How to ask for time off successfully (with example)

• What are the different types of leave you can take in NZ?
• What are the minimum holiday entitlements you get as an NZ employee?
• How to ask for time off - the makings of a good request
• How to ask for time off - an example

Among the most common are:

• Annual leave – this is what you use when you want to go on holiday, and what we’ll be focussing on in this article.
• Sick leave – this can include leave for dealing with and recovering from mental as well as physical health problems. Importantly, you can also take sick leave when you are caring for someone who depends on you, such as a partner or child.
• Bereavement leave – this refers to the time you can take off when a loved one passes away.
• Parental leave – this includes maternity and paternity leave.
• Family violence leave –this refers to any kind of violence that occurs in a family or relationship setting.
• Public holidays – employees in NZ are entitled to a paid day off on public holidays, or, if they are asked to work, they should be paid time and a half, and some employers also offer a day off in lieu.
• Leave without pay – if you agree to it with your employer, you may be entitled to take time off without receiving pay. This can be a great back up option when you really want to go on holiday but have already used up all of your annual leave.

According to the NZ government website, unless you’re a member of the Armed Forces, your employer must offer a minimum of:

• Four paid weeks of annual leave, after 12 months of continuous employment.
• Access to sick and bereavement leave. Either after six months of continuous employment with one employer or after working with the same employer for an average of 10 hours a week for six months, and at least one hour a week (or 40 hours in a month).
• Up to 11 public holidays a year. If you have to work on a public holiday, you should be paid at least time and a half.

These entitlements are the same for full time, part time, fixed term and casual employees. Of course, your boss might choose to give you more, but this is the legal minimum.

We’re going to focus on asking for annual leave, as this is the request you’re most likely to experience pushback on. Here’s how to approach it:

Before chatting to your manager, check the terms of your contract. Companies have different options for how they can allocate annual leave to their staff. The most common are:

• Accruing time as you work – by the end of the year, you’ll have a total of four weeks.
• Giving you four weeks in bulk on the anniversary of the day you started.

If your employer operates under the second option, and you haven’t worked a full year yet, don’t despair. Some businesses will let you borrow ahead from next year’s allowance – so check if this is an option.

Your boss is more likely to give you the green light if you ask well in advance. This gives them time to plan for your absence, and make sure business can operate as usual.
Bonus tip: take an active part in helping them make arrangements, it’ll score crucial brownie points. 

Try to schedule breaks so they don’t clash with peak busy times. As well as improving your chances of a thumbs up, your colleagues will thank you for not dumping heaps of extra work on them.

Struggling to work out how many days you’ll have by a certain date? Lots of businesses use online payroll software that can calculate your projected balance by a certain date. Easy as.

Yes, annual leave is a right – but a leave request is exactly that, a request. If you just waltz up to your boss and tell them you’re taking 10 days off next month, you might find out that, in fact, you’re not.

Equally, there’s no need to make a big deal out of asking – most managers won’t even ask why. Provided you’ve got the days banked, and you’ve planned it well, you should be golden.

It’s a good idea to submit your request in writing – especially if your manager is snowed under. This way, there’ll be no confusion when the time comes for you to jet off.

This is important even if, like many businesses, you have an automated system for submitting leave requests. While most managers in New Zealand are likely to simply approve these requests, it’s polite to give them a heads up that one is coming their way, particularly if you’re planning to be away for a while. As we’ll show you below, there’s no need to overthink this. Keep your leave request simple, to the point and upbeat.

Yes, they can – you need to agree leave with your employer. With annual leave, the most likely reason for a ‘no’ is because you’ve asked during a busy period.

If you’re looking to take a longer period of time off, all the above advice is still relevant. However, you’ll also want to evidence some value for the company, this could include:

•  Courses you take: many employees take ‘adult gap years’ to develop new skills (as well as enjoy themselves!). If this is in your plan, make sure the company knows you’ll come back with even more to offer. Remember to add these new capabilities and experience to your Trade Me Jobs Profile!
• They won’t have to pay you: all businesses love to save money. While you’re on an extended career break, the company won’t need to pay you, but also won’t have to make unpopular redundancies.
• You’ll come back refreshed: time off is not only good for mental health, but gives you the chance to come back with fresh eyes and ideas to help the business improve.