Another key feature of an employer’s total compensation package is the amount of paid time off that employees are entitled to. Providing appropriate levels of paid time off is important to support employee well-being, work-life balance, morale, and job satisfaction.
Below are some considerations to keep in mind:
| Type | Considerations |
| Vacation | Vacation is an opportunity for nonprofits to provide additional time that corporate environments do not. Starting vacation at 3 or 4 weeks for full-time staff is a benefit that new hires will be looking for. Employers must provide the minimum standard as outlined in the Employment Standards in their province. |
| Sick Days | A common practice is for employees to accrue 1 sick day per month to a maximum of 12 days per year, which can carry over year-to-year to a maximum amount. The point of the carry-over is to support income replacement for employees who need significant time off work due to illness or injury. |
| Personal Days | Many non-profits offer additional personal days so that employees can attend to personal commitments. This can be from 2 additional days per year and upwards. |
| Bereavement Days | Paid bereavement days offer employees the opportunity to grieve the death of a loved one. Many organizations follow the definition of family members as outlined in their provincial Employment Standards, however offering time off for the loss of a close friend or pet is becoming increasingly common. |
| Additional Days | Some organizations offer staff birthdays off, or the Friday before the long weekends in the summer months. Offering additional days is where employers can be creative and fit the needs of their employees. |
| 4-Day Work Week | A four-day work week enables organizations to improve staff wellness and mental health, thereby maintaining (and potentially even increasing) their level of impact as an organization. Typically, an organization might set core operational hours and have staff work from Monday to Thursday, with Fridays off. However, the format of the four-day work week can vary based on the type of services an organization provides and the needs of its beneficiaries. |