A Bengaluru-based HR professional has triggered a heated debate on social media after writing about the “sandwich leave” policy, a rule that has long divided employees and employers. The discussion began when Rubin Tania Louis, an HR professional, shared a detailed post on LinkedIn explaining how the policy works and why it is used in companies.
In her post, Louis explained that the “sandwich leave” rule comes into play when an employee applies for leave on both sides of a weekend or a public holiday. She gave an example to show how the system is applied. “If a person requests leave on Friday and the following Monday, the company’s leave register would treat all four days, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, as leave taken,” she wrote.
Louis said the purpose of the policy is to ensure fairness in leave allocation and to prevent employees from using a small number of leave days to create long holidays. She also added that it helps maintain smooth operations in workplaces. According to her, exceptions can be made in cases such as official work or medical emergencies, but only with prior HR approval.
The post soon found its way to Reddit, where it drew strong reactions. Many users criticized the practice, calling it unfair and unnecessary. Several users also attacked HR departments for encouraging policies that restrict employees.
Some, however, supported the idea behind the policy. They argued that long absences could hurt team projects and deadlines. But even among those who defended it, many raised concerns about how fairly the policy would be applied from one employee to another.
Sandwich Leave Policy and Labour Law
The sandwich leave policy is not governed by any specific legal restrictions in India or many other countries. Labour laws vary by state, so companies must align their policies with the jurisdiction they operate in.
Under this rule, if an employee applies for leave on both sides of a weekend or public holiday, the intervening days are also counted as leave. Companies often use it to discourage long breaks and reduce absenteeism.
As per Indian Labour Law, adult workers are entitled to two days of paid leave for every 20 days of work, which adds up to around 15 paid leaves annually. Beyond this, provisions allow for 30 earned leaves in a year (with accumulation up to 90 days over three years) and 14 casual leaves annually, which cannot be carried forward.
If the sandwich policy is mentioned in an employment contract, companies can legally enforce it. Otherwise, employees can raise the issue with HR.
Pros and Cons
The policy helps prevent mass absenteeism during holidays and ensures business continuity, especially for companies with global clients. However, if poorly implemented, it can create distrust between employers and employees, making transparency and communication essential.