Time Off Request
The “Time off Request” feature gives an employee the option to request time off through the Employee Self Service portal (ESS), while giving their supervisor the ability to approve or reject their request.
Note: Both supervisors and managers can use the ESS Portal to request time off from those who have authority to approve their Time Off Requests.
To set up email alerts for supervisors to receive the “Time off Request,” there are two core steps required. The first step is to setup the supervisor login with the necessary information.
Employer Steps:
Step 1. From the “Settings Menu” click on “Login Maintenance” found under “Quick Links.”
Step 2. Click the blue link associated with the supervisor login. (If the supervisor has not been set up, click “Add New Login.”)
Step 3. Add First Name, Last Name, and Email fields, which are required, in the “User Information” section.
Step 4. Click “Update User Information” to save any changes entered.
The second step is to enter the supervisor’s first and last name into the “Supervisor” field of “Employee Setup.”
Step 1. From the “Main Menu” select “Employee Setup.”
Step 2. Click on the name of the employee.
Step 3. Click “Edit” next to the “Employee Data” section.
Step 4. Enter the supervisor’s first and last name as it is listed in the supervisor login settings.
Step 5. Click “Save and Exit” or “Save and Remain.”
Once the supervisor has received an email notice, the request will need to be “Approved” or “Rejected.” This can be accomplished from the “Main Menu,” by clicking the “Time Off Requests” link.
Step 1. Click on the arrow next to “Instructions” for more details, and to run a report. Note: The yellow triangle gives a warning that another employee in the same department has been approved for the same time off. Hover over the triangle for employee’s name and to see the dates requested.
To remove the triangle and names from displaying, contact your timekeeping provider.
Step 2. Click the “Calendar” arrow for a quick view of past, current, or future months with approved employee “Time Off Requests.” Hover over any of the days with the a green check mark to view employees with approved time off.
To view requests that have been rejected, check the box found in bottom left corner of the calendar “Show Rejected Requests.” Note: If the Calendar bar does not display, contact your timekeeping provider to have this feature activated.
Step 3. To view “Pending,” “Approved,” “Conditionally Approved,” or “Rejected” requests, click on the corresponding arrow “>.” To approve a request, click on the green checkmark. To reject a request click on the orange “X.” To return the request to pending, click on the curved blue arrow.
Step 4. Click on the arrow next to the employee’s name for more details about the request (as seen in the screen sample below). The time off category field can be changed from the dropdown menu, for example to change vacation to sick time. Comments can also be added by a supervisor in the “Supervisor Comments” field; however, it is not required.
Note: To remove previously “Approved” and “Rejected” requests from displaying on this list, finalize the pay periods up to the current period from the “Finalized Pay Period” link. The request history can be accessed through the “Time Off Requests Report” or by un-finalizing pay periods.
Step 5. If changes are made to the “Category” or “Hours” field, such as changing the category from vacation time to PTO, the “Time off Request” will move from “Pending” to “Conditioanlly Approved.” See example below.
The employee will then have the option to re-approve or reject the change.
Note: The “Sick” time which is in blue is not a hyperlink. The change in color signifies an edit or change has been made to the “Time off Request” just as an edit or change displays in blue on an employees time card.
Changing an approved “Time off Request:”
Once a “Time Off Request” has been approved the hours will automatically appear on the employee’s time card. Changes can be made from the time card through the “Modify” button.
Step 1. Click “Modify” and a pop up screen will appear.
Step 2. You may now make changes to the “Category” or “Hours” field. “Comments” are required before changes can be saved.
Step 3. Click “Save.”
Remove “Department time off list:”
From the “ESS Portal” a “Department time off list” link is available for employees to click, and see if other employees in the same department have time off already approved.
If employees are not allowed to view each other’s approved time off for privacy, union, company policy, etc., please contact your timekeeping provider to have the option removed.
