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People and Culture

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  • Home
  • About People and Culture
    • Our Structure
    • People and Culture Strategy
    • Key Contacts
    • New Staff Welcome
  • Employees
    • HR Hub
    • Pay, Reward and Benefits
    • Learning and Development
    • Development and Career Progression
    • International Staff Support
    • Wellbeing at Queen's
    • Managing Stress at Work
    • Annual, Family and Other Leave
    • Sickness Absence
    • Employee Experience and Engagement
    • Green Impact
  • Managers
    • Performance Management Toolkit
    • Sickness Absence
    • Leave Toolkit
    • Induction Toolkit
    • Recruitment and Selection
    • Employee Assistance Programme Manager Support
    • Occupational Health Service
    • Workplace Conduct
    • Job Evaluation
    • Redeployment
    • Leaving Employment
  • Work at Queen's
    • Recruitment and Selection
    • International Staff Support
    • Women at QUB
    • Fellowships at Queen's
    • Pay, Rewards and Benefits
    • Learning and Development
  • HR HUB
  • A-Z
  • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Equality Legislation
    • Policies, Procedures and Guidance
    • Fair Employment Return Monitoring Data
    • Disability
    • Menopause
    • Fertility Treatment Leave
    • Celebrating Diversity
    • Faith, Religion and Belief
  • Annual, Family and Other Leave
    • Annual Leave
    • Work Life Balance Policies
    • Other Leave
    • Agile Working Toolkit
  • Legal Services and Employee Relations
  • Learning and Development
    • Researcher Development
    • Learning for All
    • Learning Resources LinkedIn Learning
    • Leadership and Management Development
    • Essential Learning
    • Administrative Skills
    • Career Development Hub
    • Coaching and Mentoring
    • Remote Working
  • News
  • Pay, Reward and Benefits
    • Reward and Recognition
    • Pay and Conditions
    • Financial Support
    • Parents and Caring
    • Discounts
    • Commuting
    • Pay & Reward Benefits
    • Financial & Other Benefits
  • Fellowships at Queen's
    • Illuminate: Vice-Chancellor's Fellowship Scheme
    • Fellowship Academy
    • Externally Funded Fellowships
  • People and Culture COVID Guidance
    • COVID-19: People and Culture FAQs
  • Home
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  • Career Break

Career Break

Staff may wish to take a career break during their working life for many reasons such as travel, to spend time with children, to undertake a period of study or to carry out voluntary work. Staff at the University who have more than 6 months service may apply for a career break. During a break the member of staff is not paid but will continue to be an employee of the University and will normally return at the end of the agreed break.

  • TAKING A CAREER BREAK

    A career break can be between 12 months and three years and is a period of time where you decide not to work for example because you want to travel, continue with further education or spend time with children.

    You need at least 6 months' service at the University to apply (having completed your probationary period). An employee will need to complete an application form and this should be submitted to your Head of School/Director at least three months before your proposed start date.

    Career breaks will count towards continuous service but won't count as reckonable service for pensions, increments, sick leave, annual leave and maternity leave. You need to tell us when you are returning to work. All efforts will be made to assign a member of staff returning from a career break to his/her former post, but no guarantee can be given about this.

  • CAREER BREAK EXTENSION

    A career break may be extended twice for a period of not less than one year on each occasion provided the total period does not exceed three years in total.

Useful Links
  • Career Break Policy
  • Career Break Application
  • Career Break Extension Application
  • How to Manage a Career Break
  • Annual, Family and Other Leave
  • SWAN
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In This Section
Leave Toolkit
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Useful Links
  • Career Break Policy
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  • Career Break Extension Application
  • How to Manage a Career Break
  • Annual, Family and Other Leave
  • SWAN
  • Queen's Childcare
  •  Retirement
  • Salary Scales
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