travel time in lieu

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What to know about time off in lieu for business travel

What are the rules regarding travel time, home to work travel, one-day travel to another city, travel away from home, how should i handle time off in lieu for business travel requests.

• How employees will record their overtime: Timesheets and time and attendance software are common choices for employers.
• How you will calculate the time off in lieu: This is how you will decide how much time off to reward employees with. You could opt for a simple system whereby employees receive the same hourly rate for time off in lieu as the amount of overtime they worked.
• How to prevent employees exploiting time off in lieu policies: Time off work is an appealing concept, and some employees might purposely work overtime or indulge in more travelling time in order to bank up time in lieu. You must set clear parameters on the time in lieu policy.

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Compensatory Time Off for Travel - Questions & Answers to Fact Sheet

• Q1. What is compensatory time off for travel? View more A. Compensatory time off for travel is a separate form of compensatory time off that may be earned by an employee for time spent in a travel status away from the employee's official duty station when such time is not otherwise compensable.
• Q2. Are all employees covered by this provision? View more A. The compensatory time off provision applies to an "employee" as defined in 5 U.S.C. 5541(2) who is employed in an "Executive agency" as defined in 5 U.S.C. 105, without regard to whether the employee is exempt from or covered by the overtime pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended. For example, this includes employees in senior-level (SL) and scientific or professional (ST) positions, but not members of the Senior Executive Service or Senior Foreign Service or Foreign Service officers. Effective April 27, 2008, prevailing rate (wage) employees are covered under the compensatory time off for travel provision. (See CPM 2008-04 .)
• Q3. Are intermittent employees eligible to earn compensatory time off for travel? View more A. No. Compensatory time off for travel may be used by an employee when the employee is granted time off from his or her scheduled tour of duty established for leave purposes. (See 5 CFR 550.1406(b).) Also see the definition of "scheduled tour of duty for leave purposes" in 5 CFR 550.1403. Employees who are on intermittent work schedules are not eligible to earn and use compensatory time off for travel because they do not have a scheduled tour of duty for leave purposes.
• Q4. What qualifies as travel for the purpose of this provision? View more A. To qualify for this purpose, travel must be officially authorized. In other words, travel must be for work purposes and must be approved by an authorized agency official or otherwise authorized under established agency policies. (Also see Q5.)
• Q5. May an employee earn compensatory time off when he or she travels in conjunction with the performance of union representational duties? View more A. No. The term "travel" is defined at 5 CFR 550.1403 to mean officially authorized travel—i.e., travel for work purposes approved by an authorized agency official or otherwise authorized under established agency policies. The definition specifically excludes time spent traveling in connection with union activities. The term "travel for work purposes" is intended to mean travel for agency-related work purposes. Thus, employees who travel in connection with union activities are not entitled to earn compensatory time off for travel because they are traveling for the benefit of the union, and not for agency-related work purposes.
• Q6. An employee receives compensatory time off for travel only for those hours spent in a travel status. What qualifies as time in a travel status? View more A. Travel status includes only the time actually spent traveling between the official duty station and a temporary duty station, or between two temporary duty stations, and the usual waiting time that precedes or interrupts such travel.
• Q7. Is travel in connection with a permanent change of station (PCS) creditable for compensatory time off for travel? View more A. Although PCS travel is officially authorized travel, it is not travel between an official duty station and a temporary duty station or between two temporary duty stations. Therefore, it is not considered time in a travel status for the purpose of earning compensatory time off for travel.
• Q8. What is meant by "usual waiting time"? View more A. Airline travelers generally are required to arrive at the airport at a designated pre-departure time (e.g., 1 or 2 hours before the scheduled departure, depending on whether the flight is domestic or international). Such waiting time at the airport is considered usual waiting time and is creditable time in a travel status. In addition, time spent at an intervening airport waiting for a connecting flight (e.g., 1 or 2 hours) also is creditable time in a travel status. In all cases, determinations regarding what is creditable as "usual waiting time" are within the sole and exclusive discretion of the employing agency.
• Q9. What if an employee experiences an "extended" waiting period? View more A. If an employee experiences an unusually long wait prior to his or her initial departure or between actual periods of travel during which the employee is free to rest, sleep, or otherwise use the time for his or her own purposes, the extended waiting time outside the employee's regular working hours is not creditable time in a travel status. An extended waiting period that occurs during an employee's regular working hours is compensable as part of the employee's regularly scheduled administrative workweek.
• Q10. Do meal periods count as time in a travel status? View more A. Meal periods during actual travel time or waiting time are not specifically excluded from creditable time in a travel status for the purpose of earning compensatory time off for travel. However, determinations regarding what is creditable as "usual waiting time" are within the sole and exclusive discretion of the employing agency.
• Q11. What happens once an employee reaches a temporary duty station? View more A. Time spent at a temporary duty station between arrival and departure is not creditable travel time for the purpose of earning compensatory time off for travel. Time in a travel status ends when the employee arrives at the temporary duty worksite or his or her lodging in the temporary duty station, wherever the employee arrives first. Time in a travel status resumes when an employee departs from the temporary duty worksite or his or her lodging in the temporary duty station, wherever the employee departs last.
• Q12. When is it appropriate for an agency to offset creditable time in a travel status by the amount of time the employee spends in normal commuting between home and work? View more A. If an employee travels directly between his or her home and a temporary duty station outside the limits of the employee's official duty station (e.g., driving to and from a 3-day conference), the agency must deduct the employee's normal home-to-work/work-to-home commuting time from the creditable travel time. The agency must also deduct an employee's normal commuting time from the creditable travel time if the employee is required—outside of regular working hours—to travel between home and a transportation terminal (e.g., an airport or train station) outside the limits of the employee's official duty station.
• Q13. What if an employee travels to a transportation terminal within the limits of his or her official duty station? View more A. An employee's time spent traveling outside of regular working hours to or from a transportation terminal within the limits of his or her official duty station is considered equivalent to commuting time and is not creditable time in a travel status for the purpose of earning compensatory time off for travel.
• Q14. What if an employee travels from a worksite to a transportation terminal? View more A. If an employee travels between a worksite and a transportation terminal, the travel time outside regular working hours is creditable as time in a travel status, and no commuting time offset applies. For example, after completing his or her workday, an employee may travel directly from the regular worksite to an airport to attend an out-of-town meeting the following morning. The travel time between the regular worksite and the airport is creditable as time in a travel status.
• Q15. What if an employee elects to travel at a time other than the time selected by the agency? View more A. When an employee travels at a time other than the time selected by the agency, the agency must determine the estimated amount of time in a travel status the employee would have had if the employee had traveled at the time selected by the agency. The agency must credit the employee with the lesser of (1) the estimated time in a travel status the employee would have had if the employee had traveled at the time selected by the agency, or (2) the employee's actual time in a travel status at a time other than that selected by the agency.
• Q16. How is an employee's travel time calculated for the purpose of earning compensatory time off for travel when the travel involves two or more time zones? View more A. When an employee's travel involves two or more time zones, the time zone from point of first departure must be used to determine how many hours the employee actually spent in a travel status for the purpose of accruing compensatory time off for travel. For example, if an employee travels from his official duty station in Washington, DC, to a temporary duty station in San Francisco, CA, the Washington, DC, time zone must be used to determine how many hours the employee spent in a travel status. However, on the return trip to Washington, DC, the time zone from San Francisco, CA, must be used to calculate how many hours the employee spent in a travel status.
• Q17. How is compensatory time off for travel earned and credited? View more A. Compensatory time off for travel is earned for qualifying time in a travel status. Agencies may authorize credit in increments of one-tenth of an hour (6 minutes) or one-quarter of an hour (15 minutes). Agencies must track and manage compensatory time off for travel separately from other forms of compensatory time off.
• Q18. Is there a limitation on the amount of compensatory time off for travel an employee may earn? View more A. No.
• Q19. How does an employee request credit for compensatory time off for travel? View more A. Agencies may establish procedures for requesting credit for compensatory time off for travel. An employee must comply with his or her agency's procedures for requesting credit of compensatory time off, and the employee must file a request for such credit within the time period established by the agency. An employee's request for credit of compensatory time off for travel may be denied if the request is not filed within the time period required by the agency.
• Q20. Is there a form employees must fill out for requests to earn or use compensatory time off for travel? View more A. There is not a Governmentwide form used for requests to earn or use compensatory time off for travel. However, an agency may choose to develop a form as part of its internal policies and procedures.
• Q21. How does an employee use accrued compensatory time off for travel? View more A. An employee must request permission from his or her supervisor to schedule the use of his or her accrued compensatory time off for travel in accordance with agency policies and procedures. Compensatory time off for travel may be used when the employee is granted time off from his or her scheduled tour of duty established for leave purposes. Employees must use accrued compensatory time off for travel in increments of one-tenth of an hour (6 minutes) or one-quarter of an hour (15 minutes).
• Q22. In what order should agencies charge compensatory time off for travel? View more A. Agencies must charge compensatory time off for travel in the chronological order in which it was earned, with compensatory time off for travel earned first being charged first.
• Q23. How long does an employee have to use accrued compensatory time off for travel? View more A. An employee must use his or her accrued compensatory time off for travel by the end of the 26th pay period after the pay period during which it was earned or the employee must forfeit such compensatory time off, except in certain circumstances. (See Q24 and Q25 for exceptions.)
• Q24. What if an employee is unable to use his or her accrued compensatory time off for travel because of uniformed service or an on-the-job injury with entitlement to injury compensation? View more A. Unused compensatory time off for travel will be held in abeyance for an employee who separates, or is placed in a leave without pay status, and later returns following (1) separation or leave without pay to perform service in the uniformed services (as defined in 38 U.S.C. 4303 and 5 CFR 353.102) and a return to service through the exercise of a reemployment right or (2) separation or leave without pay due to an on-the-job injury with entitlement to injury compensation under 5 U.S.C. chapter 81. The employee must use all of the compensatory time off for travel held in abeyance by the end of the 26th pay period following the pay period in which the employee returns to duty, or such compensatory time off for travel will be forfeited.
• Q25. What if an employee is unable to use his or her accrued compensatory time off for travel because of an exigency of the service beyond the employee's control? View more A. If an employee fails to use his or her accrued compensatory time off for travel before the end of the 26th pay period after the pay period during which it was earned due to an exigency of the service beyond the employee's control, the head of an agency, at his or her sole and exclusive discretion, may extend the time limit for up to an additional 26 pay periods.
• Q26. May unused compensatory time off for travel be restored if an employee does not use it by the end of the 26th pay period after the pay period during which it was earned? View more A. Except in certain circumstances (see Q24 and Q25), any compensatory time off for travel not used by the end of the 26th pay period after the pay period during which it was earned must be forfeited.
• Q27. What happens to an employee's unused compensatory time off for travel upon separation from Federal service? View more A. Except in certain circumstances (see Q24), an employee must forfeit all unused compensatory time off for travel upon separation from Federal service.
• Q28. May an employee receive a lump-sum payment for accrued compensatory time off for travel upon separation from an agency? View more A. No. The law prohibits payment for unused compensatory time off for travel under any circumstances.
• Q29. What happens to an employee's accrued compensatory time off for travel upon transfer to another agency? View more A. When an employee voluntarily transfers to another agency (including a promotion or change to lower grade action), the employee must forfeit all of his or her unused compensatory time off for travel.
• Q30. What happens to an employee's accrued compensatory time off for travel when the employee moves to a position that is not covered by the regulations in 5 CFR part 550, subpart N? View more A. When an employee moves to a position in an agency not covered by the compensatory time off for travel provisions (e.g., the United States Postal Service), the employee must forfeit all of his or her unused compensatory time off for travel. However, the gaining agency may use its own legal authority to give the employee credit for such compensatory time off.
• Q31. Is compensatory time off for travel considered in applying the premium pay and aggregate pay caps? View more A. No. Compensatory time off for travel may not be considered in applying the biweekly or annual premium pay limitations established under 5 U.S.C. 5547 or the aggregate limitation on pay established under 5 U.S.C. 5307.
• Q32. When are criminal investigators who receive availability pay precluded from earning compensatory time off for travel? View more A. Compensatory time off for travel is earned only for hours not otherwise compensable. The term "compensable" is defined at 5 CFR 550.1403 to include any hours of a type creditable under other compensation provisions, even if there are compensation caps limiting the payment of premium pay for those hours (e.g., the 25 percent cap on availability pay and the biweekly premium pay cap). For availability pay recipients, this means hours of travel are not creditable as time in a travel status for compensatory time off purposes if the hours are (1) compensated by basic pay, (2) regularly scheduled overtime hours creditable under 5 U.S.C. 5542, or (3) "unscheduled duty hours" as described in 5 CFR 550.182(a), (c), and (d).
• Q33. What constitutes "unscheduled duty hours" as described in 5 CFR 550.182(a), (c), and (d)? View more A. Under the availability pay regulations, unscheduled duty hours include (1) all irregular overtime hours—i.e., overtime work not scheduled in advance of the employee's administrative workweek, (2) the first 2 overtime hours on any day containing part of the employee's basic 40-hour workweek, without regard to whether the hours are unscheduled or regularly scheduled, and (3) any approved nonwork availability hours. However, special agents in the Diplomatic Security Service of the Department of State may count only hours actually worked as unscheduled duty hours.
• Q34. Why are criminal investigators who receive availability pay precluded from earning compensatory time off when they travel during unscheduled duty hours? View more A. The purpose of availability pay is to ensure the availability of criminal investigators (and certain similar law enforcement employees) for unscheduled duty in excess of a 40-hour workweek based on the needs of the employing agency. Availability pay compensates an employee for all unscheduled duty hours. Compensatory time off for travel is earned only for hours not otherwise compensable. Thus, availability pay recipients may not earn compensatory time off for travel during unscheduled duty hours because the employees are entitled to availability pay for those hours.

