Time Off Deduction Rules allow administrators to establish automated policies for how time off requests impact an employee's available leave balance. This feature ensures consistent application of time off policies across the department by defining specific rules for different qualifiers and time off types (vacation, sick leave, comp time, etc.). By configuring deduction rules, administrators can automate the calculation of time off balances, reducing manual tracking errors and ensuring compliance with departmental policies and labor agreements.
Background Information
Time Off Deduction Rules provide a flexible framework for managing how different types of leave are calculated and deducted from employee balances. Organizations often have complex time off policies where the same absence may need to be deducted differently based on various factors:
Different employee groups may have different accrual rates or deduction methods based on rank, assignment, or bargaining unit
Different time off types (vacation vs. sick leave vs. comp time) may require different deduction calculations
Actual time off taken may not always equal the amount deducted (for example, a 4-hour absence during a 24-hour shift might deduct differently than the same absence during a 12-hour shift)
This feature is commonly used in scenarios such as:
Implementing FLSA-compliant time off tracking for different work schedules
Managing Kelly Day or other scheduled leave programs
Applying different deduction rates for partial shift absences
To configure Time Off Deduction Rules, users must have:
Access Scheduling
Access Setup
Video
Step-by-Step Guide
Accessing Time Off Deduction Rules
Navigate to Scheduling > Setup from the main menu.
Click on Time Off Settings in the setup options.
Select Deduction Rules from the Time Off Settings menu.
Creating a New Deduction Rule
Click on Add Deduction Rule to begin creating a new rule.
Defining Rule Scope
Select the qualifier the rule will affect from the dropdown menu.
Qualifiers allow you to apply different rules to different employee groups
You can "Select All" to apply the rule universally or choose specific qualifiers
Select the time off types the rule will affect.
Choose which leave categories this rule applies to (vacation, sick leave, personal time, comp time, etc.)
You can select multiple time off types for a single rule
Each time off type can have different deduction rules applied
Configuring Real (Actual) Hours
Determine if you will be using Fixed or Range for the real (actual) hours the individual is off.
Fixed: A singular, specific amount of time (e.g., exactly 1 hour)
Use this when the rule applies to a precise duration
Example: "Absences of exactly 4 hours"
Range: A period of time spanning from a minimum to a maximum (e.g., 1 to 2 hours)
Use this when the rule applies to absences within a time bracket
Example: "Absences between 1 and 4 hours
Setting Deduction Type and Amount
Determine your deduction type: Hours or Shifts.
If deducting by Hours:
Set the deducted amount using one of two methods:
Fixed: A specific number of hours deducted regardless of actual time off (e.g., always deduct 4 hours)
By Rate: A proportional calculation based on actual hours (e.g., deduct 1.5x actual hours taken)
If deducting by Shifts:
Set the deducted amount by the number of shifts
Specify how many shifts should be deducted from the balance
Useful for shift-based schedules where time off is tracked in full or partial shift increments
Saving the Rule
Click on the Save button in the Rule of Time section to save the deduction parameters.
Click Save again in the Qualifiers section to finalize and activate the rule.
Best Practices
Rule Configuration:
Start with broad rules and refine as needed - Begin with general deduction rules and add specific exceptions only when necessary
Test rules with sample scenarios - Before activating rules, test them with hypothetical time off requests to verify calculations
Document your rule logic - Maintain separate documentation explaining why each rule exists and what policy it implements
Use qualifiers strategically - Only create qualifier-specific rules when policies genuinely differ between groups; universal rules are easier to maintain
Deduction Methods:
Consider shift patterns - For 24-hour shifts, shift-based deductions often make more sense than hourly deductions
Address partial shift absences - Create range-based rules to handle scenarios where employees leave mid-shift
Account for minimum thresholds - Some departments don't deduct for absences under a certain duration (e.g., less than 1 hour)
Align with FLSA compliance - Ensure deduction rules comply with FLSA regulations for your jurisdiction
Maintenance:
Review rules annually - During policy review periods, verify that deduction rules still reflect current agreements
Communicate changes clearly - When modifying rules, notify affected personnel about changes and effective dates
Monitor for unintended consequences - After implementing new rules, review actual deductions to ensure they're working as intended
Keep rules simple when possible - Complex rule sets are harder to explain to staff and more prone to errors
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
Creating overlapping rules that conflict with each other
Setting up rules before configuring the necessary qualifiers and time off types
Forgetting to save in both the Rule of Time section AND the Qualifiers section
Making rules too granular, creating unnecessary administrative burden
Not considering how rules interact with accrual policies
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Q: The deduction rule I created isn't being applied to time off requests. Why?
A: Check the following:
Verify you saved the rule in both the Rule of Time section AND the Qualifiers section
Confirm the time off request matches the qualifier criteria (right rank, battalion, etc.)
Ensure the time off type in the request is included in the rule configuration
Check that the actual hours fall within the Fixed or Range parameters you specified
Verify the rule is active and not in draft status
Q: Can I apply different deduction rules to the same qualifier for different time off types?
A: Yes. You can create multiple rules for the same qualifier, each targeting different time off types. For example, Battalion A might have one rule for vacation (deduct by shifts) and another for sick leave (deduct by hours).
Q: What happens if an employee's time off request falls outside all configured ranges?
A: If no rule matches the scenario, the system will typically default to deducting the actual hours taken. It's recommended to create a "catch-all" rule with a wide range to handle edge cases.
Q: Can I have a rule that deducts zero hours for certain circumstances?
A: Yes. You can set a Fixed deduction amount of 0 hours, which can be useful for certain types of excused absences or paid administrative leave that shouldn't reduce balances.
Q: How do I handle employees who work different shift lengths?
A: Use qualifier-based rules to create separate deduction rules for each shift type. For example, 24-hour shift personnel might have shift-based deductions while 8-hour staff have hourly deductions.
Q: What's the difference between Fixed and Rate deductions when using Hours?
A: Fixed deductions always remove the same amount regardless of actual time off (e.g., any absence deducts 4 hours). Rate deductions are proportional (e.g., 1.5x actual time, so 2 hours off deducts 3 hours).
Q: Can I see how a rule will affect a specific time off request before approving it?
A: Yes. When viewing a time off request, the system will show the calculated deduction based on applicable rules before you approve it.
Q: What happens if multiple rules could apply to the same time off request?
A: The system applies the most specific rule first. Qualifier-specific rules take precedence over universal rules. If multiple rules of equal specificity exist, contact your system administrator to resolve the conflict.
Purpose Statement Time Off Rules allow administrators to establish automated controls that limit the number of employees who can be off duty simultaneously. This feature helps maintain minimum staffing requirements, ensures operational readiness, and ...
Purpose Statement The Manage Rotation Rules feature allows administrators to configure which shift rotation patterns are available for use throughout their department's scheduling system. This ensures that only relevant rotation schedules appear when ...
Purpose Statement The FLSA Rules feature in First Due enables administrators to automate Fair Labor Standards Act compliance by establishing custom overtime calculation rules that align with your department's work agreements and pay policies. This ...
Purpose Statement Exclusion Rules allow administrators to automatically prevent personnel from being scheduled for Call Shifts or Mandatory Hires based on their time off requests. This feature ensures adequate rest periods before and after scheduled ...
Purpose Statement The manual incident creation and messaging feature enables authorized users to create dispatch incidents and send messages to other users directly from the First Due mobile app. This functionality provides operational flexibility ...