Leave Types
How to configure and manage the different categories of leave available in your organization.
Leave Types define the categories of time off that employees can request. Each leave type has its own set of rules governing how many days are available, whether the leave is paid, and what documentation is required. Configuring leave types correctly is essential for accurate leave management and payroll processing.
Navigation: HR > Leave > Leave Types
Default Leave Types
TransportechAI comes with several commonly used leave types pre-configured. You can customize these or create additional types to match your organization's leave policy.
| Leave Type | Paid | Typical Allocation | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Leave | Yes | 20-30 days/year | Standard vacation days for rest and personal time |
| Sick Leave | Yes | 10-15 days/year | Time off due to illness or medical appointments |
| Unpaid Leave | No | No limit | Leave without pay, subject to manager approval |
| Maternity Leave | Yes | 45-90 days | Leave for employees giving birth (duration varies by jurisdiction) |
| Paternity Leave | Yes | 3-5 days | Leave for employees whose partner is giving birth |
| Bereavement Leave | Yes | 3-5 days | Leave following the death of a close family member |
| Emergency Leave | Yes | 3 days/year | Unplanned leave for urgent personal situations |
The default leave types and allocations shown above are starting points. Your organization should configure these values to match your employment contracts and local labor regulations.
Viewing Leave Types
The Leave Types page displays a table of all configured leave types:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | The name of the leave type |
| Code | A short code used for internal reference (e.g., AL, SL, UL) |
| Paid / Unpaid | Whether this leave type is paid or unpaid |
| Default Allocation | The standard number of days allocated per year for this type |
| Requires Attachment | Whether employees must attach supporting documents when requesting this leave |
| Allow Negative Balance | Whether employees can request this leave even if their balance is zero |
| Status | Whether the leave type is currently Active or Inactive |
Creating a New Leave Type
To add a new leave type:
- Click Add Leave Type at the top-right of the page.
- Fill in the configuration fields:
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | Display name for the leave type (e.g., "Study Leave") |
| Code | Yes | A unique short code (e.g., "STL") -- used in reports and exports |
| Description | No | A brief explanation of when this leave type should be used |
| Paid | Yes | Toggle whether this leave is paid or unpaid |
| Default Allocation | Yes | The number of days each employee receives annually for this type |
| Requires Attachment | No | Toggle whether employees must upload a document (e.g., medical certificate) |
| Allow Negative Balance | No | Toggle whether employees can go below zero on their balance |
| Allow Half Day | No | Toggle whether employees can request half-day leave for this type |
| Carryover Allowed | No | Toggle whether unused days can carry over to the next year |
| Max Carryover Days | Conditional | If carryover is allowed, the maximum number of days that can be carried forward |
| Applicable To | No | Restrict this leave type to specific departments or roles (leave empty to apply to all) |
- Click Save to create the leave type.
Once employees have submitted requests against a leave type, changing its paid/unpaid setting may affect historical payroll data. If you need to change this setting, do so at the beginning of a new payroll period and communicate the change to affected employees.
Editing a Leave Type
To modify an existing leave type:
- Click on the leave type row in the table.
- Update the fields you need to change.
- Click Save to apply the changes.
Changes to the following fields take effect immediately:
| Field | Impact of Change |
|---|---|
| Name / Description | Display only -- no impact on existing requests |
| Requires Attachment | Only applies to new requests going forward |
| Allow Negative Balance | Only applies to new requests going forward |
| Default Allocation | Only applies to new allocations -- existing employee balances are not retroactively adjusted |
Deactivating a Leave Type
If a leave type is no longer needed:
- Open the leave type detail.
- Toggle the Status to Inactive.
- Click Save.
Deactivating a leave type means:
- Employees can no longer submit new requests for this type
- Existing approved requests remain unaffected
- Existing balances are preserved but frozen
- The leave type will not appear in the request form dropdown
Deactivating is preferred over deleting. Deactivated leave types retain their historical data, which is important for reporting and compliance audits. Only deactivate leave types -- do not delete them.
Leave Type Rules
When configuring leave types, consider these policy questions:
| Question | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Is the leave paid or unpaid? | Set the Paid toggle |
| How many days per year? | Set the Default Allocation |
| Can employees take half days? | Set the Allow Half Day toggle |
| Is a doctor's note required? | Set the Requires Attachment toggle |
| Can employees go into negative balance? | Set the Allow Negative Balance toggle |
| Do unused days carry over? | Set the Carryover Allowed toggle and Max Carryover Days |
| Who is eligible? | Use the Applicable To field to restrict by department or role |
Best Practices
- Align with labor law -- Ensure your leave types and allocations meet the minimum requirements set by local labor regulations.
- Use clear names -- Name leave types in a way that is self-explanatory to employees (e.g., "Annual Leave" is clearer than "AL Type 1").
- Keep codes short and consistent -- Short codes (2-4 characters) make reports and exports easier to read.
- Review annually -- At the start of each year, review your leave types to ensure they still reflect your organization's policies and any regulatory changes.
- Communicate changes -- When you add or modify a leave type, notify all affected employees so they understand their options.