A. When an employee who receives availability pay is required to travel on a non-workday or on a regular workday (during hours that exceed the employee's basic 8-hour workday), and the travel does not meet one of the four criteria in 5 U.S.C. 5542(b)(2)(B) and 5 CFR 550.112(g)(2), the travel time is not compensable as overtime hours of work under regular overtime or availability pay. Thus, the employee may earn compensatory time off for such travel, subject to the exclusion specified in 5 CFR 550.1404(b)(2) and the requirements in 5 CFR 550.1404(c),(d), and (e).

Under the provisions in 5 U.S.C. 5542(b)(2)(B) and 5 CFR 550.112(g)(2), travel time is compensable as overtime hours of work if the travel is away from the employee's official duty station and—

(i) involves the performance of work while traveling, (ii) is incident to travel that involves the performance of work while traveling, (iii) is carried out under arduous conditions, or (iv) results from an event which could not be scheduled or controlled administratively.

The phrase "an event which could not be scheduled or controlled administratively" refers to the ability of an agency in the Executive Branch of the United States Government to control the scheduling of an event which necessitates an employee's travel. If the employing agency or another Executive Branch agency has any control over the scheduling of the event, including by means of approval of a contract for it, then the event is administratively controllable, and the travel to and from the event cannot be credited as overtime hours of work.

For example, an interagency conference sponsored by the Department of Justice would be considered a joint endeavor of the participating Executive Branch agencies and within their administrative control. Under these circumstances, the travel time outside an employee's regular working hours is not compensable as overtime hours of work under regular overtime or availability pay. Therefore, the employee may earn compensatory time off for such travel, subject to the exclusion specified in 5 CFR 550.1404(b)(2) and the requirements in 5 CFR 550.1404(c), (d), and (e).

