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.
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.
Key Definition: A leave request will be considered Unplanned if:
It is backdated (submitted after the leave date), or
It is for a future leave without meeting the required minimum advance day(s)
The above behaviours are linked to two fields in the Leave Type settings:
- Application for Future Leave – Sets the minimum number of days in advance that employees must apply for leave before the leave date.
- Application for Backdated Leave – Sets how far back employees are allowed to apply for leave.
For step-by-step guide to set up a leave type, refer here: Setting up Leave Type
1. Allow Unplanned Leave
Leave requests that do not meet the minimum days in advance or backdated within the maximum days allowed will be marked as Unplanned.
If the request meets the requirements, it is treated as regular leave, without the "unplanned" tag.
If it does not meet the requirements, a reminder prompt will appear, but the employee can still proceed by clicking Yes.
Backdated leave requests that exceeds 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 the backdated leave will be blocked.
If the request meets the requirements, it is treated as regular leave, without the "unplanned" tag.
If it does not meet the requirements, the system will not allow the request to be submitted.
Example: Annual, Marriage, Replacement Leave
Key Definition: A leave request will be considered Unplanned if:
It is backdated (submitted after the leave date), or
It is for a future leave without meeting the required minimum advance day(s)
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.
If the request meets the requirements, it is treated as regular leave.
However, if a backdated request goes beyond the maximum days allowed, the system will still block it from being submitted.
Example: Medical, Hospitalization, Maternity, Compassionate
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:
Option | Impact |
Allow Unplanned Leave | Request is marked as Unplanned but can still be submitted. |
Block Unplanned Leave | Request is blocked and cannot be submitted. |
Treat All as Normal Leave | Request is always treated as regular leave, except when it exceeds the maximum backdated limit, in which case it will be blocked. |
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.
We hope this explanation clarifies the matter. If you need any more help, please don't hesitate to contact our support team.
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