Fritz:
My guess is that the response you will get to your request for an extended leave is entirely dependent on 1) how hard it would be for your employer to replace you, and how much they want to keep you, and; 2) what the cultural norms are in your country concerning employees taking long periods of time off.
I don't think employment law (labour legislation) would really have much to do with it at all, because as long as you and the employer reach a mutual agreement, you can do what you want.
For example: An aircraft pilot who asks their employer for an extended leave of absence now (Feb 2002) would probably get whatever they wanted, because there is a surplus of these employees at the moment, but the airlines know they will eventually need them back, and it's very expensive to bring in new hires. However, someone whose skills are very much in demand at the moment, in an industry where it is easy to find replacement workers, might not get as warm a reception to their request.
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