Available for the following plans: Employment Lite, Employment Plus, Employment Unlimited
Available for the following HR Classic plans: Standard, Premium, Platinum
Available for the following user access level: Admin
Blackout Periods allow admins to define specific date ranges during which employees cannot submit or edit leave requests. This feature will automatically block employee submissions for blackout dates and disable editing of existing requests that fall within a blackout window (unless edited by an admin).
This helps reduce manual effort and communication for managers and admins, while enforcing consistent leave rules across the organisation. Override capabilities are provided for admins who need to manage exceptional cases. The feature supports per-location blackout rules, allowing for flexibility across different regions or business units.
Note: Blackout Periods can be found in different locations depending on your settings configuration:
- New Settings Look and Feel (Beta): Settings Time & Attendance Blackout Period
- Classic Settings: Settings Locations and Public Holidays
Please note: This feature does not apply to Multipayroll accounts.
Getting started
- Click the Settings menu.
- Under Time & Attendance, click Blackout Period.
- Click the + Blackout Period button.
- Complete the following:
- Name: Each blackout period name should be unique.
- Date start and end.
- Block these leave categories: You can select multiple leave categories.
- Click the Save button.
- In the Assign Employees to Blackout Period popup, choose among the following:
- Assign to all employees.
- Apply based on employment details: Location, Employment Type, or Team.
- Restrict to only those specifically assigned:.
- Click the Save button.
- Click the Settings menu.
- Under Time & Attendance, click Blackout Period.
- Click the Actions dropdown button for the blackout period you want to edit.
- Click Edit blackout period.
- Make the needed changes.
- Click the Save button.
- Click the Settings menu.
- Under Time & Attendance, click Blackout Period.
- Click the Actions dropdown button for the blackout period you want to edit.
- Click Assign employees.
- In the Assign Employees to Blackout Period popup, choose among the following:
- Assign to all employees.
- Apply based on employment details: Location, Employment Type, or Team.
- Restrict to only those specifically assigned:.
- Click the Save button
- Click the Settings menu.
- Under Time & Attendance, click Blackout Period.
- Click the Actions dropdown button for the blackout period you want to edit.
- Click Delete.
- In the delete confirmation popup, click the Delete button.
Further information
The platform sends an error message when employees submit a leave request (under a restricted leave category) within a blackout period. They will not be able to submit the request at all. However, employees can submit requests if the leave category they choose is not under the leave categories selected for the blackout period.
Yes, admins have override capabilities and can submit leave requests within a blackout period on behalf of employees. The admin will see a notice indicating the dates they selected for the employee fall within a blackout period. But unlike employees, admins can go ahead and still approve the request.
Yes, managers are also blocked from submitting and approving leave requests within a blackout period. However, an admin can grant blackout period feature access to a manager via Custom Security Settings. To do this, please follow this article: Grant feature access to employees through custom security groups.
In Custom Security Settings, you can find the feature under All Employees. Scroll down to "Blackout Period (Override validation), then tick the Use checkbox.