A simple, fair process for requesting, approving and planning time off, so employees can rest and shifts stay covered.
Time off is one of the topics employees care about most and one of the easiest to get wrong. Requests that arrive by text, in person and on sticky notes get lost. Approvals that depend on who asked first, or who asked the manager directly, feel unfair. And approving too many requests for the same week leaves shifts uncovered or pushes the rest of the team into overtime.
With EZTime time-off requests, employees ask for PTO from their phone and managers approve it in one place.
A short written process solves most of this. It also helps managers, who no longer need to decide case by case under pressure. See our glossary entry on the time-off request for the basic definition.
Some absences are not optional for the employer to approve. Depending on your size and location, these can include FMLA leave, state paid sick leave, jury duty, voting time, military leave and disability accommodations. These should follow their own rules and must not be refused or counted as an unexcused absence simply because they do not fit the normal request process. Our FMLA guide covers one example. When in doubt, ask HR or an advisor before saying no.
When more people want the same days than you can release, the priority rule decides. Each approach has trade-offs:
| Rule | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| First come, first served | Simple and transparent | Favors people who plan far ahead; can lock up popular dates early |
| Seniority | Rewards long service | Newer employees may never get popular dates |
| Rotation | Fair over time | Needs a record of who had which dates in past years |
| Lottery for peak dates | Equal chance for everyone | Less predictable for employees |
Many businesses use first come, first served for normal dates and rotation for the busiest holidays. Whatever you choose, write it down and apply it the same way for everyone.
Approving time off is really a scheduling decision. Look at requests alongside the schedule for the same week, and consider part-time staff who want more hours before turning to overtime. Encourage employees to arrange shift swaps through the official process when their request cannot be approved. Plan for school holidays and summer early, since many requests cluster there.
Answer every request, even when the answer is no, and answer quickly. Silence is worse than a refusal because employees cannot plan. When you decline, explain the reason and suggest alternatives, such as nearby dates. When you approve, confirm in writing so there is no confusion later. Remind the team of blackout periods and holiday request deadlines a few weeks before they start.
Once a quarter, look at the data: how many requests were made, how many were declined and why, how long answers took and whether any weeks ended up short-staffed. If the same weeks are always over-requested, plan extra cover or set an earlier deadline. If declines are frequent in one team, check whether staffing levels there are realistic. Ask employees how the process feels; small changes, such as a faster answer, often make a big difference to morale.
Also watch for employees who rarely take time off. Unused leave can be a sign of workload pressure, and rested employees are more reliable. A gentle reminder before year end, especially if your policy has use-it-or-lose-it rules or caps, helps people plan.
In EZTime, employees request time off from the mobile app, managers see the request next to the schedule and who else is off, and approval updates the calendar automatically. Balances and absences are kept in one place, and reports are ready for payroll. Employees see the status of their requests without asking, which saves everyone time.
It is up to your policy. Many businesses ask for two weeks for short requests and longer for extended leave, with exceptions for emergencies and protected leave.
For regular PTO, usually yes, based on business needs and a consistent policy. Legally protected leave follows its own rules.
A period when time-off requests are limited, such as peak season. Announce it well in advance.
Apply the priority rule in your policy, such as first come, first served or rotation, and apply it consistently.
Yes. A written or app-based record avoids confusion and shows who requested what and when.
Most policies allow it with reasonable notice, but the manager may need to rebalance the schedule. State in your policy how cancellations work and whether the released shifts go back to the original employee.
Your policy and any state paid sick leave law decide this. Some employers let employees switch the day to sick leave; others do not. Write the rule down.
EZTime brings time-off requests, schedules and the time clock into one app.