Leave Management Glossary

Terms

Accrual

Earning leave gradually over the year, for example a fixed amount each month or pay period, so the available balance rises over time.

Blackout period

A defined window during which leave requests are restricted, used to protect critical business dates such as a peak season.

Carry-over (rollover)

Unused leave balance that moves from one cycle into the next, often with a cap and an expiry date so it does not accumulate indefinitely. Balance that is not carried over may be forfeited or paid out, depending on policy and jurisdiction. PTO payout calculator

Coverage rule

A minimum-staffing constraint per team that prevents approving a request which would leave the team below the required headcount on a given day.

Effective policy

The single policy that actually applies to an employee after inheritance is resolved across user, tag, team, department, and location.

Lump-sum (front-loaded)

Granting the full annual allowance at once, usually at the start of the year or on a work anniversary, so the entire balance is available immediately.

Proration

Adjusting an entitlement to a partial period, for example for a mid-year start or a part-time schedule, so the amount matches the time actually covered. Holiday entitlement calculator

Sick leave (sick pay)

Time off work due to illness, often paid. In the UK, eligible employees receive Statutory Sick Pay (SSP); in Germany, the employer pays full wages for the first six weeks (Lohnfortzahlung) before the health insurer's Krankengeld begins. Sick pay calculator

Statutory annual leave (holiday entitlement)

The legal minimum of paid holiday a worker must receive. In the UK this is 5.6 weeks a year (28 days for a five-day week, capped at 28); in Germany the statutory minimum is 20 working days for a five-day week under the BUrlG. Holiday entitlement calculator

Tag (replacement vs additive)

A segmentation label that adjusts policy for a group of people; in replacement mode it overrides the inherited policy, in additive mode it stacks extra days on top.

Tenure tier

Extra leave granted based on length of service, so longer-tenured employees receive a higher allowance under the same policy.

Use-it-or-lose-it

A policy where unused leave that is not taken by a deadline is forfeited rather than carried over or paid out. Several US states restrict or prohibit it for accrued vacation, in which case the balance must be paid out instead. PTO payout calculator

Waiting period

A delay after a grant or a new hire's start date before leave can be used, common with accrual models for new employees.