HR Glossary

What is Unpaid Leave?

A period of employer-approved time away from work during which the employee receives no salary or wages. Unpaid leave may be legally mandated (such as FMLA) or granted at the employer's discretion, and it affects benefits, tenure calculations, and payroll differently than paid time off.

Why it matters in hiring

Unpaid Leave comes up whenever teams compare candidates, set policy or report on people data. Getting the definition right keeps decisions consistent, which is the same reason springhire scores every applicant against the same criteria rather than on impression.

Related terms starting with U

• UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021)
• Unconscious Bias
• Underperformer
• Unstructured Interview
• Upskilling
• Upward Feedback
• USERRA
• Unfair Dismissal (UK / Australia)

Part of the springhire HR glossary, 1,150+ HR, payroll and recruiting terms defined. Free, no signup.