Transparent time off
Our time-off policies at Buffer are designed to support well-being, flexibility, and sustainable work. As a fully distributed global team, we empower teammates to take time off to rest and recharge so that they feel their best and thrive.
The Buffer team's time off in the last 12 months
Below is our transparent dashboard, which displays the last 12 months of time off from Buffer teammates, with live data from our leave planner.
Our leave and time off
We trust teammates to manage their time off in ways that align with their needs and their team’s goals — and we support that through the following:
Holidays and Paid Time Off (PTO)
Taking time off and recharging is critical to Buffer teammates doing their best work. Through Buffer’s Flexible Time Off Policy, teammates manage their schedules (with advice from teammates and approval from managers).
Compassionate Leave
In times of loss of a loved one, we support teammates taking time off as needed to process both the emotional and administrative sides of these events. This can range from a single day to attend a service, or multiple weeks in the case of a close family member.
Sabbatical Leave
After every 5 years of working at Buffer, teammates are invited to take a fully paid 6-week sabbatical. Sabbatical time can be spent however a teammate likes: some do extensive travel, or work on a side project or big personal goal. Others simply rest and enjoy time with family!
Family Leave
Having a new member of the family is exciting, and we want team members to feel as present as possible with their child. We encourage all parents to take 16 weeks of fully paid time off, and aim to support all the different ways families might need time to support a new addition, including adoption, surrogacy, or foster care.
Personal or Disability Leave
Whenever a teammate is feeling unwell, we want them to rest and recuperate. Sick days can be taken any time as needed, and if a teammate needs to take additional time off due to personal circumstances related to health or wellbeing concerns, we’ll pay up to a month (4 weeks) of leave.
Local Election Day
Buffer wants team members to vote, and we understand that it takes time to do so. We encourage team members to consider their local election day a holiday and to take time off for voting and any election activities they'd like.
Our 4-day work week philosophy
When talking about leave and time-off, it's important to mention that the Buffer team operates with a four-day work week. Our schedule is four workdays, with a flexible, meeting-free fifth day for overflow tasks or personal time as teammates see fit. While we encourage a healthy work-life balance, this policy is designed for flexibility rather than a strict four-day-on, three-day-off structure.