This article will explain how to capture when a worker is on leave, how Lookout helps you action any visits that fall within that period, and how workers can request leave through the app.
Worker leave is managed from the 'Leave' tab for each Helper. A leave period has a start date, an optional end date and a reason (e.g. annual leave, personal leave, carer's leave). The 'Leave' tab will show the history of all worker leave and indicate any current leave periods.
Adding worker leave
To add a new leave period, navigate to the Helper and click the "Leave" tab.
Select 'New Leave' and specify the leave times and details. Click 'Save'.
Lookout allows for all-day leave along with time-specific leave (e.g. 9:00 am - 11:30 am)
By default, Lookout provides the following five reasons for leave (Annual leave, Carer's leave, Compassionate leave, Parental leave, Personal leave). You can edit and create new reasons in Settings - Helper leave. Here, you can set if these reasons appear for employees, contractors or both.
What happens to visits during a leave period?
When adding a Helpers leave period, more than likely, visits will fall into that leave period that will need to be actioned. After adding the leave, Lookout will show a list of visit conflicts and allow the staffer to select visits they would like to bulk action accordingly.
By default, schedule rules will stay active even when a Helper is on leave, generating vacant recurring visits that can be reassigned.
If you disable this setting, the schedule rule will be paused, and no visits will be generated during the Helper's leave period.
For example, if a Helper is scheduled for a recurring visit but will be on leave during the first week of the scheduled visit, the recurring visit will only begin once the Helper is available again.
To update this feature, go to Settings > Rostering.
What happens when a Helper is away on leave?
Helpers on leave will have an "AWAY" status displayed on their avatar throughout Lookout.
Their roster will also be greyed out and show the type of leave they are on.
They are deprioritised from the scheduling view in favour of available Helpers.
The AWAY status will also show on Tickets and Ticket templates, and when mentioning a staffer on a ticket discussion.
Creating a new ticket
Assignees on Existing Tickets
Mentioning a Staffer on a Ticket Discussion
Adding an Assignee to a Ticket Template
Assignees Previously Added to an Existing Ticket Template
Can I still roster a Helper on leave?
You can still roster a Helper who is on leave, but Lookout makes it clear through a confirmation process, that the Helper is on leave or will be on leave during that period.
A Helper Leave Periods Report is available in the reports section to export all Helper leave periods within a date range.
Editing leave
An existing leave period can be edited by selecting the leave period and clicking the options menu (...). Adjust the leave period and click save.
There are also options to handle visit conflicts during the leave period or to delete the leave.
How workers apply for leave
Helper leave settings allow you to control when you can make this functionality available to your workers. While this is off, you can still create, edit and remove leave through the admin side on behalf of a worker using the Leave tab on the helper's page.
Once enabled, the leave tab will appear in the account section of the worker application.
In this section, workers can see a full history of approved, pending and declined leave, along with reasons.
When applying for leave, workers have the option to select:
Between all-day and interval leave
The start and end dates or times
The reason for the leave
An optional note
Once the leave request is submitted, admin staff will be notified via a ticket in Lookout. You can view the leave request from the ticket and approve or deny it. Approving or denying the request will send a notification back to the worker.
Helpers cannot create leave requests if the requested dates overlap with any existing approved leave.