• Q36. If an employee is required to travel on a Federal holiday (or an "in lieu of" holiday), is the employee entitled to receive compensatory time off for travel? View more A. Although most employees do not receive holiday premium pay for time spent traveling on a holiday (or an "in lieu of" holiday), an employee continues to be entitled to pay for the holiday in the same manner as if the travel were not required. Thus, an employee may not earn compensatory time off for travel during basic (non-overtime) holiday hours because the employee is entitled to his or her rate of basic pay for those hours. Compensatory time off for travel may be earned by an employee only for time spent in a travel status away from the employee's official duty station when such time is not otherwise compensable.
• Q37. If an employee's regularly scheduled tour of duty is Sunday through Thursday and the employee is required to travel on a Sunday during regular working hours, is the employee entitled to earn compensatory time off for travel? View more A. No. Compensatory time off for travel may be earned by an employee only for time spent in a travel status away from the employee's official duty station when such time is not otherwise compensable. Thus, an employee may not earn compensatory time off for travel for traveling on a workday during regular working hours because the employee is receiving his or her rate of basic pay for those hours.
• Q38. May an agency change an employee's work schedule for travel purposes? View more A. An agency may not adjust the regularly scheduled administrative workweek that normally applies to an employee (part-time or full-time) solely for the purpose of including planned travel time not otherwise considered compensable hours of work. However, an employee is entitled to earn compensatory time off for travel for time spent in a travel status when such time is not otherwise compensable.
• Q39. Is time spent traveling creditable as credit hours for an employee who is authorized to earn credit hours under an alternative work schedule? View more A. Credit hours are hours an employee elects to work, with supervisory approval, in excess of the employee's basic work requirement under a flexible work schedule. Under certain conditions, an agency may permit an employee to earn credit hours by performing productive and essential work while in a travel status. See OPM's fact sheet on credit hours  for the conditions that must be met. If those conditions are met and the employee does earn credit hours for travel, the time spent traveling would be compensable and the employee would not be eligible to earn compensatory time off for travel. If the conditions are not met, the employee would be eligible to earn compensatory time off for travel.
• Q40. May an agency restore an employee's forfeited "use-or-lose" annual leave because the employee elected to use earned compensatory time off for travel instead of using his or her excess annual leave? View more A. Section 6304(d) of title 5, United States Code, prescribes the conditions under which an employee's forfeited annual leave may be restored to an employee. (See fact sheet on restoration of annual leave .) There is no legal authority to restore an employee's forfeited annual leave because the employee elected to use earned compensatory time off for travel instead of using his or her excess annual leave.

A. No. Compensatory time off for travel may be earned by an employee only for time spent in a travel status away from the employee's official duty station when such time is not otherwise compensable. The term "compensable" is defined at 5 CFR 550.1403 to make clear what periods of time are "not otherwise compensable" and thus potentially creditable for the purpose of earning compensatory time off for travel. Time is considered compensable if the time is creditable as hours of work for the purpose of determining a specific pay entitlement (e.g., overtime pay for travel meeting one of the four criteria in 5 CFR 550.112(g)(2)) even when the time may not actually generate additional compensation because of applicable pay limitations (e.g., biweekly premium pay cap). The capped premium pay is considered complete compensation for all hours of work creditable under the premium pay provisions.

In other words, even though an employee may not receive overtime pay for all of his or her travel hours because of the biweekly premium pay cap, all of the travel time is still considered to be compensable under 5 CFR 550.112(g)(2). Under these circumstances, the employee has been compensated fully under the law for all of the travel hours and the employee may not earn compensatory time off for any portion of such travel not generating additional compensation because of the biweekly cap on premium pay.

• Q42. May an employee who receives administratively uncontrollable overtime (AUO) pay under 5 U.S.C. 5545(c)(2) earn compensatory time off for travel? View more A. If such employee's travel time is not compensable under 5 CFR 550.112(g) or 5 CFR 551.422, as applicable, and meets the requirements in 5 CFR part 550, subpart N, the employee is eligible to earn compensatory time off for travel for time spent in a travel status.
• Q43. If a part-time employee's regularly scheduled tour of duty is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and the employee is required to travel on a Friday from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., is the employee entitled to earn compensatory time off for travel for those 2 hours? View more A. It depends. If the travel qualifies as compensable hours of work under 5 U.S.C. 5542(b)(2)(B) and 5 CFR 550.112(g)(2)—i.e., the travel involves or is incident to the performance of actual work, is carried out under arduous and unusual conditions, or results from an event which could not be scheduled or controlled administratively—the employee may not be credited with compensatory time off for travel hours. (Such travel time outside a part-time employee's scheduled tour of duty, but not in excess of 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week, would be non-overtime hours of work compensated at the employee's rate of basic pay.) If the travel time does not qualify as compensable hours of work and meets the other requirements in 5 CFR part 550, subpart N, the part-time employee would be entitled to earn compensatory time off for those 2 hours. We note travel time is always compensable hours of work if it falls within an employee's regularly scheduled administrative workweek. (See 5 U.S.C. 5542(b)(2)(A) and 5 CFR 550.112(g)(1).) For a part-time employee, the regularly scheduled administrative workweek is defined in 5 CFR 550.103 as the officially prescribed days and hours within an administrative workweek during which the employee was scheduled to work in advance of the workweek. An agency may not adjust the regularly scheduled administrative workweek normally applied to an employee (part-time or full-time) solely for the purpose of including planned travel time otherwise not considered compensable hours of work.
• Q44. Does an upgrade in travel accommodations impact an employee's entitlement to compensatory time off for travel? View more A. Allowing an employee to upgrade his or her travel accommodations (e.g., to business class) does not eliminate his or her eligibility to earn compensatory time off for travel.

Time off in lieu: what should you know?

Discover what Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) is, its benefits are to both employees & employers & how to manage it effectively with key policies & best practices.

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Whether due to staffing issues, a giant project, or anything else, employees sometimes need to work extra hours. While hourly employees typically receive overtime pay that's 1.5x their usual rate, time off in lieu (TOIL) is an alternative to doling out overtime in certain situations. Put another way, TOIL is a flexible working arrangement where employees are compensated for extra work through paid time off (PTO) rather than overtime pay. 

Right off the bat, it might sound reasonable. However, an essential component of any successful (and fair) TOIL arrangement is that employers transparently define and communicate TOIL policies. It also requires careful tracking of extra hours . 

What is "time off in lieu" or TOIL?  

Simply put, TOIL is paid time off granted for working outside of normal working hours. "Au lieu" means "instead" in French. So, when an employee takes time "in lieu," they are taking extra paid time off work instead of being paid for working overtime. 

TOIL is usually offered to exempt employees who aren't guaranteed overtime pay (i.e., salaried employees who aren't paid for extra hours). Instead of payment, employees receive PTO equal to the overtime they work. Of course, setting clear parameters for how and when employees can take the PTO they accrue is a must. 

The benefits of TOIL  

Time off in lieu benefits for employees:.

TOIL has some very tangible benefits for employees, including: 

• Work-life balance: TOIL allows employees to take time off for anything outside of work they may need to do, thereby improving their work-life balance and reducing burnout . 
• Increased satisfaction: Implementing TOIL gives employees greater flexibility and control over their schedules, increasing job satisfaction and overall morale. 
• Flexibility: TOIL arrangements offer employees the option of taking time off as needed, improving their ability to manage personal and professional commitments. 

Time off in lieu benefits for employers:

TOIL happens to be mutually beneficial. Here's how it benefits employers too: 

• Cost management: TOIL benefits employers by reducing the financial burden of overtime pay. In other words , you manage costs more effectively while compensating employees fairly.  
• Higher productivity: Flexible time off prevents employee burnout , boosting overall productivity, motivation, and engagement —all of which impact your bottom line.  
• Retention: TOIL increases employee satisfaction and facilitates work-life balance, which enhances employee retention by making staff feel more meaningfully valued and supported. 

