Time-Off Request Policy Check

Request validated, manager approval routed, balance updated, calendars synced.

Before you start

Validate request basics — Confirm: dates make sense (not in the past, not absurdly distant), type matches options (vacation, sick, personal, bereavement), reason field if required. Reject malformed requests with a friendly note.
Check accrued balance — Pull employee's accrued PTO. Compare against requested days. If insufficient: flag for HR — some companies allow negative balance with manager approval, others don't.
Verify policy compliance — Check: minimum advance notice (e.g., 5 business days for non-emergency), blackout periods (busy seasons, major launches), maximum consecutive days. Auto-flag policy violations rather than processing.
Check team coverage — Look at the team's calendar during the requested dates. If multiple team members are out, flag for manager — might need to coordinate. Some teams have explicit 'no more than X out' rules.
Route to manager for approval — Send approval request to the manager with: dates, type, balance available, coverage status. Set 2-business-day SLA for response. Most requests are routine; fast turnaround respects employee planning.
Confirm and update calendars — On approval: deduct from PTO balance, add to calendar (out-of-office), notify employee. On denial: send polite explanation with reasoning. Don't ghost denials — explanation maintains trust.

Hard-gate balance check. Negative balance only with explicit policy permission and manager approval.

Documented backup approver. After 2 business days no response, auto-route to backup. Employee plans shouldn't wait on manager availability.

Every denial includes explanation. If denials feel unfair, raise with HR and possibly the manager's manager. Patterns matter.