In short
A leave request form is an internal document in which the employee states the leave type, dates and stand-in, and where manager and HR approvals are recorded. For annual leave it should include the details required by Art. 8 of the Regulation (full name, employee number, date range, travel leave request). Approved forms are entered in the annual leave record and kept in the personnel file; in a dispute, the employer must prove the leave was granted.
Template text
Fill in the fields in square brackets with your own details.
LEAVE REQUEST FORM
Employee details
- Full name:
- Employee number:
- Department / job title:
- Start date:
Leave type
- Paid annual leave
- Excused leave (marriage, adoption, bereavement, paternity, disabled child care)
- Unpaid leave
- Travel leave (unpaid, up to 4 days)
- Time off in lieu (for overtime)
- Other: [Description]
Leave period
- Start date:
- End date:
- Return to work:
- Total (working days):
- Stand-in during leave:
- Phone during leave (optional):
- Notes:
- Employee's signature:
- Date:
Approvals
Manager approval
Name:
Signature:
Date:
Human Resources approval
Name:
Signature:
Date:
For Human Resources
- Annual leave remaining (before request):
- Annual leave remaining (after request):
- Date entered in the leave record:
Do not attach documents containing health information, such as medical reports or pregnancy check-ups, to this form; store them separately with restricted access as special category personal data (KVKK, Art. 6).
How to fill it in
- Add your company name or logo at the top; the Word file is editable.
- The employee fills in their details, the leave type and dates, and writes the total in working days (weekly rest days and public holidays are not counted as leave).
- The manager checks the stand-in so work is not disrupted, and approves.
- Human Resources calculates the remaining leave, approves and enters the leave in the annual leave record.
- Keep the approved form in the personnel file; do not attach health documents to it.
Legal basis and points to note
- An annual leave request states the employee's full name, employee number if any, the dates requested and whether unpaid travel leave is requested (Annual Paid Leave Regulation, Art. 8).
- The employee gives written notice of annual leave at least one month in advance (Regulation, Art. 7); the employer is not bound by the requested dates (Art. 8).
- The employer must keep a leave record showing employees' annual leave (Labour Law, Art. 56; Regulation, Art. 20).
- In a dispute, the employer proves the leave was granted with a signed leave book or an equivalent document (Court of Cassation General Assembly of Civil Chambers, E.2016/1346, K.2019/1160).
- Health data is special category personal data and must be protected with additional measures (KVKK, Art. 6).
Frequently asked questions
Is a leave request form mandatory?
The law does not require a specific form. But annual leave requests must be in writing (Regulation, Art. 7) and leave must be kept in a leave record (Labour Law, Art. 56; Regulation, Art. 20); the form is the basis for these records.
Is a medical report submitted with this form?
No. A medical rest report is not a leave request; it is notified to the employer and recorded. Only the start and end dates should be taken from the report, and no diagnosis should be requested.
Can the form be kept electronically?
Yes. The legislation does not prohibit electronic records; what matters is being able to trace that the request came from the employee and who approved it and when.
Is manager approval enough, or is HR approval needed?
The law does not set an approval order. HR approval is recommended so that the remaining leave is calculated correctly and the leave is entered in the leave record; in small businesses both approvals may be given by the same person.
Sources
- Labour Law No. 4857, Art. 56
- Annual Paid Leave Regulation, Arts. 7, 8, 20
- Personal Data Protection Law No. 6698 (KVKK), Art. 6
- Court of Cassation General Assembly of Civil Chambers, E.2016/1346, K.2019/1160