How to earn time off in lieu (TOIL)?  

Time off in lieu can be earned anytime employees work beyond their regular hours , including overtime, weekends, holidays, etc.   

Instead of receiving immediate pay for these extra hours, employees accumulate PTO equivalent to the additional time worked. Employees can then take time off from work in the future using their accrued TOI L without losing any income. The result? a workforce with the flexibility to manage their personal commitments or take breaks after periods of intense work.   

Implementing TOIL: key considerations  

Outlining policies and procedures for earning and utilizing TOIL is crucial to ensuring transparency and fairness.  

Key considerations include: 

Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) regulations:

The FLSA requires that non-exempt employees in the US be compensated with paid overtime at a rate of 1.5x their regular rate for time worked over 40 hours—unless they receive equivalent TOIL. It's important to familiarize yourself with the FLSA (or part III of the Canadian Labour Code ) when offering TOIL. These regulations govern overtime pay, minimum wage requirements, working hours for non-exempt employees, and time limits for using time off in lieu. 

Compliance with labor laws:

Understanding and adhering to the FLSA or the Canadian Labour Code is a solid start to labor law compliance. You will also want to clearly define TOIL policies and review and update them regularly to align with regulatory changes or company needs. Providing training to managers and employees on TOIL procedures will take it to the next level, ensuring consistent application and compliance company-wide . 

TOIL company policies:

Company policies for TOIL should include clear definitions of eligibility criteria for exempt and non-exempt employees under the FLSA. The policy should outline how TOIL can be earned and detail accrual rates and maximum limits for accrued TOIL. Additionally, it should establish guidelines for requesting and approving time off in lieu, including procedures for documenting and time tracking to ensure transparency and compliance. 

Company policy management:

Regular reviews and updates of TOIL policies are essential to remain current and compliant. PurelyHR's Timesheet module offers HR software solutions that help employers track and manage company policies effectively. It provides features like centralized policy repositories, automated policy updates, notifications for policy reviews, and tools for documenting employee acknowledgments of policy updates. 

Best practices for managing time off in lieu  

Best practices for managing TOIL include: 

• Clarity: Establish clear and comprehensive policies outlining how TOIL is earned, accumulated, and used, ensuring legal and company alignment. 
• Accuracy: Implement HR software to accurately track TOIL accruals and usage . 
• Communication: Regularly ensure policy accessibility and provide manager training on how to apply and manage TOIL effectively, fostering adherence throughout the organization. 

Common challenges and solutions  

Nothing worthwhile is without challenges. Here are some main challenges your company might face when implementing TOIL and how to overcome them.  

Miscommunication

Balancing operations needs and staffing needs  .

If many employees request time off simultaneously using accrued TOIL, balancing operations and staffing needs can be difficult. Solutions? Establish clear guidelines for requests and approval; anticipate and plan for staffing gaps; and encourage communication between managers and employees so that TOIL usage doesn't compromise business operations. 

Avoiding burnout  

Certain employees may head straight for burnout by accumulating excessive TOIL hours without taking sufficient time off. Encouraging regular monitoring of TOIL balances is key. So is promoting a culture where employees feel empowered to use their accrued time off to rest. Operational planning should accommodate employees' need for work-life balance. True story. 

TOIL provides a refreshingly flexible way for employees to manage their time and workload and for employers to save on costs and reduce turnover. Doing TOIL right ensures fair compensation, fostering a productive and satisfied workforce. 

Harness the power of PurelyHR to manage and track TOIL requests and requirements.  

Sign up for our 21-day free trial today to try us out and see for yourself, or book a demo to witness PurelyHR live in action. Seeking more personalized guidance? Get in touch . We're happy to help! 

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What You Should Really Know About Time Off in Lieu?

Time off in lieu (TOIL) is a term used for when an employee has worked extra hours and instead of accepting overtime pay, they take extra time off.

In the modern workplace, changing timetable patterns are commonplace and employers actively encourage a flexible working environment.

Therefore, time in lieu is a useful bargaining tool in negotiations about working additional hours and overtime pay. 

What is TOIL? Time Off in Lieu Meaning

• Calculating Time Off in Lieu

Rules Around Extra Vacation Time

Is time off in lieu legal, in lieu policy-making.

• Manage employee time easily  ✅

As a growing solution for managing overtime in the workplace , TOIL is an important topic circulating in many companies.

Before being able to manage your employee’s excess hours, it’s important to first understand the ins and outs of time in lieu. Let’s dive in!

“In lieu” is a French expression meaning “instead of” . It refers to the paid time-off work employees receive “instead of” getting paid for additional hours worked above their normal contracted working week.

In this way, it can be seen as an added vacation on top of the vacation days included in an employee’s contract. 

Once you have decided that adopting a time off in lieu policy is a suitable solution for handling overtime, it is important to ask the question: “ how can the HR department best manage employee extra hours? ”

Managing TOIL can be demanding.

Keeping accurate records of who has worked overtime and how much time off they’ve accumulated easily becomes a full-time job. It’s for this reason that using a time-off hr software tool is helpful for streamlining the process.

TOIL vs. Paid Overtime

Many employers ask themselves the following question – “Which is better, time taken in lieu or paid overtime”?

Choosing TOIL is generally considered more advantageous for the employer. When a company doesn’t have to pay overtime rates (ie. standard hourly rate, time and a half, or even double time), costs are lowered.

Calculating Time Off in Lieu 

So, how does the HR department calculate a holiday in lieu? 

Recording a day in lieu

During busy periods it is common for employees to work overtime to meet deadlines. When this happens, employers implement either a time in lieu record excel sheet, timesheets or use a time logging system .

All of the mentioned methods of time tracking, ensure that extra time is accurately recorded.

Administering TOIL

Once a clear system of recording overtime is in place, the amount of TOIL to be issued is easily calculated.

For example, if an employee was contracted for three days a week, but worked five days one week, they would be entitled to two days off in lieu.

Or, if they were contracted for 40 hours per week and worked 50 hours, they would be able to take 10 hours off in lieu. 

In this way, every hour worked on top of the contract is banked time that the worker is entitled to claim as vacation requests and time off. 

Employees abusing TOIL 

Additional vacation time is an attractive idea to the majority of the workforce.

As a result, workers sometimes feel encouraged to work more than their normal contracted hours or skip their lunch breaks to bank up as much overtime as possible.

Therefore, it is important that employers control this process by clearly stating the parameters of overtime.

Ensuring any overtime activity is authorized by line managers is also vitally important. 

Once TOIL has been successfully calculated, it is then up to the employer to decide with the employee when to take time off in lieu .

At this stage, it is extremely important to clarify the rules that will be enforced with the employees in order to avoid assumptions being made and subsequent confusion. 

Setting a cut off date 

To better manage extra holiday days, it’s best that you outline in your lieu polic y, the deadline for when extra time off must be taken. Having a system in place like this helps avoid employees banking up too many hours. The problem with an excessive amount of banked hours is that if employees decide to take all them at once, cover is required, which can add extra strain to the team. A suggestion for a cut off date could be the end of the financial, tax or annual leave year. However, some employers specify that TOIL must be taken the month directly after it was accumulated. This choice is clearly one for the employer to make and should be based on the employer’s business conditions. 

Limiting TOIL during busy periods

Limiting time off in lieu during a company’s busiest seasons will help to prevent any understaffing in these hectic periods. It is important for managers to be aware of times of high business volume, so they can plan accordingly and ensure they are sufficiently staffed.

During these times, many companies choose to restrict the amount of TOIL that can be taken. 

