Time off rules: 8 settings that keep rosters fair

Key takeaways

• Set a yearly accrual cap so further accrual stops at that limit.
• Set minimum notice and a minimum duration, a maximum duration, or both.
• Set how many people can be off at once by team or location.
• Use an unavailability window: staff can view availability but cannot add, edit, or remove unavailability.

Cloud-based software means the online scheduling is accessible by your staff from any device using the scheduling app in real time, according to Homebase.

How to set time off rules in scheduling apps

Set accrual rates and yearly limits in Connecteam to control balance growth. Define minimum notice periods and duration limits in Connecteam to manage request timing. Use Deputy to set concurrent off limits by team or location. While the Connecteam window applies, users can view availability but cannot add, edit, or remove an unavailability for those dates. Check Oregon BOLI rules for written schedule notice if you employ 500+ staff in covered industries.

Eight specific settings determine whether your roster holds together when staff request time off. The first is the accrual rate, which defines how much balance an employee earns per hour worked. The second is the accrual limit, a yearly accrual cap that stops further accrual once that yearly limit is reached. The third is the notice period, the minimum days required before a request is approved. The fourth is the duration limit, a minimum duration, a maximum duration, or both. The fifth is the waiting period, the time a new employee must wait before submitting a time-off request. The sixth is the negative balance rule, which determines if employees can use future accruals. The seventh is the unavailability window, a period when employees can still view availability but cannot add, edit, or remove unavailability for those dates. The eighth is the concurrent limit, the maximum number of employees who can be off at the same time.

Homebase notes that 85% of customers rated the platform as extremely easy to use, helping teams stay organized with less manual admin, according to Homebase. When you set these parameters, you create a consistent framework that applies to every shift on the calendar. This consistency reduces the need for manual overrides and last-minute fixes.

For related guidance on managing employee hours, see Timesheet approval and edit rules for 5 apps.

Accrual and balance settings

Accrual rules define how much time off staff earn based on hours worked. In the Starting Guide to Time Off, Connecteam provides an example where employees with more than one year of service accrue 2 days for every 150 hours worked, while those with less than one year accrue 1 day for every 150 hours worked. This tiered approach allows managers to adjust earning rates based on tenure. When configuring this in your scheduling app, ensure the hours threshold aligns with your actual payroll cycles to maintain accurate balances.

Beyond the rate, you must decide on the ceiling for these balances. Connecteam advises deciding whether to set a yearly accrual limit, which stops employees from accruing time off once they reach that specific yearly cap. Setting this limit prevents balances from growing indefinitely, which can simplify long-term planning and reduce the financial impact of unused leave. If you choose not to set a limit, balances will continue to accumulate as long as employees meet the accrual criteria.

Managing what happens when an employee requests more time than they have is another critical setting. Connecteam instructs you to set the negative balance limit, which defines the maximum number of days employees can request when they do not have enough balance. This setting acts as a guardrail, allowing you to permit shortfalls up to a certain number of days while preventing excessive debt. For instance, if you set this limit to 2 days, an employee with a zero balance can request up to 2 days of time off, but any request exceeding that amount would be restricted by the system.

Different business structures may require different accrual models. Deputy offers the option to set up a casual accrual policy at one hour for every 30 hours worked. This specific ratio is useful for businesses with a high proportion of casual staff. Additionally, Deputy allows you to create a paid company day for a team anniversary or add a specific policy for sickness, parental leave, or anything else your business needs. This flexibility ensures that your time off rules can accommodate various types of leave beyond standard vacation days.

When configuring these settings, consider how each rule interacts with your specific workforce composition. A tiered accrual rate based on tenure, as described by Connecteam, requires you to track employee start dates accurately. Similarly, the casual accrual policy mentioned by Deputy applies specifically to casual employees, so you must ensure your staff are correctly categorized in your system. The negative balance limit from Connecteam is a protective measure that you can adjust based on your cash flow and staffing needs.

Notice and duration constraints

Configuring notice and duration constraints prevents last-minute schedule changes and ensures request lengths align with operational needs. Connecteam’s help center, titled "Starting Guide to Time Off | HELP CENTER," outlines specific settings for these parameters. You can set the minimum notice period required for time-off requests, according to Connecteam. This setting defines how many days or hours an employee must wait before their request is processed. By establishing this threshold, you control the lead time for staffing adjustments. The same source explains that you can set the minimum and/or maximum duration limits for time-off requests, according to Connecteam. A maximum duration caps request length and a minimum duration sets the shortest request allowed. You may choose to enforce a minimum duration, a maximum duration, or both, depending on your operational requirements. Additionally, the guide notes that you can define a waiting period for new employees before they can submit time-off requests, according to Connecteam. This waiting period applies specifically to new hires, allowing them to accrue balance or complete onboarding before accessing the time-off request feature. Implementing this rule ensures that new staff members adhere to the same policy framework as existing employees from the start.

