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Overview
Overview
Orchestra is thrilled to offer a paid 6-week sabbatical to employees who have reached 10 years of full-time service at Orchestra. This program is designed to celebrate and reward long-term commitment by providing individuals with the rare opportunity to step away from day-to-day work and truly focus on rest, family, personal growth, and self-development.
Our sabbatical program is designed to create space for recharging and returning with renewed energy, perspective, and creativity — a meaningful milestone that reflects our deep appreciation for the individuals who contribute to Orchestra year after year.
Eligibility & Requirements
Eligibility & Requirements
Employees who reach 10 years of continuous, full-time service at Orchestra or any Orchestra agency, on or after January 1, 2026 are eligible for a sabbatical.
Employees must be in good standing at the time of approval, with strong performance and no active performance improvement plan (PIP) or disciplinary actions.
Eligibility is determined based on anniversary date and confirmed by HR at the start of each calendar year.
During the sabbatical, employees may not perform any other communications work for current or former clients.
Leave time cannot be broken up and must be taken consecutively for a total of 6 weeks. Sabbatical may not be combined with PTO to extend the total consecutive time away.
In order to be eligible for this leave, Orchestra requires that you continue employment for at least 12 months following the leave.
Pay & Benfits
Pay & Benfits
Employees on approved sabbatical leave will receive their normal compensation rate of pay and continued benefits directly from Orchestra's normal payroll.
Employees on sabbatical who are enrolled in our group benefits plan will continue to have pre-tax deductions made from their pay during the sabbatical period.
Employees on sabbatical leave are not eligible for professional development reimbursement or any sabbatical activity reimbursement.
Time off taken for approved Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave will not be counted against the employee when determining eligibility or “continuous service.”
Scheduling & Approval
Scheduling & Approval
Sabbatical timing will be managed to ensure business continuity. Approvals will be coordinated between HR, the employee’s manager, and vertical leadership.
To balance coverage needs, Orchestra may limit the number of sabbaticals granted in a given year.
Sabbaticals should typically be scheduled at least 6 months in advance through this form on the Intranet.
Priority will be given based on business needs, role coverage, and timing of request.
Post-Sabbatical Commitment
Post-Sabbatical Commitment
Employees must return to Orchestra for a minimum of 12 months following their sabbatical.
Employees who voluntarily leave the company before completing this 12-month period may be required to repay the paid portion of their sabbatical.
Other Conditions
Other Conditions
Sabbaticals cannot be combined with other forms of extended leave.
Approved paid leaves (parental leave, disability leave, bereavement, etc.) will not impact the calculation of continuous service.
If an employee reaches their 10-year milestone while on another approved leave, sabbatical eligibility begins upon their return to active full-time status.
🌟 Our New Sabbatical Program: How Eligibility Will Roll Out
🌟 Our New Sabbatical Program: How Eligibility Will Roll Out
We’re excited to introduce Orchestra’s new paid 6-week sabbatical program for employees who reach 10 years of full-time service. Because many people across our network have already passed that milestone, we’re phasing in eligibility over several years to ensure the rollout is fair, sustainable, and well-supported.
Here’s how the phased approach will work:
✨ 2025: Laying the Foundation
In 2025, we’ll group all employees who have already reached 10+ years of service into three cohorts based on tenure. This allows us to create a smooth yearly cadence so everyone receives their sabbatical opportunity without overwhelming teams or disrupting client work.
You’ll receive more information in early 2026 about which cohort you’re in and the timeline associated with your group.
✨ 2026: Cohort A Becomes Eligible
Our first sabbatical cohort — employees with 13+ years of service by the end of 2025, will become eligible to schedule their sabbatical beginning in mid-2026. We’ll use this first year to gather feedback and refine the experience for future cohorts.
✨ 2027: Cohort B Expands the Program
In 2027, sabbatical eligibility opens to the next group, employees with 11–12 years of service as of the end of 2025. This will allow us to continue expanding access while maintaining a sustainable annual cap on sabbaticals across the network.
✨ 2028: Cohort C Completes the Rollout
By 2028, the remaining employees who crossed the 10-year milestone before 2026 (typically those with 10–11 years of service) will become eligible.
At this point, all long-tenured employees will be aligned under the standard sabbatical policy moving forward.
What This Means for You
Every employee who has already reached 10 years will be included in this phased rollout.
No action is required at this time — your cohort, eligibility year, and scheduling details will be communicated directly to you.
Our goal is to offer this benefit in a way that is celebratory, equitable, and sustainable for teams across Orchestra.
✅ If an employee hits their 10-year anniversary in 2026, they become eligible immediately under the new, ongoing policy.
That means:
They do not enter the phased cohort process (which only applies to those who hit 10 years before 2026).
They become eligible to take their 6-week sabbatical any time starting in 2026, subject to manager approval and scheduling needs.
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