At 70, Martine Donates 225 Days of Leave to Her Colleagues

At 70, when Martine handed back her pass for the final time, she did not simply leave her desk carrying a box of mementoes and a few bouquets. She also left behind 225 days of leave, built up patiently over the years, which she decided to pass on to colleagues rather than let them vanish. News travelled quickly through the open-plan office: some people smiled, while others were moved to tears. We all recognise that slightly odd moment when someone’s departure brings into focus everything they contributed each day. Martine had no wish to make a long speech. “I would rather give them away than lose them,” she simply said. It was an unusual gesture, and not an easy one.

At 70, she turns her leave days into a shared gift

For almost two decades, Martine worked in a service company in an administrative role that was often unobtrusive but essential. Like many people in France, she kept putting her holidays off until later: there was a busy period, an absent colleague, an urgent file to deal with, and then the years went by. As retirement approached, her balance stood at 225 days. It was an almost dizzying figure, equal to several months away from work. Rather than attempting to take all that leave at short notice, she chose another option: within the framework permitted by her employer, she arranged to donate some of those days to employees who needed them.

Within her team, one colleague had to take her sick son to hospital several times a week. Another employee was expecting a child and worried that they would be unable to extend their leave. Martine’s days did not solve every problem, of course, but they created some breathing space. Under the arrangements adopted, the leave was gradually paid into an internal solidarity scheme. For those receiving it, this was not merely a payroll balance: it was time. Time to be with loved ones, recover, or get through a difficult period without the added worry of financial strain.

Her decision also says something about our relationship with work. Many employees accumulate leave because they are afraid of running short, feel indispensable, or believe taking time away is almost inappropriate when a team is already operating under pressure. Let us be honest: hardly anyone thinks about their rest at the right time every day. Untaken leave then becomes a quiet reserve. When someone leaves, that reserve may, depending on the applicable rules, be paid out, lost or transferred. Martine chose to give it human value rather than only an accounting value.

Leave donation: a generous act that must follow clear rules

Before giving up any days, the first step is to contact human resources or staff representatives. In France, the donation of rest days is regulated, particularly to support a colleague who is the parent of a seriously ill child, an unpaid carer, or someone assisting a person who has lost independence or has a disability. A company may also provide a solidarity fund, a collective agreement or a time savings account, each with its own rules. It is important to establish which days can be donated, which are protected, and whether the donation must remain anonymous. Good intentions are best supported by careful preparation.

The most common mistake is assuming that every type of leave can be transferred freely, as though sending a colleague a message or document. That is not the case. Days making up the first four weeks of paid annual leave are generally protected, whereas the fifth week, RTT days or certain days held in a time savings account may be subject to different conditions. The rules vary between collective agreements and internal arrangements. A gesture of solidarity should never leave an employee in an uncomfortable financial or legal position. It is better to ask questions, even when they appear purely practical.

Martine asked for her name not to be routinely linked to the recipients. She did not want anyone to feel indebted to her, a precaution that reveals much about her thoughtfulness. As she told one colleague:

“I am not giving days so that people talk about me. I am giving them because I know what a working day means when life outside work becomes too heavy.”

Before committing, a few checks can prevent unpleasant surprises:

• request the detailed rules of the leave donation scheme;
• confirm which days can genuinely be transferred and their deadline for use;
• protect your own rest before making a donation;
• ensure the agreement is formally recorded in writing by the employer.

What this departure reveals about the place of rest at work

Martine’s gesture may be moving, but it also raises a more uncomfortable question: how can an employee reach retirement with 225 days of untaken leave? Behind that total often lies a culture of constant urgency, with ever-growing demands and understaffed teams. Going on holiday should not be treated as evidence of a lack of commitment. Rest safeguards health, concentration and relationships with others. Leave is not a luxury, nor is it a reward reserved for those who finally dare to take time off.

Her colleagues speak warmly of her because they remember her small acts more vividly than her tracking spreadsheets. The coffee made early in the morning, the note left on a desk after bad news, the quiet willingness to help. Donating leave days follows naturally from those habits. It does not turn a company into a family, nor should it be used to conceal an organisation’s shortcomings. Yet it is a reminder that work is also built on tangible human connections. A donated day may look abstract on a payslip; in a life thrown into upheaval, it becomes very real.

At a time when many employees are considering the end of their working lives, this story has a different resonance. Working until 70 remains a highly personal decision, connected to health, personal wishes, career history and often financial needs. Martine never presented her choice as a model for others to follow. She simply knew that she did not want to leave the company with her days sitting unused on an administrative line. Giving time, within the rules that apply, can sometimes be a way of passing on more than expertise. It encourages everyone to look at their own leave balance with a little less indifference.

Key point	Detail	Added value for the reader
225 days of leave	Martine chose to donate them when she retired.	Understand that a leave balance can become practical support.
A regulated donation	Transferable days and eligible recipients depend on the law, agreements and the company.	Avoid unnecessary steps or good-faith mistakes.
Rest remains essential	Building up leave over many years can reveal lasting workplace pressure.	Consider your own balance before the total becomes too burdensome.