Unplanned Leave Behavior

When setting up a leave type, you’ll find the Unplanned Leave Behavior section under Employee Self Service. This article explains each behavior in detail.

For step-by-step guide to set up a leave type, refer here: Setting up Leave Type

The above behaviors are linked to two fields in the Leave Type settings:

• Application for Future Leave – the minimum number of days in advance that employees must apply for leave before the leave date.
• Application for Backdated Leave – how far back employees are allowed to apply for leave.

Before we continue with the different options, it is essential to understand how the system defines Unplanned Leave. This definition is fundamental for correctly applying and interpreting leave settings.

A leave request will be considered Unplanned if:

• It is backdated (submitted after the leave date), or

• It is for a future leave that submitted less than the minimum advance day(s)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Explanation of 3 Unplanned Behaviors
• Example of Backdated and Future Leave Application
   

Explanation of 3 Unplanned Behaviors:

1. Allow Unplanned Leave

Leave requests within the minimum advance notice period or within the maximum allowable backdated days will be labelled as "Unplanned".

• Example: Disaster, Emergency Leave

• If request doesn't meet the requirements, a short notice alert will appear, but employee can still proceed by clicking Yes.

• Backdated leave requests that exceed the maximum days back will still be blocked and cannot be submitted.

2. Block Unplanned Leave

Leave requests that do not meet the minimum days in advance will be blocked by the system. All backdated leave will not be allowed.

• Example: Annual, Marriage, Replacement Leave.

• The maximum days back is greyed out as backdated applications are not permitted.

• Employee must submit future leave requests at least the required minimum days in advance for the system to allow submission.

3. Treat all as Normal Leave

All leave requests will be treated as regular leave, and the system will not label short notice requests as Unplanned.

• Example: Medical, Hospitalization, Maternity, Compassionate

• The minimum days in advance field will be greyed out, allowing employees to apply for short notice leave.

• However, backdated leave requests that exceed the maximum days back will still be blocked and cannot be submitted.

If a leave request falls within the short-notice period defined in Application for Future Leave or Application for Backdated Leave, the system behaves as follows:

Therefore, admins should set the Unplanned Leave Behavior according to the company’s leave policy and the nature of the leave type.

For example, strict notice periods might be important for annual leave planning, while compassionate or medical leave may require more flexibility.

Example of Backdated and Future Leave Application

In this example, this is the information:

• Reference date: 19 September (today)

• Advance days: min 3 days in advance

• Backdated leave: max 3 days back

• Exclude rest day, off day, and holiday from leave taken
  
  

This means:

• Future leave → Applications must be submitted at least 3 days in advance.
• Backdated leave → Applications can only go back up to 3 days from today.

(Click to see enlarged view)

(Click to see enlarged view)

Result

1. Allow unplanned leave

Backdated leave → Applications can only go back up to 3 days from today.

• Max 3 days back: Backdated leaves on 12 Sept, 17 Sept, 18 Sept are labelled as unplanned.

• Exceeds 3 days: Backdated leave on 11 Sept is blocked by the system.

Future leave → Applications must be submitted at least 3 days in advance.

• Less than 3 days in advance: Future leaves on 19 Sept, 22 Sept, 23 Sept are labelled as unplanned.

• More than 3 days in advance: Application is allowed as regular leave.

2. Block unplanned leave

Backdated leave → All backdated leave is unplanned leave; the system blocks the application.

Future leave → Applications that are submitted less than 3 days in advance are considered unplanned.

• Less than 3 days in advance: Future leaves on 19 Sept, 22 Sept, 23 Sept will be blocked by the system.

• More than 3 days in advance: Application is allowed as regular leave.

3. Treat all as normal leave

Backdated leave → All backdated leaves within the maximum 3-day requirement (12 Sept, 17 Sept, 18 Sept) can be submitted.

• Backdated leave applies beyond the maximum days set in the application for backdated days will be blocked.
  
  

Future leave → All future leaves can be submitted. 

We hope this explanation clarifies the matter. If you need any more help, please don't hesitate to contact our support team.