Paid time off is arguably the most important benefit that a company can provide to its workforce. It is an essential safety net because even the shortest sickness without pay is a financial hardship for most.

Surely you’ve been preparing for the Q4 Season all year long if you’re in HR. This time of year can be stressful from tax preparations and compliance to policy changes and New Year plans. If you’re a little late to the party and find yourself scrambling to get organized, we have some reminders to set you back on track.

American Airlines, one of the largest airlines, once scrambled to find staff to cover 15,000 flights after a bug in the pilot scheduling system allowed too many pilots to request time off around the holidays. 

Managing PTO requests during the holiday season can be a slippery slope because no one wants to tell an employee that they can’t have the time off to spend time with family. However, the holiday season serves as a very busy time for many businesses and requires appropriate staffing levels to take care of their clients.