What is Duvet Day?

A duvet day is a period of rest granted to an employee due to an extended illness.

A duvet day is a portion of a sick leave that is tacked onto the end of an employee’s normal sick leave. If the employee’s sick leave is six weeks or less, the duvet day is tacked on at the end. If the employee’s sick leave is longer than six weeks, the duvet day is added on as days, not hours.

The duvet day is subtracted from the employee’s leave and he or she is expected to work the remaining, unspent days.

Duvet days are also: 

• Typically built into an employee’s remuneration package.
• Are part and parcel with an annual holiday.
• Do not require advanced notice (though companies prefer it).

When Shouldn’t You Offer Duvet Days?

Your company may already have allocated paid leave for mental health, self-care, or wellness days. In this case, duvet days may be redundant as they get to the core of the same issues.

Why Is duvet day Necessary?

Duvet days are necessary because they provide us with much-needed relaxation and allow us to recharge our batteries. We all need a break from time to time, and a duvet day is a perfect way to do that. We can all use a little extra rest and relaxation, and duvet days allow us to do just that.

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