Colloquialism

I learned a new phrase at work today "Gardening Leave." This is the practice of getting paid time off after serving notice that you are leaving for another job. There are mandatory notice periods or non-compete clauses in contracts that prevent you from working for a specified amount of time. Due to the circumstances of your departure many employers will have you leave immediately and take gardening leave rather than continue to work. This typically occurs when you are moving on to a competitor. Gardening leave is seen by many people as a bonus and they will strive to get it so they can take time off to travel and still be earning a salary.