SOURCE: Vacation Tracker TITLE: Introducing Probation Periods in Vacation Tracker URL: https://vacationtracker.io/blog/introducing-probation-periods/ LANG: en PUBLISHED: 2024-09-17 UPDATED: 2025-01-28 AUTHOR: Claudia READING: 4 min TAGS: vacation-tracker-news SUMMARY: Discover how Probation Period in Vacation Tracker simplifies onboarding by automating leave restrictions for new hires during their probation period. # Introducing Probation Periods in Vacation Tracker Welcoming a new member to your team is all about getting to know them and sharing how your company operates. But, in order to do this right, they need to actually be working! That’s why we’ve created the Probation Period feature in Vacation Tracker (https://vacationtracker.io/), helping employers streamline the onboarding process by setting clear leave expectations from the start. This upgrade allows HR teams to restrict leave during an employee’s probation period, ensuring new hires focus on settling into their role and integrating with the team before taking time off. By minimizing the complexity of managing leave for new hires, HR teams can dedicate more time to supporting their integration. Keep reading to learn more about how this feature works and discover just how simple it is to set it up. ## What is a Probation Period? A probation period is a set period where new hires are being evaluated to see if they’re a right fit for the role and company. Employers can decide on the length of the probationary period, with most ranging from 30-90 days. Many companies chose to delay benefits, including health insurance and PTO accruals, during this time frame. Employees are also usually exempt from standard employment contract policies like a notice period or reason for termination, allowing both parties the flexibility to assess whether the employment relationship should continue. HRs are essential in supporting new hires during this phase, helping to manage expectations, providing feedback, and guiding them through the company’s policies. ## Probation Period in Vacation Tracker ### Feature Overview We understand that employee onboarding is a busy and complex process for HR teams. Between organizing documentation, providing orientation, and managing evaluations, it can be easy for details like probationary leave policies to slip through the cracks. This latest feature prevents new hires from taking leave during their probation period. It sets clear guidelines for new team members, leaving no ambiguity about company rules and ensuring that your new employees are focused on onboarding and integrating into the team. When a new hire views their profile page in Vacation Tracker, a banner will appear reminding them that they are not eligible for PTO while on probation. If a new hire requests time off during their probation, the request is automatically rejected by the system. This makes sure that employees adhere to probationary policies without any manual oversight. ![Vacation Tracker user profile showing a banner that the employee is on a 60-day probation period](https://cms.vacationtracker.io/uploads/user_profile_probation_period_banner_57cdf62798.webp) ### How Does it Work? The Probation Period Leave Restriction feature works by automatically rejecting any leave requests made by new hires during their probation period. Administrators can create personalized rejection messages, ensuring clear communication with employees about the reasons for rejection. ![Auto-rejection message on the Request Leave screen explaining that the employee is still in their probation period](https://cms.vacationtracker.io/uploads/custom_rejection_message_ba7ff2ae5f.webp) This automatic rejection process helps keep probationary policies clear and consistent across the board. New hires receive an immediate response, eliminating the need for manual intervention from HR or managers. The feature helps HR teams enforce company policies while maintaining a positive onboarding experience for new employees. ## Setting Up Probation Periods in Vacation Tracker Setting up probation periods in Vacation Tracker is quick and easy. With just a few clicks, you can customize probation policies to fit your organization’s specific needs. Follow these steps to get started: ### Step 1: Activate the Add On Administrators can easily activate the probation period automation (/automations/) by selecting it in the automation tab in their Vacation Tracker menu. This automation is available for free to Complete Plan users and for an additional $0.50 per user per month for Core Plan users. ### ![Probation Period add-on shown on the Add-ons page in Vacation Tracker](https://cms.vacationtracker.io/uploads/activate_probation_period_add_on_c10215870e.webp) ### Step 2: Defining and Applying the Probation Policy After activating the feature, the next step is defining your probation policy. Administrators can customize the probation period length, name the policy, and create an automatic rejection response for leave requests made during the probation period. Next, you must decide who the probation policy will apply to and which types of leave it will restrict. Administrators have the option to apply the leave to everyone or to customize its application by location, department, or label. There is also the option to decide which leave types will be affected. For example, some organizations may want to restrict Vacation or PTO but not sick days. ![Defining a probation policy in Vacation Tracker, including which leave types it applies to](https://cms.vacationtracker.io/uploads/define_probation_policy_cca7ea9b93.webp) ### Step 3: Create the Policy That’s all it takes! By clicking Create Policy, you’ve officially set up the Probation Period automation, making leave management for your team one step easier. Need some more help? Check out our video walkthrough to see the feature in action: ## ## Ready to set up probation periods in Vacation Tracker? Our latest feature helps your team efficiently manage leave requests during probation periods. By automating PTO restrictions and providing clear communication, you’ll encourage new hires to focus on integrating into their role. Try the probation period feature today to ensure a smoother onboarding process for your growing team. Core plan users can purchase it here (https://app.vacationtracker.io/app/automations). Otherwise, upgrade to the Complete plan (https://vacationtracker.io/pricing/) to access this feature, and many, many more, for free and give your HR team the tools they need for seamless leave management (https://vacationtracker.io/product/advanced-leave-policies/)! Not a Vacation Tracker subscriber? Enjoy full access to all features for free for 14 days. No credit card required. Take the guesswork out of time off tracking. Know exactly who's off and when—no spreadsheets, no surprises. Get started (https://app.vacationtracker.io/signup) ![check](/static/img/icons/check.svg) No credit card required.