What is a time-off request form?

Online time-off request forms allow employees to submit their requests to take time off of work electronically. These forms consolidate all the necessary information for human resources (HR) to approve or deny a time-off request onto one form, eliminating the need for back-and-forth communication.

Electronic time-off request forms offer employees and HR a quick and easy way to streamline the PTO process while still tracking each request. These forms allow employees to submit requests easily, accurately, and in a timely manner, and they open up communication between HR, management, and employees.

Why do employees need to use a time-off request form?

Employees use time-off request forms to create an official record of their requests. When employees take time off, it often impacts their teammates as well as timelines and workflows. Giving employees the ability to submit a formal request helps HR track requests and update payroll, scheduling, and resource allocation information accordingly.

These forms also eliminate word-of-mouth agreements that lead to misunderstandings or miscommunication by formalizing and documenting each request. Having a trackable form helps HR calculate the remaining time off an employee has — keeping both employees and managers informed and accountable.

What are the key components of a time-off request form?

Every time-off request form requires some key components to ensure accuracy and consistency. Most time-off request forms include the following fields:

• Employee name
• Employee contact information (e.g., email, phone number)
• Requested days/hours off
• Total number of hours off requested
• Reason for request
• Request type (e.g., PTO, sick time, jury duty, etc.)
• Approval/denial date
• Approval/denial checkboxes
• Signature box

The main purpose of time-off requests is to keep track of how many work hours an employee will be off work. However, including these key details also allows HR and management to make informed decisions on whether to approve such a request.

Who should use a time-off request form?

Time-off request forms are useful for anyone working for a business or organization and needs time away from work. These forms apply to any time-off request, regardless of the individual’s position. Even the CEO of a company should submit an official time-off request for tracking and scheduling purposes.

In a business, the key users of these forms include

• Employees who are requesting time off
• Managers who need to approve the requests
• HR team members

These categories will overlap if an HR employee or manager requests time off. Essentially, anyone who needs time off should use one of these request forms.

What types of information should employees include in a time-off request form?

Filling out all the required information on your time-off request form is crucial for ensuring your manager and HR department have an accurate understanding of your time off. But the most important information revolves around the exact details of your leave, specifically

• How long you plan to be gone (days, hours, etc.)
• What type of time-off request you’re submitting
• Why you need the time off
• Your employee information, potentially including your department and your manager’s name

This information will alert HR and your manager(s) to the urgency of your request and the exact details of your absence. This allows your team to adjust schedules, resources, and workflows to accommodate your time off.

How do you respectfully request time off?

Respectfully asking for time off involves considering the impact of your absence on your team. Be sure to do the following to ensure your time-off request doesn’t create any frustration:

• Check your company calendar to ensure you’re not leaving your team without the help they need. Consider providing a plan for how you’ll set your team up for success before you leave or provide reassurance that everything will be taken care of, preventing any disruption of workflows.
• Ask, don’t tell. Don’t seem forceful in your request. You’re asking others to accommodate your schedule, so be considerate of how it will impact them.
• Ask early, not last minute. Loop your manager in earlier to make sure your request doesn’t catch them off guard. The more lead time you give your team, the more likely your manager will accept your request.
• Make sure your request aligns with your company’s time-off policy. Ensure you have enough available PTO, rather than asking to borrow time.

Taking these points into consideration will set you up for success and ensure others will view your request as respectful and reasonable.