Rest and relaxation checklist
Eligibility
Who is entitled to R&R: which staff and which programmes?
Will it only apply to expatriate staff?
What about national staff or volunteers who are working under extreme conditions?
If only expatriates are entitled then are sufficient stress-management policies in place for other staff?
Is R&R leave mandatory or voluntary?
Who is responsible for ensuring that eligible staff are receiving their R&R leave entitlement?
Is there provision for family members to join staff?
Costs
How will R&R leave be funded within the organisation?
Will staff be entitled to a daily living allowance whilst on their R&R leave?
How much?
Who is responsible for agreeing the amount of R&R leave staff are entitled to and the frequency with which it should be taken?
What will happen if staff request alternative dates for their R&R leave, e.g. to coincide with annual leave plans?
Will staff still be entitled to R&R leave if they are nearing completion of their contract or due home leave?
Location
Who makes the decision as to where R&R may be taken, and what factors will be taken into consideration, e.g. cost, facilities available for R&R?
What will happen if a staff member requests an alternative location? Who has responsibility for such a decision and how will extra costs be funded?
Travel
Will staff be given additional leave for traveling to and from the R&R location?
Who is responsible for booking travel arrangements and what factors will be taken into consideration, e.g. cost, directness of route?
What will happen if a staff member requests upgraded travel or other personal preferences?
What is the policy if travel back to the workplace is not available on the correct day? Will staff be entitled to additional R&R leave or should the additional day(s), for example, be taken from their annual leave entitlement?
Insurance
Will a staff member’s travel to the R&R destination be covered by travel insurance? What about if the destination is to a вЂ?high risk’ country?
Will the travel insurance cover destinations personally requested by a staff member?
Accommodation
Who is responsible for finding suitable accommodation and who will make the necessary bookings?
What will happen if a staff member requests alternative accommodation or an upgrade on facilities provided i.e., in terms of booking, funding etc.
Cancellation
Who will have authority for canceling R&R leave and in what circumstances, e.g. a security alert, a rapid onset emergency etc?
What arrangements will be made if a staff member’s R&R leave is cancelled?
Training
What training will you provide for those staff involved in operating the policy?
How will staff receive initial training and regular updates if they are working in remote locations?
Staff Involvement in the R&R Policy
Will staff be consulted when the R&R policy is developed or reviewed? Will staff be involved in the process of reviewing R&R entitlements? How regularly will this take place?
How will staff be advised of the policy initially and in future? Will they require training themselves in how to follow the necessary procedures?