When configuring these settings, consider how they interact with your accrual rules. A strict notice period may require longer lead times for complex shifts, while duration limits may need to vary by role. For example, a manager might require 14 days' notice for a week-long absence, while a part-time staff member might only need 48 hours. Duration is a minimum and/or maximum request length, which helps maintain roster stability. The waiting period for new employees acts as a gatekeeper, ensuring that recent hires understand the policy before making requests. These three settings work together to create a structured environment for time-off management. By defining these constraints clearly in your scheduling app, you reduce administrative back-and-forth and ensure that all requests meet operational standards.

Unavailability and blocking windows

Managing when staff can mark themselves off is as important as managing when they are actually off. Two distinct approaches exist: a time-based lockout in Connecteam and a concurrent off limit in Deputy.

Connecteam: the unavailability window

Connecteam offers a specific rule called the "unavailability window." This setting controls the period during which employees are restricted from changing their availability status. According to Connecteam, when this window applies, users can still view their availability, but they cannot add, edit, or remove an unavailability for those dates.

You can use this to freeze availability changes during critical periods, such as the final days before a shift is posted or during high-volume seasons. The key constraint is the timing: the restriction is based on the dates falling within the active window. If a date is outside the window, the standard ability to add, edit, or remove unavailability remains available. If it is inside the window, the view-only restriction applies.

To configure this, you define the window’s start and end conditions. The restriction prevents adding, editing, or removing unavailability for dates when the window applies.

Deputy: concurrent off limits

Deputy sets how many people can be off at once, by team or location. According to Deputy, the platform addresses the question: "Can employees set regular days they are not available?"

Deputy provides a team-level control. According to Deputy, you can "Set how many people can be off at once, by team or location." This is a concurrent off limit. It does not block individual availability entries but rather caps the number of approved time-off requests that can overlap within a specific group or site.

This setting is distinct from the individual unavailability window. The concurrent limit handles the aggregate number of people off simultaneously.

Practical application

When configuring these settings, consider the difference between blocking changes and limiting approvals. The Connecteam window prevents employees from altering their availability status during a set period. The Deputy concurrent limit restricts how many employees can be approved for time off at the same time.

For a small business, you might use the Connecteam window to prevent last-minute availability changes before a shift is finalized. You might use the Deputy concurrent limit to ensure you never have more than a certain number of staff off on a busy day. These are different controls with different purposes. One manages the timing of availability edits; the other manages the volume of simultaneous time-off approvals.

A filled reference table for time off settings

The following table maps the eight core time off rules to their specific configuration details as documented by the respective platforms. Each row identifies the rule, the publisher that defines it, and the exact setting available in their system.

Illustrative example: one busy day

A team of 10 allows 2 people off at once. If 3 request the same day, only 2 are off. Illustrative accrual is 1 day for every 150 hours in year 1, then 2 days for every 150 hours. A balance of 0 with a negative limit of 2 covers 2 days, not 3. Notice is 14 days. Duration is 1 to 5 days. New staff wait 30 days. On 8 window dates, staff can view availability but cannot add, edit, or remove unavailability.

Written schedule notice in Oregon

Consider external legal requirements that may apply to your location. For example, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) states that the employer must provide an employee with a work schedule, in writing, at least 14 calendar days before the first day on the schedule, according to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI). Keep this jurisdiction-specific rule in mind when setting your target notice period for covered Oregon retail, hospitality, or food-service employers with 500 or more employees worldwide. Do not assume this 14-day requirement applies to all US states or all industries.

Do this today

Today, review your current time off policy and identify which accrual and notice settings need to be configured in your scheduling app. See also timesheet approval and edit rules.

FAQ: how to set employee time off rules in scheduling apps

How do I set the accrual rate for time off in Connecteam?

According to Connecteam, you can configure accrual rates based on tenure. For example, employees who have been with the company for more than one year may accrue 2 days for every 150 hours worked. Employees with less than one year at the company accrue 1 day for every 150 hours worked.

What is the minimum notice period required for time-off requests?

You can define how far in advance staff must request leave. According to Connecteam, the platform allows you to set the minimum notice period required for time-off requests. This setting helps you manage staffing levels before shifts are posted.

Can employees set regular days they are not available in Deputy?

According to Deputy, the system handles the question of whether employees can set regular days they are not available.

How does the unavailability window work in Connecteam?

This setting restricts editing permissions during specific periods. According to Connecteam, when the window applies, users can still view their availability. However, they cannot add, edit, or remove an unavailability for those dates.

What is the rule for providing a written work schedule in Oregon?

Oregon has specific predictive scheduling requirements for covered retail, hospitality, or food-service employers with 500 or more employees worldwide. According to Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), the employer must provide an employee with a work schedule, in writing, at least 14 calendar days before the first day on the schedule.