A sabbatical is a longer career break that does not end employment but interrupts it. It usually lasts between three and twelve months and is used for travel, personal development, care work, voluntary work or simply recovery. It is well established in the public sector, research and many consultancies, but rare in the classic Mittelstand.
Financing is usually arranged via time-credit accounts or salary sacrifice. In savings models, employees redirect part of their salary over months or years into an account that finances the break. In near-full-time models, you work for twelve months but receive only ten months of pay – the remaining two months of break are then fully paid.
Clear written agreements matter: start date, duration, return position, health and social insurance, remaining holiday. Collectively bargained sectors and the public sector often have standardised models. Anyone planning a sabbatical should plan at least six to twelve months of lead time.
Lunigi plays a role before and after the break: preparing the move and supporting re-entry into an attractive next role.