Taking a Break from the Rat Race
Ginger Applegarth provides a seven point guideline for taking a break from the working life in Quit Work for a Year: 7 Steps to do It Right. The first suggestion made in the guideline conveys very important information, which might not be known to workers, their employers, or their employers’ human resources departments. There may be an option to request a leave of absence instead of quitting outright.
Workers need a break, especially IT workers who are under constant stress. When two or three weeks is not enough to recover from such stress, perhaps a longer break from work is needed. If a worker is willing to forgo earned income for more time off, the employer should recognize the severity of this need and consider requests for extended leave carefully. The need for time off from work may be so severe as to require the employment relationship to be terminated.