We offer unlimited time off with no accrual of vacation days. We expect everyone to take sufficient time off to recharge throughout the year — there is no maximum. Your manager may check in with you if it seems like you have not been taking adequate breaks.

While in theory someone could go on vacation all the time, that’s not something we manage for directly. If you are taking significantly more vacation time than most, it’s likely causing a strain on the rest of your team and will be addressed through the lens of performance.

Holidays

Employees should observe national holidays within the country they live and take equivalent time. As we are primarily a US-based company, the Federal holidays listed below indicate when many of our team will be offline.

• New Year’s Day
• MLK Jr. Day
• Presidents Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving
• Day After Thanksgiving
• Christmas Day

We also take an end-of-year “shutdown” (usually the few days during the week between Christmas and New Year’s). Specific dates will be announced annually.

Holidays work the same as any other time off: you’ll need to coordinate with your team to ensure coverage and deliverables. For operational roles (on-call, customer support, etc.), planning in advance is essential to maintaining our commitments to customers.

Time off coordination

We care about the impact you drive, not how long you work. Please submit vacation requests in advance through Deel and obtain manager approval before making firm plans. We will always try to be accommodating, but some timing may not work depending on what is going on with the business.

When planning time off, please make sure:

• Critical work continues to move forward in your absence
• Your manager is aware of your plans and any coverage needs
• Team goals and commitments remain on track

For longer absences, please give at least two weeks’ notice so your team can plan accordingly.

We trust you to be responsible with planning your time off. Here are some practices we encourage:

• Avoid having the only people who can handle critical tasks be off at the same time
• If this is unavoidable, ensure at least one person can check in for urgent issues
• Drop a message in #announcements the week before you’re out
• Subscribe to the Deel calendar feed in Google to see everyone’s PTO

Flexible working

We operate on a trust basis and don’t count the hours or days you work. Please manage your time and focus your energy on our collective goals.

Whether you have an appointment, an after-school soccer match, or a political or social event, we don’t mind and you don’t need to tell us. Please just keep your calendar updated and arrange for coverage if you expect a problem should you be out of touch.

When you should have time off

You are sick

If you are sick, you should take the time you need to recover. We do not require pre-booking or advance notice — just let your manager/colleagues know and log the time in Deel. Sick leave is a separate statutory benefit governed by applicable law and tracked independently from vacation time.

For extended illness (5+ consecutive work days), please speak to Steve so we can support you appropriately and handle any required documentation where needed.

Likewise, if you have a medical condition you know will take you away from work regularly, please let Steve know so we can work out accommodations with you and your manager.

Bereavements and child loss

In the case of death, we do not define “closeness” and we won’t ask about your relationship to the person or what they meant to you. Please just let us know up front how much time you would like to take.

Our bereavement policy also covers pregnancy and child loss for both parents, with no questions asked. Please take at least 2 weeks of paid leave.

If you need extended time for physical or mental health reasons, we will treat it as extended sick leave — just chat to Steve.

Civic duty & life emergencies

There are lots of situations where life in all its forms needs to come first. We simply ask that you communicate with your team and fit your work around it as necessary. We trust you will do the right thing.

Maternity leave

Maternity leave is exceptional as it needs to be significantly longer than a typical vacation. This policy applies regardless of whether you’ve become a parent through childbirth or adoption.

Datum’s maternity leave policy is designed to meet or exceed local requirements. If you live in a jurisdiction with more generous statutory maternity leave, you will receive whichever is better.

Paid maternity leave is taken in one continuous period beginning around the time of birth. We understand that every situation is different — if you need flexibility around timing, a staggered return, or extended leave for medical reasons, please discuss with Steve as early as possible.

Please communicate maternity leave plans to Steve as soon as you feel comfortable doing so, and in any case at least 4 months before leave will begin. Steve will coordinate with the wider team on logistical arrangements, salary continuity, and any required statutory paperwork.