A Time-Off Policy Template for Daycare Centers (Copy and Customize)

Most daycare employee handbooks either skip time-off policy entirely or bury it in legalese nobody reads. Here's a one-page template you can customize in 20 minutes and hand to your team this week.

The template

Copy this, fill in the blanks, and adjust the numbers to match your center. The goal: any staff member can read this in 2 minutes and know exactly how time off works.

[Your Center Name] — Time Off Policy

How much time off do I get?

Vacation: [X] days per year for full-time staff. Part-time staff receive [X] days. Vacation accrues [monthly / is available January 1].
Sick days: [X] days per year. A physician's note is required after [X] consecutive days.
Personal days: [X] days per year.
Bereavement: Up to [X] days for immediate family.

How do I request time off?

All requests must be submitted through [your system — app, form, etc.]. Requests made via text message, verbal ask, or sticky note will not be tracked and may not be approved.

How much notice do I need to give?

Planned time off: At least [14] days in advance.
Sick days: Notify your director by [6:00 AM] the day of your absence.

What might cause my request to be denied?

We approve requests on a first-come, first-served basis. A request may be denied if:

Approving it would put us below our required staff-to-child ratios.
[X] or more staff members already have approved time off on that date.
The request falls during a blackout period (announced in advance).

Holiday schedule

The center is closed on the following days: [list your holidays]. These do not count against your vacation balance.

Questions?

Talk to [director name] or check [your calendar/app] to see the current schedule before you request.

Why this format works

This template does a few things intentionally:

It puts the "how to request" up front. The #1 source of scheduling chaos is requests coming in through five different channels. One channel, one process, no ambiguity.
It explains why requests get denied. Staff who understand the reason ("we'd be below ratio") accept denials far better than staff who get a bare "no." Transparency reduces resentment.
It sets expectations for notice. Two weeks is standard. It gives you time to check coverage, adjust if needed, and respond without rushing.
It separates planned time off from sick days. Different rules for different situations. Planned time off requires notice. Sick days require same-morning notification. Mixing them into one policy creates confusion.

The one thing most policies get wrong

They're too long. A 3-page time-off policy reads like a legal document, and your staff — who are educators, not lawyers — will ignore it. One page. Big sections. Short sentences. If a new hire can't understand it in their first week, it's not a policy, it's a barrier.

What to do after you write it

Print it and post it in the break room. Physical visibility matters for teams that don't sit at desks.
Walk through it at a staff meeting. 5 minutes. Read each section aloud. Ask if there are questions. That meeting is worth more than the document itself, because it signals "we're taking this seriously."
Enforce it consistently. The policy only works if it applies to everyone — including your best teacher and your longest-tenured aide. The moment you make an exception, the policy stops being policy.

Want to enforce your policy automatically?

Time Off Schedule lets you set coverage rules, capacity limits, and accrual rates — then enforces them for you. Staff see what's available before they request. You approve with one tap.

Try it free for 30 days