Time Off - Manager Reference

Evaluating and Approving Time-Off Requests

When an employee submits a time-off request:

1. Check SalonBiz for that day's staffing - ensure at least the minimum coverage threshold is met (front desk, one stylist, one esthetician during operating hours)
2. Check whether the requested dates fall during a blackout period (see below)
3. Approve or deny the request within two business days and communicate the decision to the employee
4. If denying, provide the business reason (insufficient coverage, blackout period) - never deny a request for protected sick leave

Blackout Dates

Time-off requests may be denied during high-demand periods:

• The week before and the week of Mother's Day
• The two weeks before Christmas through New Year's Day
• Prom and graduation season (April–June) - evaluate on a case-by-case basis

Blackout dates apply to unpaid time off only. You cannot deny the use of protected sick leave during blackout periods.

Priority

When multiple requests overlap, approve in the order received. If submitted simultaneously, discuss with the employees and attempt to find a solution before denying either.

Sick Leave Administration

Frontload Method - How It Works

• Every employee receives 40 hours (5 days) of paid sick leave on January 1 each year
• Unused hours do not carry over to the next year
• Unused hours are not paid out at termination, resignation, or any other separation - this is a benefit of the frontload method (Labor Code § 246(b)(3))

New Hires Mid-Year

• Employees hired after January 1 receive the full 40 hours upon hire or at the start of their first full pay period
• Do not prorate - California law requires the full amount under the frontload method

Tracking Usage

• Record sick leave usage in SalonBiz or payroll system each time it is used
• Provide the employee's remaining sick leave balance on their pay stub or a separate written notice each pay period (Labor Code § 246(i))

Handling Same-Day Call-Outs

When an employee calls in sick the same day:

1. Document the call (date, time, employee, general reason - do not press for diagnosis)
2. Deduct from their sick leave balance if hours are available
3. Reassign or reschedule their clients in SalonBiz
4. Do not require a doctor's note for absences of three days or fewer - California law does not require one, and your policy should not either unless you have a consistently applied written policy requiring it for absences exceeding three days
5. Do not discipline an employee for using available sick leave for a qualifying purpose

See Scheduling and Attendance - Manager Reference for client coverage procedures during call-outs.

When Sick Leave Is Exhausted

This salon does not offer PTO or paid vacation. Once an employee's 40 hours of sick leave are used:

• Any further absences are unpaid
• You may approve unpaid time off at your discretion based on business needs
• You may not require an employee to find their own coverage as a condition of using sick leave, but you may ask for help finding coverage for unpaid absences
• Track unpaid absences in the attendance record

If an employee has a pattern of exhausting sick leave early in the year followed by frequent unpaid absences, address it through a private conversation focused on attendance expectations - not on the sick leave use itself.

Suspected Sick Leave Abuse

California Labor Code § 246.5(c) allows employers to take reasonable measures to verify sick leave use, but the bar is high.

What you CAN do:

• Require a doctor's note for absences exceeding three consecutive days (if you apply this requirement consistently to all employees)
• Document patterns (e.g., every Monday, every day before a scheduled day off)
• Have a private, non-accusatory conversation about attendance patterns

What you CANNOT do:

• Deny the use of available sick leave for a qualifying reason
• Discipline an employee for using sick leave
• Require a doctor's note for single-day absences
• Retaliate against an employee for using sick leave (reassignment, schedule changes, reduced hours)

If you believe abuse is occurring, document the pattern and consult the salon owner before taking any action.

Final Pay and Sick Leave

When an employee separates (voluntarily or involuntarily):

• Do not pay out unused sick leave. Under the frontload method, there is no payout obligation (Labor Code § 246(b)(3)).
• If the employee is rehired within 12 months, you are not required to reinstate previously unused sick leave under the frontload method - they receive a fresh 40 hours.
• Ensure final pay complies with California timing requirements:
  • Involuntary termination: final pay due on the last day of work
  • Voluntary resignation with 72+ hours notice: final pay due on the last day of work
  • Voluntary resignation without 72 hours notice: final pay due within 72 hours

Key California Law References

If you are unsure whether a time-off situation involves a legally protected absence (sick leave, CFRA, PDL, domestic violence leave, or another protected category), do not deny the request or take disciplinary action until you have consulted with the salon owner or employment counsel.

Last reviewed: March 2026