A leave schedule is a document—paper or digital—that outlines working hours, rest days, and employee leave periods. It can take the form of a calendar or a table, essential for managing workforce availability. Schedules can be created manually in Excel or automatically using HR software, which simplifies the process and ensures compliance with labor laws.
The first step in planning leave is understanding operational needs. Depending on your sector, some periods will have higher demand, such as retail during the holiday season or hospitality during summer. Identifying these peak times helps anticipate staffing requirements.
If multiple leave requests arrive for the same busy period, business needs take priority. To maintain fairness, companies should communicate clear policies and propose alternative dates when refusals are necessary.
Before scheduling leave, companies must define and communicate their leave and rest day policy. This policy should cover:
All employees must receive this information in writing.
Employers are free to choose between paper schedules or digital versions. What matters is clarity—the schedule must be easy to read to avoid misinterpretation that could lead to unplanned absences.
Using HR software simplifies this process. Employees can access their real-time schedule at any moment, and changes can be applied automatically without confusion.
Employers must follow both labor laws and industry collective agreements when managing leave. Paid leave entitlement applies regardless of contract type (CDI, CDD, temporary) or work hours (full-time or part-time).
A company agreement usually defines the official leave period. In the absence of such an agreement, the sectoral collective agreement applies.
If no collective rule exists, the employer sets the leave period after consulting employee representatives. This period may cover the whole year or only certain months. However, it must include the legal leave period from May 1 to October 31. The final schedule must be communicated to staff at least one month in advance.
Employees who work a full year accrue 30 working days of paid leave, equivalent to 5 weeks. The accrual rate is 2.5 days per month.
Leave is usually taken based on the employer-defined schedule. If no internal rule applies, leave is calculated from June 1 of the previous year to May 31 of the current year.
Employees must take at least 12 consecutive days during the main leave period, with a maximum of 24 consecutive working days. The rest can be taken separately, provided the employer agrees.
There are two legal methods for calculating leave pay, and the most favorable option must be applied:
Failure to meet compensation rules exposes employers to fines of €7,500 per employee.
Work schedules must respect legal rules for working hours and rest time, including:
Schedules must be submitted to the Labour Inspectorate, which monitors compliance with these rules.
Good leave planning starts with open communication and flexibility. By considering employee preferences, you reduce absenteeism and dissatisfaction.
Flexibility is also key when managing unexpected events, such as family emergencies or illness. Employers should offer alternatives like remote work or adjusted hours where possible.
To avoid last-minute changes, encourage employees to submit leave requests well in advance, allowing time to resolve scheduling conflicts.
A leave management system centralizes leave requests (paid leave, RTT, sick leave, parental leave) and rest day planning.
Each employee gets a personal account, where they can submit requests directly online. Managers receive instant notifications, enabling faster response times. Employees can also check their real-time leave balance.
With full visibility over team availability, managers can quickly spot conflicts and reallocate resources as needed.
HR software also streamlines schedule changes, automatically updating calendars and avoiding data entry errors.
Once leave is approved, employers should track absences and assess the operational impact. This helps identify potential gaps and evaluate whether leave policies need adjustment.
Data from the leave system can highlight:
These insights can guide policy updates and workforce planning to improve future operations.
HR software generates automated reports, giving HR teams accurate absenteeism data and helping identify areas for improvement. Tracking leave data over time allows companies to adjust policies, align schedules with business needs, and improve overall workforce management.
Before building leave schedules, companies must assess operational needs and establish clear policies that balance business continuity and employee rights. Legal obligations must be respected at all times. Using HR software automates this process, improves communication, and ensures error-free scheduling. This helps businesses meet both compliance requirements and employee expectations, ultimately fostering better work-life balance and smoother operations.
