Book leave
The leave booking process for school employees.
Leave booking requirements vary for different employment agreements and leave types. Always check that an employee's leave request is in line with their employment agreement, and that you are using the correct leave type code, and reason code where these apply.
Timing
Where possible, book leave in advance or in the pay period in which it is taken. Submit leave bookings before the current pay period cut-off times. See Cut-off times for pay instructions.
Checklist for booking leave
- Check the employee's employment agreement to ensure they are entitled to take the requested leave, and that they have supplied medical certificate(s), Ministry approval or other documentation, if applicable. See the Ministry of Education website: Employment agreements
- Carefully calculate the number of days/half days that the employee is taking.
See Count number of leave days.
- Check the employee's leave balance to determine if it is sufficient to cover the requested number of days. See Manage leave balances.
- Obtain approval from the principal or authorised delegate in line with the board's policy.
See Leave management for roles and responsibilities.
- Determine whether you will need to split the leave request into more than one leave booking, as follows:
- If the employee works multiple jobs at the school, sick leave can only be booked against one of their jobs otherwise too many sick leave days will be deducted. Determine which of their job(s) to book the leave against. If required, create a separate booking for each job.
- If leave is to be split across multiple leave types, create a separate booking for each leave type.
- If a leave request consists of full and half days, create a separate booking for each set of consecutive full or half days. For example, if an employee takes two full days, then a half day, then another full day, this must be entered online or on the form as three separate booking entries.
EdPay or form?
Some leave can be booked in EdPay, and others require you to send in a Leave booking form (EP12) or an ACC leave booking form (NOVO12acc).
Use a Leave booking form EP12:
- to book leave that requires two different leave codes for the same day, eg half a day sick leave paid, and half a day sick leave without pay.
- if leave requires Ministry approval or accompanying documentation, attach the relevant documents with an EP12 form. See A–Z of payroll for more detail relating to specific leave types,
- If the leave is anticipated sick leave (SANTS) –
see sick leave entitlements for teachers and principals (see Table B) .
- If you are unable to book leave online and note in the email that you were unable to enter the leave in EdPay.
- to book leave for timesheet employees, terminated or lapsed employees, leave booked for more than five pay periods prior to the previous pay period, and any other leave where you cannot enter the details directly into EdPay. Advise the hours and funding code (if applicable) in your email request.
- Use an ACC leave booking form (NOVO12acc) for any leave related to ACC.
Paid leave
The tables below list leave types that can be booked in EdPay.
An approved paid leave booking of a type listed below can be entered in EdPay if it falls no more than five pay periods in the past or in the current or a future pay period. The employee must have an entitlement where one is required. To book leave taken in earlier pay periods please use a EP12 form.
| Leave code |
Description |
| AL |
Annual leave – 52 week non-teacher |
| BREVL |
Bereavement/tangihanga leave |
| DISCR |
Discretionary leave |
| ILPUB |
In lieu of a public holiday |
| JURYL |
Jury leave |
| LSL |
Long service leave |
| LSLG |
Long service leave SSS grandparented (secretaries) |
| LSLGA |
Long service leave SSS grandparented (ancillary) |
| LSLGE |
Long service leave SSS grandparented (executive) |
| PARBI |
Leave to attend partner at birth of their child |
| PRFDV |
Plan/prep/prof development leave residential |
| PRFDV |
Professional development |
| RECLE |
Recreation leave |
| SHIFT |
Shift leave residential employee |
| SL |
Sick leave |
| SUSPN |
Suspension |
| TOIL |
Time off in lieu |
| UNION |
Union leave |
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Leave without pay
An approved leave without pay booking of a type listed below can only be loaded in EdPay if it falls no more than one pay period in the past or in the current or a future pay period. To book leave without pay taken in earlier pay periods, use an EP12 form.
Important: When retrospective leave without pay is to be booked, the salary for the unpaid leave days will be deducted from the current pay. Therefore, complete a EP12 form if the employee's current pay is insufficient to cover the adjustment, as the employee will be in an overpayment situation. This will always be the case when a fortnight or more of leave without pay is booked.
| Leave code |
Description |
| BRVWO |
Bereavement/tangihanga leave without pay |
| MILWO |
Military training leave without pay |
| MLWOP |
Maternity leave without pay |
| PARWO |
Parental leave without pay |
| REFWO |
Refreshment leave without pay |
| SLWOP |
Sick leave without pay |
| STRIK |
Strike without pay |
| SUSWO |
Suspension unpaid |
| UNWOP |
Union leave without pay |
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Book leave
See Leave codes and reasons for the correct code to use.
See Booking leave (Edpay training)
Before you submit the request, check that you have entered the correct leave dates, leave type code (and reason if applicable) and number of days.
Leave can only be booked as full days or half days. If you book one day, EdPay gives the option to select either 1 day or 0.5 day.
If you are booking a date range, EdPay will only allow these to be booked as full days. If an employee has booked any half days you will need to make a separate leave request for the half day. For example, an employee has taken sick leave for 3.5 days, with the first day being a half day. You will need to book a half day sick leave, then make a separate sick leave booking for the next three days.
When you are booking leave in EdPay, pressing 'submit' will create the leave booking instantly.
View leave bookings
To view employee leave bookings in EdPay:
- Go to the Activity History to see a record of the submitted request
- Go to the Leave History screen to see the leave bookings for your school - you can filter by employee and leave type, and sort the columns by date. This can be dowloaded as a CSV file
- Check your SUE report
Leave bookings for the current pay period also show on the Staff Usage and Expenditure (SUE) report and the School Annual and Sick Leave report.
Record keeping
See Payroll record keeping for guidance on keeping good records.
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Related links
How to:
A-Z of payroll:
Other websites:
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