A Canadian Time Off Request Form is a standardised workplace document used by employees to formally request leave from work, whether for vacation, statutory leaves under the Employment Standards Act (ESA), or company-specific time off. The form serves as an official record of the request, the type and duration of leave, the approval or denial decision, and any associated documentation such as medical notes or coverage plans.

Canadian employment law provides employees with numerous job-protected leaves under both provincial and federal legislation. Each province and territory has its own Employment Standards Act governing minimum leave entitlements, while federally regulated employees (banking, telecommunications, interprovincial transport, Crown corporations) are covered by the Canada Labour Code Part III. The Ontario ESA, for example, provides sick leave (3 unpaid days per year), bereavement leave (2 unpaid days), family responsibility leave (3 unpaid days), pregnancy leave (17 weeks), parental leave (up to 61–63 weeks), family medical leave (up to 28 weeks), family caregiver leave (up to 8 weeks), critical illness leave, domestic or sexual violence leave (10 days plus 15 weeks), organ donor leave, reservist leave, and the new long-term illness leave (up to 27 weeks, effective June 19, 2025).

A well-designed time-off request form helps employers track leave balances, ensure compliance with statutory leave entitlements, and document that job-protected leaves were properly requested and not denied. Proper documentation is essential during Ministry of Labour inspections and employment litigation.

A Time Off Request Form is needed whenever an employee plans to be absent from work, regardless of whether the absence is for vacation, personal reasons, or a statutory leave. The form should be submitted as far in advance as reasonably possible for planned absences such as vacation or elective medical procedures. For unforeseen absences such as sudden illness, bereavement, or personal emergencies, the form should be completed as soon as practicable after the leave commences.

The form is particularly important for statutory leaves because these are job-protected under the ESA and cannot be denied by the employer. Documenting the request creates a clear record that the employee properly notified the employer and that the employer acknowledged the statutory leave. This protects both parties in the event of a dispute.

For vacation requests, the form helps manage scheduling and ensures that the employer complies with the ESA’s vacation scheduling requirements. Under the Ontario ESA, employers must schedule vacation in periods of one or more weeks, and the vacation must be completed within 10 months after the end of the vacation entitlement year (unless the employee agrees otherwise in writing). The form also supports internal record-keeping for leave balance tracking, payroll processing, and workforce planning.

An effective Canadian Time Off Request Form must identify the employee by name, job title, department, employee ID, and supervisor. The form must clearly specify the type of leave being requested, and should distinguish between statutory leaves (which are job-protected and cannot be denied) and non-statutory leave (vacation, company PTO) which is subject to employer approval.

The leave dates section must include the start date, end date, expected return-to-work date, and total number of business days requested. For partial-day requests, the form should specify whether the absence is for the morning, afternoon, or custom hours. The reason for the request should be brief — for statutory leaves, the employee is not required to disclose detailed personal or medical information.

The leave balance section tracks the employee’s annual vacation entitlement, days used, and days remaining, as well as statutory sick days used. This ensures that the employee has sufficient entitlement for the requested leave and helps the employer comply with ESA vacation pay requirements.

The approval section should include options for approval, approval with modifications, and denial, with space for the supervisor’s signature and date. The form should clearly note that statutory leaves cannot be denied. A statutory rights section should inform employees of their protections under the ESA, including the right to reinstatement, benefit continuation, and protection from retaliation. The form should reference the applicable provincial ESA and the Canada Labour Code for federally regulated employees.