Time off in Lieu (TOIL)

Overview

Time off in Lieu (TOIL) allows employees to work additional hours and later use those hours to take paid time off from scheduled shifts. TOIL must be enabled in Admin → Leave settings and within each employee’s profile under the Allowances tab.

When a user works an overtime shift set as Time off in lieu , those hours are added to their TOIL balance rather than being paid immediately. When TOIL is later used for leave, the employee receives full pay for their scheduled shift, even though part of it is taken off using TOIL.

In essence, TOIL hours are unpaid when worked and become paid once applied (and approved) against a future scheduled shift.

Earning TOIL

Employees can accrue TOIL in several ways:

• Managers schedule an overtime shift with the type Overtime (time in lieu) .
• An employee clocks in without a scheduled shift and selects Overtime TOIL ; if approved, an overtime shift is created and added to their TOIL balance.
• An employee manually records hours in a timesheet with the type Time in lieu .

Managers can also create these overtime shifts directly from the Staff Rotas page using the “Add other item” box or by clicking the purple “+” button at the bottom right of the screen.

Requesting TOIL

Employees can use their TOIL balance to shorten scheduled shifts. This is only available if TOIL is enabled both in Admin → Leave settings and in their individual profile under Allowances → Other leave .

• Open a scheduled shift from 'My rota' or 'My calendar' and ensure that the shift ends in the future (the shift may have already started).
• Tap Use TOIL at the bottom of the modal.
• Enter the times of the TOIL request and press Submit .

Once submitted, the request notifies the shift’s team manager, who can approve it at Team Hours → Requests

Converting TOIL and Annual Leave

Managers or administrators can convert TOIL balances into Annual Leave and vice versa. This can be done either in the Staff Dashboard or through an employee’s profile under Allowances → TOIL conversions .

In the staff dashboard, select the Time off in lieu tab, choose an employee, and open the Conversions tab to convert TOIL to leave (or the reverse). In the user’s profile, click New conversion under TOIL conversions and complete the form.

Adjusting TOIL balances

Managers can manually adjust TOIL balances from the Staff Dashboard by selecting Time off in lieu , choosing an employee, and using the Adjustments tab.

Viewing TOIL history

To view a record of all TOIL accruals, adjustments, conversions, and TOIL time-off requests, go to the Staff Dashboard → Allowances → Time off in lieu tab and select an employee. The history box shows accrued TOIL, used TOIL, and all related activity.

TOIL period

The TOIL period defines the window of time FlowRota uses to calculate an employee’s TOIL balance. It is configured in Admin → Leave settings .

For example, if the TOIL period is set to one year, FlowRota will include all overtime (time in lieu) shifts worked within the past year, any TOIL requests, adjustments, and conversions within that same period. Older TOIL data will fall outside the calculation window.

The TOIL period also includes any scheduled TOIL overtime shifts and TOIL requests in the future in addition to the TOIL period.

To ensure accuracy and flexibility, FlowRota recommends setting a TOIL period of at least two years and encouraging employees not to hold TOIL balances for too long - as negative balances can occur if TOIL was logged beyond the window but taken off within it.