According to the law in many places, employers are not required to pay their employees overtime . Yet, it is generally considered the good professional practice to reward workers when they have worked overtime. In this sense, as long as employees are not forced into working extra hours against their will with no compensation, either financial or in the form of TOIL, it is legal. 

Yet, in many countries there are very strict legal restrictions on how many hours employees can work and these must be respected. For example, under the UK Working Time Regulations , workers cannot work more than 48 hours extra without a written opt-out agreement in place. This is also true of the EU’s Working Regulations. As an HR admin, it’s important to stay up to date with your country’s regulations. 

Making a general company policy for time off in lieu is relatively straight-forward. First and foremost, it is extremely important that a signed written agreement between employer and employee is completed. Both parties must agree that TOIL will be offered for extra hours worked outside of the worker’s contract.

In the written policy, it is a good idea to include the following:

• A clause clearly stipulating how much TOIL an employee can accumulate.
• When they are permitted to take their additional days.
• Until when are their days valid.

Adding in the above details ensures the employees won’t be accumulating too many days off at once. 

It is the employee’s responsibility to record their overtime on the company’s weekly time tracking system. As for the manager’s responsibility in the matter, their duty is to keep track of time in lieu requests.

Want to manage employee hours so that you can fairly track overtime and distribute time-in-lieu? Check out our time and attendance tracking software.

Manage the TOIL process with ease with time and attendance tracking software.

Contributed by  Charlotte Stace; Edited by  Tanya Lesiuk

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If someone travels for their job – Working time rules

• Understanding the Working Time Regulations
• The 48-hour weekly maximum
• Being on call
• Night workers
• If someone travels for their job
• Jobs with different rules
• Agreeing a change – relevant agreements

In some cases, travel time to and from work counts as working time.

If an employee has a fixed place of work

If an employee has a fixed place of work (such as an office they go to every day), their regular travel time to and from work does not usually count as working time.

If an employer wants to count this travel time as working time, they can.

Travel time while at work will usually count as working time, for example when travelling:

• from one client to the next
• from an office to a meeting elsewhere

Find out about the maximum hours an employee can work in a week

If the employee has no fixed place of work

Some jobs have no fixed place of work. These are often jobs where the employee spends a lot of time visiting customers or clients. People who do this work are sometimes known as 'peripatetic workers'. 

These types of jobs can include:

• care workers
• plumbers and other tradespeople
• teachers who work at different schools over the working day
• travelling salespeople

Travel between home and work is likely to count as working time for peripatetic workers. This is because during this time, the person is classed as doing work for their employer – for example, the employer may change or add tasks.

Pay when travel time counts as working time

When travel time counts as working time, the pay an employee gets depends on the terms of the employment contract. 

When calculating pay the employer must follow the law on the National Minimum Wage. It includes different rules on how working time affects minimum wage calculations.

• use the minimum wage calculator on GOV.UK
• find out more about how minimum wage is calculated on GOV.UK

If you like, you can tell us more about what was useful on this page. We cannot reply – so do not include any personal details, for example your email address or phone number. If you have any questions about your individual circumstances, you can contact the Acas helpline .

What am I entitled to when travelling for work?

Oct 16, 2018 | Jobs and Careers , Your Rights at Work. |

Working time, under the Working Time Regulations 1998, is defined as any period during which workers:

• Are carrying out their duties, and working at their employer’s disposal
• Are receiving ‘relevant training’

And so normal travel to work is not classed as working time.

Should travel time be paid?

If you are paid an hourly rate you should be given time off in lieu for any business travel outside your normal working hours. Your entitlement to time in lieu may be found in your contract of employment and if not check with your employer. Your pay should not fall below the National Minimum Wage, which has some different rules on what is ‘working time’ according to the most recent government guidance on calculating the minimum wage  (Click here for more information on calculating the minimum wage)  or you can download the HR Solver App for more information.

If you are a salaried member of staff payment for travel out with working hours is less common but it still depends on your contract of employment. You may be entitled to time off in lieu or overtime. This is also something which can be agreed between you and your employer if it is not covered in your contract of employment.

The management of travel expenses are normally directed by your company’s travel expenses policy.

Health and Safety for regular work travellers

If you travel regularly your employer should also carry out relevant risk assessments. Frequent travel can have a negative effect on an employee’s health, which could in turn lead to sickness absence and reduced productivity. Risk assessments should ensure that you take rest breaks if you drive regularly and your eyesight should be tested regularly also.

If you make use of your own car or van for work, your company should have procedures in place to ensure your vehicle is appropriately insured and they may regularly check for this as well as check your driver’s licence for any fines and endorsements. Using mobile phones while driving, drink driving, drug driving etc. is also likely to be covered in any company policies.

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Time Off in Lieu: Everything You Need To Know

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Working overtime can be a drag, especially when paying employees for extra hours is out of the question. But as Pitbull likes to say, time is money. There are indeed options for keeping your staff happy and compensating them for the extra hours they’ve worked – even if your budget can’t punch above its weight. 

Time off in lieu, or TOIL, is essentially a way to give back the time you’re taking away from them. It is one of the best ways to ensure that your employees who work overtime get compensated fairly. And on the brighter side, it’s not that difficult to implement. The right TOIL policy in place can effectively benefit both your employees and your company. Curious to see what we mean? Keep reading to learn what time off in lieu means for your company, and why you should implement it!

What is Time Off in Lieu (TOIL)?

Flexibility is a hot topic among jobseekers today — and with good reason. 

Most employees in the market see flexibility as one of, if not the most important aspect of their jobs. Time is an increasingly valuable commodity in today’s hectic, demanding, and often high-stress work environment. So it comes as no surprise that so many people see greater value in time off than additional pay. We all know happy workers are productive workers , and happy workers are your best asset. How do you keep this momentum going? 

Time off in lieu (TOIL) is a great way of ensuring your team earns their deserved overtime pay — without putting your business under too much strain. It’s like a “present” your employees get because they’ve earned it. 

How Time Off in Lieu works

In layman’s terms, all that ‘in lieu’ means is instead of. 

Hence, time off in lieu (TOIL) is when an employee works extra hours but takes time off from work rather than being paid for those extra hours. Essentially, it serves as an alternative to paying your employees. This means that any overtime hours worked by an employee can be taken as part of their annual leave. 

To put it simply, TOIL is an underused, no strings attached way to get some extra time off from work. It means that an employee who works more than 40 hours per week can take paid leave instead of getting paid 1.5 times their regular rate of pay for each hour they work beyond 40 hours per week. For example: if an employee is scheduled to work 40 hours per week and then works 8 extra overtime hours during that same period, they could request 8 hours or a day’s worth of vacation or sick leave as compensation for those additional hours worked.

The purpose of this policy is to help compensate employees who work beyond their normal working hours. An employee could be granted TOIL for extra work they’ve done in the past or even as a bonus on top of their hourly wage. Ultimately, it helps increase productivity and reduce stress in your employees. What’s not to love about that?

What administrating TOIL looks like

Implementing a time off in lieu policy at your company is a win-win situation for all parties involved.

From a legal perspective

According to the law, employers are not required to pay their employees overtime. 

However, unless you’re practicing a form of workplace bullying, it is considered good practice to reward your employees for their overtime hours — even though your company has no legal obligation to do so.

Therefore if your employee works extra hours, they are entitled to time off in lieu. This means that if your employer asks or allows you to work an extra hour or two in a day and the total amount of extra hours worked is more than 40, then you will receive time off equal to the number of overtime hours you have worked. 

It’s important to remember to keep track of how many extra hours your employees have worked. This way when it’s time for your payroll department to process their paychecks, they know exactly how much additional time off everyone’s entitled to. Your employees don’t get paid for the extra work they do (which usually involves a pay cut), but rather, exchange the overtime they worked for paid time off. 

From a company’s perspective

How you design your TOIL policy to fit the needs of your company is totally up to you. 

