This post was originally published on this site
In 2024, July 4 fell on a Thursday—and the day after became the third most-requested PTO day of the year, according to Paycom, a provider of cloud-based human capital management software. In fact, the firm found, PTO requests for July 5 soared a full 326% above average.
While Independence Day is on a Friday this year—and approximately 94% of private employers will give their workforce the day off, according to Indeed—HR may still see spikes in PTO requests from workers looking to extend their long weekend. And, according to Tiffany McGowen, senior executive vice president of HR and talent acquisition at Paycom, those requests could create challenges for payroll accuracy and staffing coverage. The firm’s research found that nearly 25% of employees submit PTO requests either on the day they start their vacation or after returning.
The stat suggests a lack of clarity around PTO policies, which McGowen says is a hidden risk to business continuity.
Tiffany McGowen, Paycom
“Unclear PTO policies don’t just frustrate employees—they disrupt operations,” she says, noting that Paycom research found that one-third of employees struggle to understand their company’s time-off policies.
“When time off isn’t documented properly, it can lead to payroll errors, accrual mistakes
