Request Time Off

How do I request time off?

Purpose: This help guide will show you how to request time off in BambooHR. 

Table of Contents

Do you prefer hands-on learning? Our interactive guides will guide you through different aspects of your BambooHR experience. We have an interactive guide specifically designed to show you how to request time off. You can use the link below to access this guide. All you need to do is modify the "REPLACEME" with your BambooHR subdomain, and you can get started!

https://REPLACEME.bamboohr.com/home?pendo=BBdYOlMgIS2JivV2Q3Fk8gugffo

Watch this video to see how to request time off on the mobile app:

Home

Navigate Home to click Request Time Off in the Time Off widget.

Request time off

  1. Enter the date(s) of your time off request.
  2. Select a time off category.
  3. Enter an amount of time off. The amount will default to the default number of hours per day or one day if you track a time off category in days instead of hours. If a time off request is during a company holiday, the amount will automatically default to zero for that day.
  4. Enter a note regarding the request.
  5. The future balance list shows your balance amount for each time off category upon the first day of your request. Click the calendar icon to change the date to see your future balance as of a different date.
  6. Send your request for approval.

Click here to learn more about what happens to a request once you submit it.

Negative balance warning
Request Time Off

A warning will display if you attempt to request time off that will result in a negative balance. A warning will let you know what your available balance will be on the request's date and the result of a negative balance if you continue with the request.

What if my time off request spans over two calendar years?

The balance that you see on the Time Off tab is a running balance. It does not necessarily pertain to only one year. It looks at the estimated balances and totals at any given point in time. When you request time off before you accrued additional time off, it tells you that you will have a negative balance.

If your time off accruals begin yearly on January 1st and you request time off that spans the new year, it will give you a negative amount for your balance. However, the number subtracts from your balance when you accrue new time off on January 1st. Therefore, if you use all of your allotted time off in the current year, you will have a negative balance until you receive a new accrual.

Time off requests that span over the new year are broken down into the accrual preview and time off calculator. There is a line that shows the total time off taken before the new year, and another line shows the total taken after the new year or carryover date.  In the example below, Charlotte has requested 24 hours of Vacation time off from 12/30/2021 to 01/01/2022. The amount used in the year 2021 has its own line, and the remaining 8 hours used in the new year are also documented.

Negative carryover

BambooHR tracks a carryover into the new calendar year. A request that spans the new year gets treated the same as any other request. The entire amount will subtract from a time off balance on the first day of the request. The system will also differentiate between time off used before the carryover date and time off used after the carryover date. 

  1. Balance before the request.
  2. Balance subtraction of the requested amount that falls within the previous year.
  3. Balance with the negative carryover from the previous year.
  4. Balance subtraction of the requested amount that falls within the new year.
  5. Balance with the new accrual.