Taking time off in lieu is especially common for higher-paid employees who prefer to take time off instead of receiving extra compensation. But it can also be helpful when you need your staff to work extra hours during particularly busy times or when large orders need to be fulfilled.

The idea seems pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? An employee works 3 hours extra and gets 3 hours additional leave. However, aside from the obvious logic of compensating your staff for extra work with extra time away from work, there are some interesting ground rules that you should also consider before implementing this policy.

A few ground rules surrounding TOIL

Specify an expiry date.

Just like all other forms of PTO, it’s important that you set an expiry date for all time off that’s earned while working overtime.

Once TOIL has been successfully calculated, it is then up to the employer to decide with the employee when to take time off in lieu. At this stage, it is extremely important to clarify the rules that will be enforced with employees in order to avoid assumptions being made and subsequent confusion. 

The deadline for taking extra time off should be outlined in your lieu policy. Using a system like this makes it easier to prevent employees from banking too many hours. When employees take all their banked hours at once, the team is put under extra strain. Why? Because covering all those lost hours can be challenging. Hence, a suggestion for an ideal cut-off date could be the end of a tax, financial, or fiscal year. 

Set limits on TOIL

If you’re looking for an effective way of rewarding your employees, it doesn’t get much simpler than this. Although it is tempting to push your luck and take more time off in lieu during a company’s busiest seasons, it is more efficient for the business if you are there when they need you most.

To prevent any potential understaffing during hectic periods, consider setting a cap on the number of TOIL days available to your employees. This is especially important during periods in which work demands are at their peak. Thus, limiting time off in lieu during your company’s peak seasons will help to prevent any potential understaffing in these hectic periods. 

If you choose to set a policy where you distribute TOIL among employees at different times throughout the year, make sure everyone knows about it. Clearly state all rules in your employee handbook. This will help avoid any confusion in the long run — trust us!

Clearly dictate your TOIL policy

Instead of making assumptions about your employees’ preferences, ask them if they would prefer extra pay or time off in lieu of additional hours. You can also offer a combination of both if your HR team agrees to it. Make sure to be clear with your employees on their expectations regarding overtime and how they will be compensated.

Both parties should work out the details of how TOIL should be handled. To do so, draft a written agreement regarding TOIL along with a detailed discussion regarding how it will work. You can include details such as:

• the amount of TOIL your employees can earn in a month
• till when this time off is valid
• a time frame during which this time off can be used

Either way, both parties need to agree on all aspects of TOIL beforehand so there are no surprises later!

The bottom line

Instituting TOIL is a win-win solution — but only if it’s considered and implemented in the right way.

Whether or not you adopt such a policy should ultimately be determined by your company culture and priorities. For employees, most will welcome the opportunity to share in the benefits of increased revenue. For employers, it’s an opportunity to build a culture in which everyone feels valued, respected, and rewarded for their contribution. TOIL can be an effective solution for companies facing staffing shortages, and the potential benefit to employees is obvious. The key is sensible implementation; the policy’s effectiveness will depend on how it is managed by employers.

Snigdha Gupta

An avid writer and aspiring marketer, Snigdha is a student at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business.

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The complete guide to time off in lieu (toil) - everything you need to know.

In today's fast-paced work culture, finding the right work-life balance is crucial. Employers and employees alike are constantly seeking flexible solutions to accommodate the demands of the modern workplace. One such solution is Time Off in Lieu (TOIL). This comprehensive guide will provide you with everything you need to know about TOIL, including understanding its concept, calculating and managing TOIL, setting guidelines for extra vacation time, considering the legality of TOIL, and developing an effective in lieu policy.

Understanding TOIL: Time Off in Lieu Explained

TOIL, also known as Time Off in Lieu, is a system in which employees are granted time off in exchange for additional hours worked. Unlike paid overtime, which compensates employees with additional pay, TOIL compensates with time off. It is often used to reward employees for working extra hours and provide them with greater flexibility in managing their personal and professional lives.

TOIL is a popular alternative to paid overtime in many workplaces. It offers employees the opportunity to accumulate extra time off, which can be used to take a longer vacation, attend personal appointments, or simply enjoy some well-deserved rest and relaxation. This flexibility is highly valued by employees who appreciate the ability to balance their work and personal commitments.

One of the key advantages of TOIL is that it allows employees to have more control over their schedules. Instead of receiving additional pay for their extra hours, employees can choose when to take their time off, subject to the approval of their supervisors. This can be particularly beneficial for employees who have personal commitments or hobbies outside of work, as it allows them to prioritize their non-work activities without sacrificing their income.

Comparing TOIL and Paid Overtime: What's the Difference?

While TOIL and paid overtime both involve compensating employees for extra work, there are significant differences between the two. Paid overtime provides additional compensation in the form of money, usually at a higher rate than regular pay, while TOIL allows employees to accumulate time off that can be used at a later date. The choice between TOIL and paid overtime often depends on the preferences and needs of both the employer and the employee.

For some employees, the allure of extra money through paid overtime may be more appealing. It can provide a tangible financial reward for their hard work and dedication. Additionally, paid overtime may be a better option for employees who have immediate financial needs or who are looking to boost their income in the short term.

On the other hand, TOIL offers a different set of advantages. It allows employees to prioritize their personal time and well-being, giving them the opportunity to recharge and rejuvenate. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and productivity in the long run. Furthermore, TOIL can be particularly beneficial for employees who value work-life balance and prefer time off over extra pay.

Employers also have their own considerations when deciding between TOIL and paid overtime. While paid overtime may be more straightforward in terms of compensation, it can also be more costly for the company. TOIL, on the other hand, can be a cost-effective way to reward employees without incurring additional financial expenses. It can also contribute to a positive work culture by promoting employee well-being and flexibility.

In conclusion, TOIL is a valuable system that provides employees with the opportunity to accumulate time off in exchange for extra hours worked. It offers flexibility, work-life balance, and the ability to prioritize personal commitments. While paid overtime may be more appealing for some employees, TOIL provides a unique alternative that can benefit both employees and employers alike.

How to Calculate Time Off in Lieu

Calculating Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) involves determining the number of extra hours worked and converting them into equivalent time off. TOIL is a flexible arrangement that allows employees to take time off instead of receiving overtime pay for their extra hours. It is important to establish clear rules and guidelines for the calculation process to ensure fairness and consistency.

By implementing an accurate and transparent TOIL calculation system, employers can effectively manage employee expectations and avoid disputes. This can foster a positive work environment and promote work-life balance among employees.

Keeping Track of Your TOIL Balance

Maintaining an up-to-date record of TOIL balances is crucial for both employees and employers. Employees should regularly monitor their accrued TOIL to ensure they are aware of their available time off. This allows them to plan their personal and professional commitments accordingly.

Employers, on the other hand, should establish a reliable tracking system to ensure accurate recordkeeping and facilitate easy communication between employees and managers regarding TOIL balances. This can be done through the use of digital tools, such as time tracking software, which can automate the process and reduce the chances of errors or discrepancies.

Having a clear and accessible record of TOIL balances also helps employers in managing staffing levels and ensuring that workloads are distributed effectively. It enables them to make informed decisions when approving or denying TOIL requests, taking into account the overall availability of employees and the needs of the organization.

Managing TOIL Requests and Approvals

With TOIL, employees may request time off based on their accumulated balance. It is essential for employers to establish clear guidelines and procedures for requesting and approving TOIL. This helps to ensure that the process is fair, efficient, and aligns with the needs of both the employees and the organization.

Employees should be provided with a designated channel, such as an online portal or a standardized form, to submit their TOIL requests. This streamlines the process and ensures that all necessary information is provided. Employers should also establish a timeline for requesting TOIL, taking into consideration any operational or scheduling constraints.

