Leave of absence
A leave of absence is an approved period away from work while employment continues, whether the time is paid, unpaid, or a mix of both.
Leave is a lifecycle state rather than a flag, so the record carries its own type, dates, benefit treatment, and payroll instructions. The record keeps expected and actual return dates apart, since missed return dates are a leave-quality measure worth watching. Leave touches schedule, time, payroll, benefits, system access, and manager visibility. A return from leave has to restore each of those states, not only the human resources status. You decide who qualifies under your policy and applicable law; a platform records that decision rather than making it.
How does leave reach payroll?
Leave reaches payroll in stages: request, approval, scheduled absence, actual leave taken, payroll earning, balance reduction, and any correction. Treating approved leave as automatically paid is a named timekeeping error. Balance, leave type, and the configured policy decide the payroll result.
| CASE | PAYROLL RESULT |
|---|---|
| Paid leave | Its own earning code, apart from regular, overtime, and premium hours |
| Holiday pay | Its own earning code, so the pay statement shows what kind of time was paid |
| Unpaid leave | Its own code; benefit deductions may go uncollected and have to be arranged or recovered under your policy |
| Approved request, no balance | An exception before payroll approval, not automatic pay |
General information, not legal or tax advice. Apply current federal and state rules with qualified guidance.