The Time Off Policy feature (under the Company menu) allows administrators to configure blackout dates that prevent employees from requesting time off during specific periods. This is highly useful for restricting time off during high-volume or crucial times, such as busy seasons, holidays, inventory periods, staffing shortages, or other critical business dates.

 

 

 

Step 1: Configure the Policy Groups

Before assigning a policy to employees, you must first create the policy groups and define the blackout dates.


Navigate to:

Company → Time Off Policy → Configure


To create a new group, select the Add button.

 

Adding a Time Off Policy Group

In the Add Time Off Policy Group screen, configure the following:

  • Code – Internal identifier for the policy group

  • Name – Name of the policy

  • Category(s) – Select the time off categories affected by the blackout dates

Select which benefit categories from the dropdown to apply the policy to

 

Once completed, press OK to save the group.


After saving, you will have the option to:

  • Edit

  • Delete

  • Duplicate

 

 

Step 2: Add Blackout Dates

After creating the group, the next step is to add the blackout dates.


To add blackout dates:

  • Expand the group by selecting the black arrow next to the policy group

  • Select Add

 

 

Adding Time Off Policy Details

In the Add Time Off Policy Detail screen:

  • Enter a name or description for the blackout period

  • Select the blackout date(s)

  • If the blackout should repeat yearly, enable the repeat option

  • Press OK to confirm

You can create multiple blackout periods within the same policy group as needed.

 

 

Step 3: Assign the Policy to Employees

Once the policy configuration is complete, the final step is assigning the policy to employees.


Navigate to:

Company → Time Off Policy → Assign


In the Time Off Policy Assignment screen:

  • Select the employees you want to assign the policy to

  • Choose the applicable Time Off Policy

  • Press Assign

The selected employees will now follow the configured blackout restrictions.

 

 

Employee Experience

When an employee attempts to request time off on a configured blackout date, the system will display a message indicating that the selected day is not eligible for time off. This helps ensure staffing coverage and prevents requests during restricted business periods.


 

 

Best Practices

  • Use clear policy names to identify blackout periods easily

  • Review policies yearly if using recurring blackout dates

  • Only apply categories that should truly be restricted

  • Communicate blackout periods to employees ahead of time to avoid confusion