When reviewing TOIL requests, employers should consider factors such as the availability of other employees, the impact on project deadlines, and the overall workload. It is important to communicate the decision promptly and clearly to the employee, providing reasons for approval or denial.

Regularly reviewing and analyzing TOIL requests and approvals can provide valuable insights for employers. It can help identify patterns or trends in employee time off preferences, allowing for better workforce planning and resource allocation.

Addressing TOIL Abuse in the Workplace

While TOIL can be beneficial to both employees and employers, there is a potential for abuse if not properly managed. Employers should be vigilant and address any instances of TOIL abuse promptly and fairly.

Monitoring employee behavior is crucial in detecting any signs of TOIL abuse. This can be done through regular check-ins, performance evaluations, and open communication channels. Employers should encourage employees to report any concerns or suspicions regarding TOIL abuse, fostering a culture of transparency and accountability.

Setting limits on TOIL accumulation can also help prevent abuse. Employers can establish a maximum cap on the number of TOIL hours an employee can accrue, beyond which they must take time off or receive overtime pay. This ensures that TOIL remains a balanced and sustainable arrangement for both parties.

Conducting regular reviews of the TOIL system is essential to ensure that it is being used appropriately and in line with the organization's policies. This can involve analyzing TOIL records, gathering feedback from employees, and making necessary adjustments to the calculation process or guidelines.

By effectively managing TOIL and addressing any instances of abuse, employers can maintain a fair and equitable work environment, fostering trust and employee satisfaction.

Setting Guidelines for Extra Vacation Time

Beyond compensating employees for extra hours worked, TOIL (Time Off In Lieu) can also be used to provide additional vacation time. This innovative approach allows employers to reward their hardworking employees with the gift of time. By establishing a clear policy and deadline for taking TOIL, employers can effectively manage employee expectations and ensure the smooth operation of the organization.

TOIL serves as a powerful tool for employers to foster a healthy work-life balance within their workforce. It acknowledges the dedication and commitment of employees by granting them the opportunity to enjoy well-deserved breaks.

Establishing a Deadline for Taking TOIL

Setting a deadline for using accumulated TOIL helps prevent employees from withholding their time off for an extended period. It encourages employees to embrace the importance of self-care and rejuvenation. By implementing a deadline, employers promote overall employee well-being and productivity.

Imagine a scenario where employees accumulate TOIL but never take the time off. This can lead to burnout, decreased morale, and ultimately, a decline in productivity. However, with a deadline in place, employees are motivated to utilize their accrued TOIL, ensuring they recharge and return to work with renewed energy and focus.

Managing TOIL Requests During Peak Work Periods

During peak work periods, such as holidays or busy seasons, managing TOIL requests can be challenging. Employers must strike a delicate balance between accommodating employee needs and maintaining the smooth operation of the business.

Establishing specific guidelines on when TOIL can and cannot be taken during these periods is crucial. It allows employers to align employee time off with the demands of the business. By prioritizing employee requests based on business needs, employers can ensure that essential tasks are completed without compromising employee satisfaction.

Consider a bustling retail store during the holiday season. Employees may eagerly accumulate TOIL, hoping to take an extended vacation during the busiest time of the year. However, granting all requests simultaneously could leave the store understaffed and unable to meet customer demands. By carefully managing TOIL requests, employers can strike a balance that benefits both the employees and the business.

In conclusion, setting guidelines for extra vacation time through TOIL is a strategic approach that recognizes the value of employee well-being. By establishing clear policies and deadlines, employers can foster a healthy work-life balance and ensure the smooth operation of their organization. Managing TOIL requests during peak work periods requires careful consideration of business needs and employee satisfaction. With these guidelines in place, employers can create a harmonious workplace where employees feel appreciated and motivated to excel.

The Legality of Time Off in Lieu

When implementing TOIL, it is essential to understand the legal aspects associated with it. Employers should ensure that their TOIL policy complies with all relevant labor laws and regulations. Consulting with legal professionals and staying informed about any changes in labor legislations can help employers navigate the legal implications of implementing TOIL in the workplace.

Developing an Effective In Lieu Policy

Creating an effective in lieu policy requires careful consideration of various factors, including the nature of the work, employee needs, and legal requirements. Employers should tailor the policy to their specific organizational needs and culture. Additionally, establishing a clear communication plan to inform employees about the policy and providing them with resources for understanding and managing TOIL will contribute to a successful implementation.

By understanding TOIL and following best practices in its implementation, employers can create a flexible and rewarding work environment that promotes employees' well-being and productivity. Implementing a well-designed TOIL policy can enhance work-life balance, strengthen employee satisfaction and engagement, and contribute to the overall success of the organization.

Ready to embrace a work culture that values flexibility and work-life balance? At Remotely Works , we understand the importance of finding the right fit for both companies and senior software development talent. We're committed to fostering relationships where time off in lieu (TOIL) and other employee-centric policies are not just possible, but encouraged. If you're a US-based software company looking to hire developers who value transparency and a balanced approach to work, let's connect. Begin your journey with Remotely Works today and ensure a successful, mutually beneficial partnership.

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TOIL Policy & Managing Time Off In Lieu

Anne morris.

• 5 August 2022

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An effective TOIL policy can help ensure a consistent and legally compliant approach to managing time off in lieu for overtime .

What is TOIL?

TOIL stands for ‘Time Off In Lieu’. It refers to time off given to an employee to ‘replace’ any overtime they have already worked.

Employees may earn the right to TOIL when they work extra hours or extra days, above and beyond their contractual obligation. It is an alternative to paid overtime and can be advantageous for both employers and employees as it allows a degree of flexibility in working arrangements. However, with this flexibility also comes risk, and employers should take proactive measures to ensure clarity of procedure and policy in the availability and use of TOIL.

When do employees get paid for TOIL?

Strictly speaking, employees are not paid for TOIL. Rather, if an employee works overtime, you decide whether to pay them for that, or whether to give them Time Off In Lieu instead. It is not a legal requirement for employees to be paid for working overtime. Therefore, employees are paid for overtime if their contract of employment states that they must be. For example, some contracts will state core working hours, but go on to explain that on occasion these hours may need to be varied or exceeded in accordance with the business needs of the employer. For this reason, you are more likely to see paid overtime given to staff who are paid on an hourly basis as opposed to those on an annual salary.

Time Off In Lieu is a good alternative for salaried employees as it allows the employer to set the boundaries while rewarding employees for their extra effort and commitment. TOIL is earned and taken by the employee in addition to their contractual annual leave entitlement.

To avoid confusion, employment contracts and policies need to be clear whether overtime entitles the employee to pay (paid overtime) or TOIL (Time Off In Lieu).

Can employees be required to work overtime?

The answer to this is yes, as long as the requirement is stated in the employee’s contract of employment. Alternatively, overtime can be purely voluntary, by agreement with the employer, although there is, of course, no obligation on you to offer any at all.

Overtime can also be  guaranteed  by the employer in the contract of employment, or  non-guaranteed , but still obligatory. Regular overtime can lead to a recalculation of an employee’s holiday pay. This is dealt with in ‘risks to avoid’ below.

Is there a limit on how much overtime employees can work?

Yes. Employers must abide by the Working Time Regulations 1998 (WTR) in setting their employees’ hours of work. The WTR set a maximum of 48-hours on the working week, which includes overtime, though the employee may opt-out of this protection by signing an opt-out agreement.

In addition, the WTR state that an employee must receive a compulsory break of 20 minutes after six hours of work and a break of 11 hours in every 24, and one day off a week or two days off a fortnight. It is not possible to opt-out of these obligations.

How is TOIL calculated?

It is for you to decide how much TOIL to allocate for different types of overtime work. It can be as simple as one hour of overtime gives one hour of TOIL. However, as an incentive to work at unsociable hours, an employer may choose to enhance the rate of overtime pay, or allow an employee to accrue TOIL one a one and a half or even double time basis. Some examples are given below. It is important to remember that how you choose to allocate TOIL in your organisation depends on what is normally expected of your employees and how far the overtime they have done deviates from their standard working pattern.

