BT staff offered a year off on 25% pay

BT is attempting to cut costs by allowing its workers to take one-year sabbaticals in return for 25% of their normal pay.

The telco is trialling the programme in group-level operations such as finance and communications, with a wider roll out planned.

Because BT wants to improve customer services, front-line staff will not be given the opportunity to take a sabbatical. A BT spokesman said, "It is not something that will be rolled out to all 106,000 staff."

He said the offer has already been taken up by some people but it is still early days.

"BT has a tradition of innovation for flexible working practices and is piloting a number of special leave options in order to reduce labour costs during these challenging economic times," said a BT statement.