1. Eligibility Criteria

📌 Who Qualifies for PTO & Vacation?
✅ Full-time hourly and salaried employees are eligible for paid vacation (VAC) and personal time off (PTO).
✅ Part-time employees are NOT eligible for vacation or personal time off benefits.

📌 Definition of Full-Time Employment
✅ Full-time employees are defined as those who work a minimum of 5 days per week and at least 40 hours per week.

📌 Accrual Start Date & Leave of Absence Rules
✅ New eligible employees begin accruing VAC/PTO after completing their first 90 days of employment.
✅ Employees on a leave of absence do not accrue VAC/PTO while on leave.

🚨 Employees must be actively working to accrue paid time off.

2. Plan Overview

📌 Types of Paid Time Off Available
Westside Market offers two types of paid time off to eligible employees:
1️⃣ Personal Time Off (PTO): 48 hours (6 days) per calendar year.

• PTO can be used for sick days or personal days as needed.
• There is no additional paid time available beyond the set limit.

2️⃣ Vacation (VAC):

• Starts at 80 hours (10 days) per calendar year.
• Increases with length of service, up to a maximum of 120 hours (15 days).

📌 Carryover Limits & Calendar Year Basis
✅ The VAC/PTO plan follows a calendar year (January 1 – December 31).
✅ Employees may carry over up to:

• 20 hours of Vacation (VAC) into the following year.
• 12 hours of Personal Time Off (PTO) into the following year.

🚨 Any unused time beyond these limits will be forfeited at the end of the year.

3. Requesting Vacation & PTO

📌 Submission Process
✅ Employees must submit all vacation and PTO requests via the Employee Portal (Paylocity).
✅ Vacation Requests must be submitted at least 14 days in advance.
✅ Employees must specify:

• The exact date(s) requested.
• The number of hours to be used.
• One day of Vacation is 8 hours, no matter what the operations hours are for that day. 

📌 Approval Process
✅ Supervisors will review time-off requests in the Paylocity system and approve or deny them based on:

• Business needs.
• Staffing availability.
• Fair scheduling practices.
  ✅ Employees can log into Paylocity at any time to view the status of their request.
  ✅ It is the employee’s responsibility to verify that their request has been officially approved.

🚨 No PTO/VAC may be taken without prior approval in Paylocity. Verbal or written requests (email, text, in-person) will NOT be honored.

📌 Requesting Additional Unpaid Time Off
✅ Once an employee exhausts their PTO/VAC for the year, they may request additional unpaid time off.
✅ Approval of unpaid time off is at the supervisor’s discretion.

4. Handling Issues with PTO/VAC Requests

📌 Conflicts & Business Needs
✅ While Westside Market encourages employees to take time off, requests are subject to business needs.
✅ Supervisors must balance vacation requests with:

• Operational demands.
• Staffing levels.
• Peak business periods.
  ✅ If multiple requests overlap, priority will be given to those submitted first.

📌 Resolving PTO/VAC Issues
✅ Employees experiencing issues with PTO/VAC requests should report concerns immediately to their supervisor.
✅ Westside Market is not responsible for resolving issues that are not reported in a timely manner.

🚨 Approval is NOT guaranteed, and excessive overlapping requests may be denied.

5. PTO/VAC Policy for Employee Resignations & Terminations

📌 Vacation Payout Upon Separation
✅ Employees who resign with at least two weeks’ notice will receive a payout for any unused Vacation (VAC) time accrued through their last day of work.
✅ Vacation time is not prorated for partial months—employees must complete a full month of employment to be eligible for a payout.

📌 PTO & Notice Period Restrictions
✅ No personal days (PTO) may be used during an employee’s final two weeks of employment.
✅ Any unused PTO will not be paid out upon separation.

🚨 Employees who fail to provide proper notice will forfeit any accrued vacation payout.

