Don't Get Caught Short-Handed This Summer: Set Your Employee Vacation Policies

06/02/08

While your employees are planning their summer vacations, you face the challenge of avoiding staff shortages and workflow problems that may occur if too many employees request time off for the same period. A clear, well-communicated vacation approval and scheduling policy may help keep your staff happier and your company running more smoothly year-round. ??If you haven't already done so, establish a time-off policy in writing. This policy should:

• Define service requirements for earning vacation time.

• Explain how much vacation time employees may earn each year, when it accrues, and how much (if any) may be carried forward for use in a future year.

• Clarify the treatment of unused vacation time upon separation of service.

• Specify how much advance notice is required for vacation requests.

• Establish how conflicting requests are prioritized, such as by seniority or staff-wide rotation.

• Spell out any other parameters on vacation-time usage, such as how much time off may be taken at once or restrictions on taking vacations during certain times of the year. ???No matter what your vacation policy is, you still need to keep accurate records of each employee's yearly vacation usage just as you do compensation and other benefits. G.Neil can help you organize this information easily with our Vacation Request & Approval Forms.