Vacation Request Forms

Most U.S. employers require that employees schedule vacations in advance using vacation request forms. The form provides an objective record of the dates the employee is requesting off, and when they made the request. Many employers can only approve a few vacation requests for a particular week, to ensure that their businesses are adequately staffed.

Vacation request forms are critical for U. S. employers who provide their employees with paid or unpaid time off. They’re a great way to keep track of approved vacations and prevent disagreements between employees regarding who requested a holiday week off first.

The vacation request forms allow employers to track employee vacation requests. A vacation calendar is also convenient, to get an overview of staffing.

U.S. law does not require paid vacation time. The Fair Labor Standards Act, which established minimum wage and overtime provisions, includes no mention of vacation or holiday time. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “Employers don’t have to pay employees for time off.”

In fact, U.S. employers don’t even have to offer unpaid vacation time. Vacation policies are strictly voluntary for employers, but many offer it as a benefit to attract and keep top quality employees.

If employers do offer vacation pay, then they must apply the vacation rules fairly, based on the employee handbook or written policies. Employers who administer vacation policies unfairly run the risk of lawsuits by disgruntled employees.

Some employers choose to shut down operations entirely for a week or longer, giving every employee vacation at the same time. This is most common in restaurants and factories, but may occur in other businesses such as a dental practice. In a few states, including New Hampshire, employees who are forced to take unpaid time off during such a closure are entitled to unemployment insurance. On the other hand, the state of Georgia specifically prohibits employees in unpaid vacation closures from collecting unemployment insurance payments.