In response, we transitioned to a 4-day work week in an effort to give teammates a better work-life balance where they can spend time with their families and take care of their mental health and overall wellbeing.
Read Our 2022 Update