Administrative leave is a temporary leave from a job assignment, with pay and
benefits intact. Generally, the term is reserved for employees of non-business institutions such as schools, police, and hospitals.
The definition of administrative leave may vary by institution.
Individuals may also be eligible for administrative leave for various reasons including: bereavement, jury/court appearances, military leave, internal reviews, and investigations.
In academic settings, administrative leaves are provided for the same purpose as research/study leaves, i.e., to allow individuals to improve themselves academically and to engage in research to foster their effectiveness as teachers and scholars.
An
employee may be placed on administrative leave when an allegation of
misconduct
Misconduct is wrongful, improper, or unlawful conduct motivated by premeditated or intentional purpose or by obstinate indifference to the consequences of one's acts. It is an act which is forbidden or a failure to do that which is required. Misc ...
is made against an employee, either by a co-worker, student, parent, an alleged victim, or a police officer. During the leave, employers may investigate the situation before determining an appropriate course of action. Administrative leave does not in itself imply that an employee will be disciplined or that an allegation is credible, which is why pay and benefits are not discontinued. It simply allows the employer to investigate the incident, maintaining the employee's status while at the same time removing them from work, eventually leading to either their return or dismissal.
Police officers are routinely placed on administrative leave after a shooting incident while an investigation is conducted, without implying fault on the part of the officer.
Whistleblowers
A whistleblower (also written as whistle-blower or whistle blower) is a person, often an employee, who reveals information about activity within a private or public organization that is deemed illegal, immoral, illicit, unsafe or fraudulent. Whi ...
may also be placed on administrative leave as a way to protect them from potential harassment of a supervisor. For example, if they report a case of research misconduct from the Principal Investigation of an academic project.
See also
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Garden leave
Garden leave (also known as gardening leave) is the practice whereby an employee leaving a job – having resigned or otherwise had their employment terminated – is instructed to stay away from work during the notice period, while still remainin ...
References
Leave of absence
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