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Staff Holiday Planner
Plan holiday allowances, blackout peak trading weeks, and approve requests so your team stays covered during Valentine's and Mother's Day.
The real problem
Holiday requests without rota chaos
Last‑minute gaps
Requests land by text or in the book — nothing checks coverage, so shifts get thin fast.
Peak week stress
Valentine’s and Mother’s Day creep up. Without blackouts, you’re saying “no” late and upsetting staff.
Part‑time fairness
Days vs hours gets murky. People don’t know what’s fair — trust suffers.
What changes with this planner
Clear rules, fewer surprises, happier team
Blackouts up‑front
Peak weeks are blocked early in the year, so expectations are set and respected.
Capacity‑aware approvals
The calendar knows how many off per day — requests only approve if cover remains.
Hours that feel fair
Track in hours for part‑time. Everyone can see where they stand at a glance.
Blackout preview
Protect peak weeks at a glance
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Blackout: Valentine’s week
Today’s coverage (example)
Quick read for the rota
Max off today: 2 · Approved: 1 · Slots left: 1
When slots hit zero, new requests auto‑queue for manager review.
Allowance examples
Simple policies that staff understand
- Full‑time: 28 days (including bank holidays)
- Part‑time: pro‑rata by contracted hours
- Blackouts: Valentine’s week, Mother’s Day week, Christmas week
Note: emergency leave by manager discretion; swap shifts where possible rather than decline requests.
Key controls
Fair rules staff can rely on
Blackout dates
Protect peak weeks (Valentine's, Mother's Day, Christmas). Requests auto‑decline inside blackout.
Max off per day
Set capacity per day/role so shifts stay covered. Remaining slots show on the calendar.
Notice window
Require 6–8 weeks' notice. Short‑notice requests get flagged for manager review.
Accrual in days or hours
Use hours for part‑time to keep it fair. Tool supports both with pro‑rata rules.
Bank holidays
Include in allowance or treat separately — clearly shown on the shared calendar.
Approval rules
First‑come outside blackouts; manager discretion for clashes. Notes recorded on approval.
Manager tips
Fair, simple rules your team will trust
- Use hours for part‑time — it’s clearer week to week.
- Share blackout dates each January so everyone can plan.
- Add a short note on approvals so choices feel fair across shifts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Block Valentine's, Mother's Day and Christmas so no one books time off when you need full cover.
Yes. Set separate allowances and rules for each contract type so entitlements are calculated correctly.
Yes. Export a shared calendar so the team always knows who is off and when.
Yes. Enter contract hours and start date and the planner works out the pro-rata allowance.
It uses the standard UK statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks as a baseline, which you can adjust for your contracts.
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Ready to use Staff Holiday Planner?
Request an invite and help shape the tool with us