6. Compliance & Employee Responsibilities

📌 Employee Responsibilities
✅ Submit vacation and PTO requests at least 14 days in advance via Paylocity.
✅ Check the Paylocity system for request status updates.
✅ Plan time off strategically to avoid last-minute scheduling conflicts.

📌 Manager Responsibilities
✅ Approve or deny requests based on business needs and staffing availability.
✅ Ensure employees are aware of their approved or denied requests.
✅ Manage and track PTO/VAC balances for all direct reports.

📌 Consequences of Non-Compliance
❌ Failing to submit PTO/VAC requests through Paylocity may result in denied time-off requests.
❌ Taking unapproved time off may lead to disciplinary action, including corrective measures or job performance review.
❌ Excessive last-minute call-outs may impact an employee’s eligibility for future PTO/VAC requests.

🚨 Employees are responsible for ensuring proper documentation and approval of all time-off requests.

7. Summary: Key Takeaways

✔ Only full-time employees are eligible for paid time off (PTO/VAC).
✔ Employees must submit vacation requests at least 14 days in advance via Paylocity.
✔ Vacation accrual starts after 90 days of employment.
✔ A maximum of 20 hours of vacation and 12 hours of PTO can be carried over each year.
✔ No PTO is allowed during the two-week notice period upon resignation.
✔ Unpaid time off requests are at the supervisor’s discretion.

By following this PTO & Vacation Policy, Westside Market ensures fairness, operational efficiency, and a structured process for requesting time off.

Westside Market – PTO & Vacation Request Guide

1. Requesting PTO & Vacation (Step-by-Step Guide)

Step 1: Plan Ahead

• Employees must submit vacation requests at least 14 days in advance.  Personal time off (PTO) can be requested anytime.

• Requests should be strategically planned to avoid business disruptions.

• Unapproved time off may lead to disciplinary action.

Step 2: Submit Request in Paylocity

• Log into Paylocity and navigate to the Time Off Request section.

• Select the type of time off (Vacation or PTO).

• Enter the specific date(s) and number of hours requested.

• Submit the request for supervisor approval.

Step 3: Supervisor Review & Approval

• Store Managers review employee requests and approve or deny based on:

  • Business needs

  • Staffing availability

  • Overlapping requests

• Employees can log into Paylocity anytime to check the status of their request.

Step 4: Confirmation & Scheduling

• If approved, vacation/PTO will appear in the employee’s schedule on Paylocity.

• If denied, the employee may request alternate dates.

Step 5: Day of PTO/Vacation

• Employees are responsible for ensuring their shift coverage, if required.

• If an emergency arises and PTO was not planned, notify store management immediately.

2. Important Policies & Guidelines

Who is Eligible?

✅ Full-time hourly and salaried employees (minimum 40 hours/week). ❌ Part-time employees are NOT eligible for paid PTO/VAC benefits.

PTO & Vacation Carryover

• Employees may carry over up to 20 hours of vacation and 12 hours of PTO into the following year.

• Any unused time beyond these limits will be forfeited.

Unpaid Time Off Requests

• Once all PTO/VAC is used, employees may request unpaid time off, subject to supervisor approval.

PTO/VAC & Resignation Policy

• Employees who provide at least two weeks’ notice will receive a payout for any unused vacation.

• PTO cannot be used during the final two weeks of employment.

• Vacation time is not prorated for partial months.

3. Common Issues & Resolutions

4. Key Takeaways

✔ Submit VAC requests at least 14 days in advance via Paylocity.
✔ Check Paylocity for approval status—verbal requests will not be honored.
✔ Supervisors balance requests against business needs—approval is not guaranteed.
✔ PTO/VAC time does not roll over beyond company policy limits.
✔ Unpaid time off requests require supervisor discretion.
✔ Final two weeks of employment—PTO use is not allowed.

By following this guide, employees ensure a smooth, fair, and efficient PTO/VAC request process while maintaining operational efficiency at Westside Market.