“花园休假”（Garden Leave）通常系指雇员被要求在正式离职前，提前一段时间通知雇主，由雇主选择是否启动“花园休假”条款，使雇员进入带薪休假（“照顾他们的花园”）的期间；或者由雇主主动选择启动“花园休假条款”使雇员进入带薪休假的期间。在此期间，雇员仍受雇于雇主，享受原工作报酬，并不得为竞争对手工作。

“花园休假”期间通常为30、60或90天，但也有120天或180天，一般情况下最长不超过180天。雇员则通常为对雇主的战略考虑有重要意义的高级管理人员。在“花园休假”期间，雇主一般可以通过事前约定的方式，使雇员承担以下义务：1、免除雇员积极作为其职责的义务；2、禁止或限制雇员他们出入其工作场所；3、防止雇员与雇主其他员工或（及）客户进行联系沟通；4、限制或切断该雇员继续获取雇主的计算机系统、电子邮件、其他文件等信息。

为了更好的理解该词，以下是其英文释义：Garden leave describes the practice whereby an employee leaving a job—having resigned or otherwise had their employment terminated—is instructed to stay away from work during the notice period, while still remaining on the payroll. This is used when an employee position is no longer needed during the notice period. To maintain the employee's non-compete clause, this practice is often used to prevent an employee from taking with them up-to-date (and perhaps sensitive) information when they leave their current employer, especially when they are very likely leaving to join a competitor.The term is in common use in banking and other financial employment in Britain, Australia and New Zealand. Sometimes, the practice is used to avoid lackadaisical work or sabotage by an uninterested or disaffected employee.

双语例句：

Employees continue to receive their normal pay during garden leave and must adhere to their conditions of employment, such as confidentiality and non-compete clause, at least until their notice period expires. A similar practice applies in the United States where an employee (typically a high-ranking executive) that is immediately relieved of responsibilities usually remains with the company as a consultant (special adviser) for the remainder of their contract, continuing to receive a salary and office during that period.

员工在花园休假期间仍可继续领取基本工资，且至少在其通知期到期之前必须遵守雇用条件（例如保密性和不竞争条款）。类似的做法也适用于美国，被即时解除职责的员工（通常是高级管理人员）通常在合同剩余期间只担任公司的顾问（特别顾问），并在此期间继续任职并领取薪水。

① Leave这个词一般解作“离去”，但法律上则用作为法庭的许可。

例：It is necessary to seek the Court’sleave to file a document out of time. 时限过后，必须得到法庭的许可才可以将文件存盘。

② garden leave指员工离开工作场所或在通知期内远程工作的一段时间。雇员仍在工资单上，并在终止雇佣的过程中，但既不允许去工作，也不允许在此期间开始任何其他雇佣。