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๐Ÿ–๏ธ Time Off for Employees: How to Request and See Your Balance

This guide walks you through everything you need to know to request time off and manage your balance as an employee.

Irene Itimad Parkinson Sรกnchez avatar
Written by Irene Itimad Parkinson Sรกnchez
Updated over 2 weeks ago

๐Ÿ‘‹ Introduction

The Time Off feature in Aboard makes it easy to request vacation days, sick leave, and other types of time off. You can view your available balance, submit requests for approval, and track their status through an intuitive calendar interface.


๐Ÿš€ Getting Started

๐Ÿ” Accessing Time Off Features

You can access time-off features from your employee portal in several ways:

  1. Main Dashboard: Look for the "Request time off" button and time-off widgets.

  2. Direct Calendar Access: Go straight to your time-off calendar view.

๐Ÿ“Š Understanding Your Dashboard Widgets

Your dashboard displays several time-off-related widgets:

  • Quick Request Button: Tap "Request time off" for fast access to the form.

  • Pending Requests: See any requests awaiting approval (e.g., โ€œ1 pending time-off requestโ€).

  • Vacation Plans: Request vacation days within an active vacation plan.

  • Upcoming Time Off: Shows any upcoming leave periods.


๐Ÿงฎ Viewing Your Time-Off Balance

๐Ÿ“… Accessing the Calendar View

  1. Click on the Time Off icon in the navigation menu.

  2. A monthly calendar will open with your balance shown on the right.

๐Ÿงพ Understanding Your Balance Display

Each policy your company has set up (like vacation or sick leave) appears with:

  • Days taken and current balance (e.g., โ€œ0 Days taken, 24.9 Current balanceโ€)

  • Policies vary depending on your company's setup

  • Common examples include:

    • ๐ŸŒด Vacation

    • ๐Ÿ’Š Sick leave

    • ๐Ÿ“† Personal days

    • ๐ŸŽ–๏ธ Half days

๐Ÿ” Viewing Detailed Balance Information

To see more details for any policy:

  1. Click "View [Policy Name] details"

  2. A detailed view will open showing:

    • ๐Ÿ”„ Cycle period (e.g., Apr 1, 2024 โ€“ Mar 31, 2025)

    • ๐Ÿ“‰ Closing balance

    • ๐ŸŽ Allowance for the cycle

    • ๐Ÿ”„ Carryover from previous periods

    • โœ๏ธ Manual adjustments

    • โœ… Total taken


โœ๏ธ Requesting Time Off

๐Ÿ–ฑ๏ธ Method 1: Using the Request Button

  1. Click the "Request time off" button from your dashboard or calendar.

  2. The request form will open.

๐Ÿ“… Method 2: Clicking on Calendar Dates

  1. Go to the Time Off calendar.

  2. Click any date you want to request.

  3. The request form will open with the date pre-filled.

๐Ÿ“ Filling Out the Request Form

The form includes the following fields:

1๏ธโƒฃ Policy Selection

  • Click "Select policy" to choose the type of time off

  • Your company may offer:

    • ๐ŸŒด Vacation / Annual Leave

    • ๐Ÿ’Š Sick Leave

    • ๐Ÿ“† Personal Days

    • ๐ŸŽ–๏ธ Half Day

    • ๐Ÿ•Š๏ธ Bereavement Leave

    • ๐Ÿ‘ถ Parental Leave

    • Other custom policies with unique names and icons

2๏ธโƒฃ Date Range

  • From: Start date

  • To: End date

  • Use the date pickers to select your range

3๏ธโƒฃ Duration Options

  • Select Full day or other durations (if your company supports it)

4๏ธโƒฃ Comment (Optional)

  • Add context for your manager if needed

โœ… Submitting Your Request

  1. Review the summary: "Requesting X day(s)"

  2. Click "Request" to submit

  3. Or click "Cancel" to make changes

โš ๏ธ Note: The request button stays disabled until a policy is selected.


๐Ÿ”„ Understanding Request Status

๐ŸŸก Status Types

Your request can have one of these statuses:

  • ๐ŸŸก Pending โ€“ Waiting for manager approval

  • โœ… Approved โ€“ Approved by your manager

  • โŒ Declined โ€“ Not approved

  • ๐Ÿ” Cancelled โ€“ Cancelled by you or your manager

๐Ÿ“– Viewing Request History

Your calendar shows all requests by month:

๐ŸŸจ Current and Upcoming

  • Pending and future requests are grouped by month (e.g., โ€œJune 2026โ€)

๐Ÿ“š Past Requests

  • Each entry includes:

    • Emoji

    • Type

    • Dates

    • Duration (e.g., 2d, 0.5d)


๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Calendar Features

๐Ÿ” Monthly Navigation

  • Use "Previous month" and "Next month" links

  • The current month and year are always visible

๐Ÿ‘€ Visual Indicators

  • โœ… Your time off: Shows as highlighted dates on the calendar

  • ๐Ÿ‘ฅ Colleague time off: Shows with names and profile pictures

  • ๐Ÿ“… Clickable dates: Start new requests easily

๐Ÿ”— Calendar Subscription

  • Click "Subscribe to calendar" to sync with apps like Google Calendar or Outlook


๐Ÿ’ก Best Practices and Tips

๐Ÿงญ Planning Your Time Off

  1. โœ… Check your balance before requesting

  2. ๐Ÿ“œ Review company policies for restrictions or notice periods

  3. ๐Ÿ‘ฅ Check team availability to avoid conflicts

  4. ๐Ÿ—“๏ธ Plan with cycle periods in mind

๐Ÿ“ฌ Managing Requests Effectively

  1. ๐Ÿ•“ Submit early to avoid delays

  2. ๐Ÿ—จ๏ธ Add a comment if needed

  3. ๐Ÿ” Check for overlaps with others' time off

  4. ๐Ÿ“จ Follow up on long-pending requests

๐Ÿ”„ Understanding Carryover

  • Some policies allow unused days to carry over

  • Check your detailed balance to see if this applies

  • Be aware of โ€œuse it or lose itโ€ rules


โ“ Common Questions and Troubleshooting

๐Ÿ’ญ Q: Why canโ€™t I submit my request?

A: You must select a policy before the "Request" button activates.

๐Ÿ“Š Q: How do I know how much time I have left?

A: Check the time-off calendar balance or click "View [Policy] details".

โฑ๏ธ Q: Can I request partial days?

A: Only if your company supports it. Ask your HR team for details.

๐Ÿ“‹ Q: Whatโ€™s the difference between request types?

A: Each policy may differ in:

  • Approval steps

  • Allowances

  • Carryover rules

  • Usage limits

๐Ÿ” Q: How do I cancel a request?

A: Click the request in your calendar or history to access cancellation options.

๐Ÿงฉ Q: Why don't I see a policy others have?

A: Policies may differ by team, role, or contract. Reach out to HR if needed.

โŒ› Q: What happens to unused time off?

A: It may carry over or expire โ€” check the detailed balance view.


๐Ÿ†˜ Getting Help

If you need support:

  1. ๐Ÿ“˜ Check your companyโ€™s HR policies

  2. ๐Ÿ‘” Ask your manager about approvals

  3. ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿ’ผ Reach out to HR for questions or issues

  4. ๐Ÿ”— Visit the Help Center from your company menu

โœจ Remember: time-off policies and approval flows can vary, so when in doubt, check with your HR team!

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