Annual leave booking policy

Annual leave requires effective management to ensure seamless service provision. This policy aims to ensure fair and equitable allocation of leave whilst ensuring service user needs continue to be met by the correct mix of skill, experience and gender.

The annual leave calendar commences on 1st April of any given year and managers will advise employees of their leave entitlement at the beginning of each year. This will be pro rata for part time or new starter employees and will be calculated in hours rather than days due to diverse shift patterns.

  1. Leave booking
  • Requests for leave must be submitted giving as much notice as possible to enable effective shift planning to occur. Ideally this will be a minimum of 4 but ideally 6 weeks in advance.
  • Leave must be requested on the approved format (see Appendix A).
  • Employeeswho do not submit leave requests will be allocated to available dates throughout the year.
  • The leave year is divided into 4 sections, Employeesare expected to request leave in each section throughout the calendar year and not go for long periods without a break.
  • To enable effective rest, employees are encouraged to book periods that amount to a week rather than ad hoc individual days.
  • Requests for leave over the Christmas and New Year period will not be authorised until the rota cover is completed and capacity can be established.
  • Please ensure flights hotels etc. for holidays are not booked until you have received written and signed authorisation from your manager. If this occurs you may have to cancel plans due to service needs and incur any associated financial penalties.
  • Please note that at times of high need, Christmas Eid, school holiday periods etc. priority consideration will be given to those employees who did not take those dates in previous years.
  • Leave over and above a 2 week period must be requested on the required format (Appendix B). This must not be requested in the premium holiday months June- September and the last 2 weeks of December unless for an identified one off special occasion.
  • All requests for extended leave will be given due consideration as to the impact on the business. An explanation will be given in writing where this has not beenapproved. Again priority will be given to employees who have not previously requested or taken extended leave.
  1. Leave recording
  • All leave must be authorised by a manager following checking by a team leader as to availability of dates etc.
  • Once authorised a copy of the signed request will be returned to the employee for their own reference.

Paper records per individual employee member will be kept in the manager’s office and entries made on a communal planner for ease of reference as to available dates for requests to be made. This will also be used to inform rota planning.

Please note there may also be additional training planned that can restrict availability for booking leave

  • All records will be updated on Mentor live at the end of each month.
  1. Cancellation of leave
  • If employees are aware of leave having to be cancelled they must inform the managers immediately and ask for the leave to be reallocated where possible.
  • There may be occasions when this is not possible due to service need or demand. In these circumstances the employee member will have to proceed with the pre booked leave.
  • In certain circumstances employee may be able to arrange a swap of dates with a colleague who is equitable in terms of grade, skill and knowledge. Any swaps must be fully discussed and approved by a manager prior to changes being made.
  1. Leave in an emergency
  • There may be isolated occasions where annual leave is needed in an emergency. This must be discussed and authorised by a manager giving as much notice as possible (out of hours via on call systems). If leave cannot be given there may be an option for unpaid emergency leave to be taken for up to 12 hours.
  • Request to retrospectively convert sickness to annual leave will not be authorised.

It is the individual employee responsibility to request leave. Managers will periodically remind employees of hours remaining to be booked.

Any leave not booked or taken at the year-end will be forfeited by the employee.

Appendix A

Annual leave record

YearName Grade allocated leave hours.

Please refer to annual leave booking policy for details on use and booking of leave requirements.

Date of request / Leave dates / No of days requested / Hours requested / Balance remaining / Authorised by
Manager (Jackie) / Reason for non-authorisation / Mentor record updated
Quarter 1 April to June
Quarter 2 July-September
Date of request / Leave dates / No of days requested / Hours requested / Balance remaining / Authorised by
Manager (Jackie) / Reason for non-authorisation / Mentor record updated
Quarter 3 October-December
Quarter 4 January to March

Copy to employee

Appendix B

Request for extended leave

Name Date of request

Dates requested / Duration / Number of shifts requested / Number of hours to be taken / Reason
From
To
Alternate dates to consider if above not authorised
From
to
What considerations have you given to the impact on the business if the request is granted?
Has the request been discussed with your line manager? What are their views?
Have you requested and taken extended leave previously? When and for how long?
What consideration have you given as to how you will have regular breaks during the rest of the year?

Authorised (circle as appropriate) YesNo state reason

Manager SignPrintDateCopy to employee and file

J Taylor 2014

Review Jan 2015