Tracking employee vacation and sick days goes wrong when the two are kept in one pot. They come out of different allowances under most policies, they are approved differently (vacation in advance against a cap, sick days after the fact), and the accountant reads them differently at year end. So the record keeps two counters against the same person, each with its own allowance, its own history and its own balance, on the same screen. The U.S. Department of Labor, cited below, says the Fair Labor Standards Act does not require payment for time not worked such as vacations or sick leave, so both allowances are the employer's policy and the two counters are the proof each was applied.
Vacation: approved in advance, against a cap
A vacation request is approved before it is taken, checked against the cap on how many can be off and against the person's balance, and deducted on approval. The free template on this site sizes the vacation side of the year from the headcount and allowance, with the requests to expect at your typical length and the headroom left at your cap.
Sick days: recorded after the fact, against their own allowance
A sick day is recorded when it happens, against the sick allowance, with no cap to check and no advance approval. Keeping it in the vacation counter hides the vacation balance and misstates both at year end; keeping it separately shows the pattern the manager needs to see, and keeps the vacation calendar honest about who is actually away.
Year end: two figures, not one
Carryover rules differ between the two, and so does the accountant's treatment. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics factsheet cited below found after 5 years of service 32 percent of private industry workers with paid vacation received 15 to 19 days, which is the vacation figure; the sick allowance is the employer's own. The template prints the vacation carryover at your cap and its pay value; Pro holds both counters and exports them side by side.
Questions people ask about tracking employee vacation and sick days
Should vacation and sick days come from one allowance?
Only if the policy says so, and most do not. Two counters against the same person keep both balances honest and both histories readable.
Does the tracker need a cap on sick days?
No. Sick days are recorded after the fact against their allowance; the cap applies to vacation, which is approved in advance.
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