Quick answer
Your available balance is opening balance plus what you have accrued, minus leave you have used. Accrual is the leave you earn over time, such as 1.5 days of EL each month. Approved leave is deducted automatically. Rejected or cancelled leave is returned to you.
What do the balance numbers mean?
At the top of Time Off you will see a few numbers for each leave type:
- Opening balance — what you started the year with, including anything carried forward.
- Accrued — what you have earned so far this year.
- Used — approved leave already taken.
- Available — what is left for you to use right now.
What is accrual?
Accrual is leave you earn over time instead of getting all at once. For example, your policy might give you 1.5 days of EL every month. After six months, you would have earned 9 days.
Here is a worked example for one employee:
Leave type: EL (Earned Leave)
Opening balance (carried from last year): 5 days
Accrual rate: 1.5 days per month
Months worked this year: 6
Accrued so far: 1.5 x 6 = 9 days
Leave used (approved): 4 days
Available now = 5 (opening) + 9 (accrued) - 4 (used) = 10 days
What is carry-forward and lapsing?
- Carry-forward means unused leave from this year rolls into next year.
- Most policies set a cap, for example carry up to 30 EL days maximum.
- Anything above the cap lapses, meaning it is removed and cannot be used.
- Some types, like Casual Leave, often do not carry forward at all.
When does my balance change?
- When your leave is approved, the days are subtracted automatically.
- If a request is rejected or cancelled, those days return to your balance.
- As each accrual period passes, your accrued number goes up.
Who decides the rates and caps?
Your admin sets all of this in the leave policy — the accrual rate, the carry-forward cap, and which types lapse. If a number looks wrong, ask your HR admin to check the policy or the audit log.
Frequently asked questions
- What happens to my balance if a request is rejected?
- Nothing is lost. Days are only deducted for approved leave, so rejected or cancelled requests return to your balance.
- Why did my balance go down at the start of the year?
- Some leave types lapse if unused, so any amount above the carry-forward cap is removed when the new year begins.