Time Off (Leave) Policy

Types of Leaves

Paid Time Off 

• All confirmed rtCampers get 21 days of Paid Time Off annually, credited on April 1. Our leave year runs from April 1 to March 31.
• If a leave request isn’t reviewed within 24 business hours by your manager, consider it approved – but do inform them and the team to plan accordingly.
• To extend a leave in case of emergency, notify your manager and/or HR using any available medium.
• While associate software engineers are in their probation period, they will not be entitled to paid time off. However, they can take unpaid leaves when needed.

Probationary Leave

To support a smooth onboarding and fair evaluation, lateral hires (excluding Associate Software Engineers) receive paid leave on an accrual basis during probation.

How It Works:

• Accrue 1.5 paid leaves per month.
• Unused leaves carry forward monthly.
• Remaining annual leave is credited in full upon confirmation.

This setup balances flexibility for new joiners with timely decision-making for managers.

Unpaid Time Off

• These leaves are unpaid, and pay is pro-rated based on days worked.
• The same rules as Paid Time Off apply for prior intimation, extensions, and 24-hour default approval.
• If 5 or more unpaid leaves are taken consecutively, weekends will also count as Time Off.

Fixed holidays

General Guideline

1. Leave Expiry/Validity 

Taking time off regularly is an important part of maintaining a healthy work-life balance and doing good work over the long run. We want every rtCamper to step away from work, rest, and return feeling recharged.

With that in mind, we’ve updated our Leave Carry Forward & Encashment Policy to encourage everyone to use their leave throughout the year, rather than accumulate it. The aim is simple: we’d much rather see you take the time off you need than have unused leave build up year after year.

Here are the changes applicable from the current leave cycle ending on 31 March 2027:

• Carry forward is reduced from 10 days to 5 days. Up to 5 days of unused paid leave will carry forward to the next year. Any balance above 5 days will lapse at year-end.
• Leave encashment will no longer be offered, with one exception: team members working on Staff Augmentation engagements.
• Why is there an exception for Staff Aug?
  On Staff Aug engagements, team members work as part of the client’s team, and their schedules are largely set by the client rather than by rtCamp. Because we don’t control when those team members can take time off, encashment will remain available for them through the usual approval process. Of course, we encourage staff ag developers to take necessary time off and their leaves will also be approved if wish to take ones.
• You will receive a communication from the HR team at the end of the year about your leave balance status.

2. Unapproved time off

• Unapproved Leave is similar to leave without pay.
• However, this type of leave has a negative effect on rtCampers overall performance review.
• Repeated instances of Unapproved time off result in disciplinary action for the rtCamper. The severity may vary as per the level of misconduct and action could be a warning or even termination of the engagement.

3. Leaves during Notice Period 📝

• Paid Time Off-balance is brought down to 0 at the start of your notice period.
• You may still avail of unpaid time off during this period, however,
  • In case your time off affects the knowledge transfer or transition, your notice period will be extended in proportion to the time off availed.

4. Leave Application Process – While Working with Client’s Team 📃

• If you are working with the client’s team you can apply for leaves through ERP and contact the PM/CAM for that client.
• We request rtCampers to apply for planned leaves at least 5 working days prior to the actual date of leave.
• Wherever possible, please try to plan ahead and limit unplanned leaves to less than or equal to 5 days a year.
• In case of emergencies or medical issues, you can either ping your manager or the Account Manager immediately.

Sabbatical (long) Leaves

rtCampers needing time off from work are expected to communicate their plans to the HR Team. Two possible outcomes that the management will arrive at based on the nature of the request (absence) are:

1. The rtCamper would be asked to avail a mutually decided short unpaid leave
2. In situations where the leaves needed are indefinite, the offboarding process will be followed. The rtCamper can reapply for the same role whenever they are ready to resume and start the engagement afresh with us.