Improve your leave management

Key Considerations for Leave Management
Managing Annual Leave Requests Fairly
Balancing employee leave requests with business needs is crucial. Best practices include:
- Set a clear leave policy – Outline the notice period required for leave requests.
- Plan for peak leave periods – Encourage employees to submit requests well in advance.
- Apply a fair approval process – Use a first-come, first-served or rotational system to manage high-demand periods.
Understanding Public Holiday Pay Rules
Public holiday entitlements vary depending on an employee’s award or enterprise agreement. Key considerations:
- Employees who work on a public holiday may be entitled to penalty rates or a day in lieu.
- Employers cannot automatically refuse leave requests for public holidays but can negotiate alternative arrangements based on business needs.
- Part-time and casual employees’ entitlements depend on their usual rostered hours.
Not Working on Public Holidays
Employees should be given the choice to work on a public holiday or not.
Employers can request employees to work on a public holiday, but the request has to be reasonable.
An employee can refuse a request to work if the:
- Employee has reasonable grounds, or
- Request is unreasonable.
Managing Excessive Leave Balances
Large leave balances can create operational and financial risks. Employers can:
🔹 Encourage employees to take leave at quieter times to prevent burnout.
🔹 Direct employees to take leave in line with the Fair Work Act, provided you follow award or agreement requirements.
🔹 Offer incentives for planned leave, such as extra time off for employees who take leave during low-demand periods.
- Review your leave policy to ensure clarity and compliance.
- Communicate expectations early about public holiday rosters and peak leave periods.
- Encourage employees to plan their leave in advance to avoid last-minute disruptions.
- Ensure payroll and HR teams are across public holiday pay rules to avoid underpayment risks.
By planning ahead and applying a fair and structured approach, businesses can balance operational needs while supporting employees’ right to time off.
How can Businessary help you?
Find out more about any of the above or reach out to Lana Rajsic for a no obligation discussion by booking a time here.