Evening work

Staying on late after ‘normal’ office hours could lead to a simple one to one ratio. For example, if an employee has to stay on for three hours to work on a project deadline, they would have accrued three hours of TOIL to take as leave at a later date.

Bank holidays 

Contrary to popular belief, bank holidays are not automatically paid holiday days. You may choose whether or not your organisation is closed on these days, but if you wish your employees to work, you should make it clear in their contracts of employment. If you do pay them as holiday days, it can either be counted as part of your employees’ statutory annual leave entitlement of 5.6 weeks or be in addition to it.

In order to entice employees who might otherwise rather stay at home, an employer may choose to reward employees through a rate of accrual of ‘time and a half’. For example, for every full day worked on a Bank Holiday, the employee will ‘bank’ one and a half days of TOIL.

Working away

As previously stated, it is for your organisation to assess how to reimburse an employee for their time spent working away. For example, where an employer already enhances salaries to account for the inconvenience of international travel, then a simple one to on swap might be appropriate. If not, then this rate may be enhanced.

Travel time

Again, this depends on the context. International travel is much more exhausting and anti-social than an extended work trip within the UK, but both can disrupt personal and family life. For example, if the employee is staying overnight, this would be at the employer’s expense, along with an amount allocated for meals and other expenses where appropriate.

If an employee’s job involves travel during their normal working hours, an employer can choose how much to them for it. This should be stated in the contract of employment and care should be taken to follow the National Minimum Wage legislation.

Weekend work 

Employees will not usually be required to work at weekends unless their contract requires it. Therefore, weekend work could well be rewarded in a similar way to bank holidays, i.e. time and a half. Accordingly, working all day on a Saturday will give the employee one and a half days of TOIL.

Can employees take compensatory time off in lieu of overtime pay?

Compensatory time off in lieu of overtime pay is in essence the same as TOIL leave. However, it is not advisable to create a third option for employees.

It is for you to decide whether or not overtime is paid, and whether TOIL is also an option and in what circumstances. This should be stated in the employee’s contract of employment and, if so, covered by a TOIL policy (see below).

Can TOIL be carried over?

Employers should decide if TOIL leave can be carried over into the next annual leave year, or whether it will simply ‘expire’ after a fixed period of time, for example twelve months. It is also for the employer to decide how much TOIL leave an employee is allowed to accrue before they must take that TOIL leave. It is in everyone’s interest to monitor this, as business continuity will be affected if key employees accrue too much TOIL leave and are absent for long periods.

How to manage TOIL 

TOIL needs to be managed effectively before and after it is accrued. Therefore, there should be a system in place for approving overtime in advance of the employee actually working that overtime. This would apply whether the employee was submitting a travel request or seeking permission to stay late and accrue some TOIL.

Following its accrual, employees should expect to apply to their managers to take TOIL leave in the same way they would to take annual leave, i.e. that request can be declined if there are already too many team members on leave or off sick etc.

The employer must also decide what happens to TOIL days that have accrued, but not been taken by the time the employee leaves their job. Ultimately, if the employee has not taken the accrued leave by the time of their departure, the employer must pay the employee for that time, either at their normal rate or the agreed overtime rate, as appropriate.

For these reasons, it is essential for your organisation to have a TOIL policy setting out the rules and procedures for the accrual of TOIL.

What should the TOIL policy include

The TOIL policy should state clearly:

• The exact circumstances in which TOIL is accrued
• Who approves TOIL and when
• When overtime is paid and when it is given as TOIL and if the employee has a choice
• The maximum amount of TOIL that can be accrued and by when it must be taken, for example the end of the annual leave or financial year or after twelve calendar months
• Whether TOIL can be carried over beyond these periods and if so how much

There can be different TOIL policies for different groups of staff, but care should be taken not to discriminate between groups by offering some better arrangements than others.

Errors to avoid 

In addition to possible breaches of the WTR referred to above, the two biggest risks to avoid relate to holiday pay and national minimum wage calculations.

The right to paid holiday is also contained in the WTR. The calculation of an employee’s holiday pay is based on their ‘normal pay’. Where an employee works guaranteed overtime for which they are paid, then this amount is included in their ‘normal pay’ calculation. However, recent court decisions mean that compulsory, non-guaranteed overtime will also count towards an employee’s ‘normal pay’. Therefore, it is safest to assume that regular overtime payments must be used by the employer in the calculation of at least four weeks of an employee’s holiday pay.

The statutory holiday entitlement in the UK is 5.6 weeks for a full time worker. However, the law that states that employees’ overtime pay should be included in their holiday pay calculation comes from EU law, and EU regulations only require four weeks of paid holiday per year. You may wish to use 5.6 weeks in your calculations as it is simpler and easier for everyone to understand. However, if your organisation is a big employer with a large overtime bill, there could be a cost to this.

Minimum wage 

If an employee is obliged to work a certain amount of overtime without pay or TOIL, then their hourly pay may fall below the National Minimum Wage i n a particular Pay Reference Period. A Pay Reference Period follows how often an employee is paid (for example, weekly) and cannot be longer than 31 days.

TOIL legal risks

If you do not have a TOIL policy your employees may perceive unfairness in the way they are compensated for working overtime. This could be because managers do not act in a way that is consistent with each other, or because they do not ensure consistency within their own teams. By making sure that all employees know how to accrue and claim TOIL, this should be avoided.

However, a badly managed TOIL policy can also cause problems. For example, a TOIL policy can be open to abuse by employees who stay longer at the end of the day on a regular basis simply to accrue an extra day off. This could lead to resentment amongst team members who have to cover for that person on their day off. The best way to avoid this is to have a system in place whereby working extra hours is pre-approved by a manager on the basis that it satisfies an actual business need.

On the other hand, requiring, or even just requesting, employees to work overtime or at anti-social hours can put a strain on their family life and mental health. A comprehensive and well-implemented TOIL policy should go some way to striking the right balance.

Need assistance?

DavidsonMorris are specialist UK employment lawyers , with expertise in all areas of workforce management and HR issues, such as pay and leave entitlements. If you have a question about time off in lieu, contact our experienced legal advisers.

TOIL policy: FAQs

What is toil leave.

TOIL leave is where an employer allows an employee to take time off work instead of being paid for overtime.

How is time off in lieu calculated?

TOIL should be calculated in line with your organisation’s policy. How an employer chooses to allocate TOIL depends on what is normally expected of its employees and how far the overtime they have done deviates from their standard working pattern.

Depending on the organisation’s TOIL policy or what has been agreed between the employer and the employee, TOIL may be able to be carried over from one holiday or calendar year to the next.

Is time off in lieu lawful?

TOIL is lawful provided it has been agreed by the employer and the employee and it does not breach Working Time Regulations. TOIL should be dealt with in a written agreement, usually the employee’s employment contract.

How can DavidsonMorris help?

DavidsonMorris' team of employment lawyers can support employers with all aspects of pay and entitlements, including use of TOIL and developing a time off in lieu policy.

Last updated: 5 August 2022

Founder and Managing Director Anne Morris is a fully qualified solicitor and trusted adviser to large corporates through to SMEs, providing strategic immigration and global mobility advice to support employers with UK operations to meet their workforce needs through corporate immigration.

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The pros and cons of offering time off in lieu (TOIL)

In the modern world, working patterns are changing.

Information technology has resulted in new and evolving ways of working, of managing teams, and running a company. Fewer and fewer of us are working traditional ‘9 to 5’ hours, and companies have had to adapt to become more attractive and progressive employers in 2023.

With people working irregular hours, there may be times when your employees need to work additional hours or days. While there is no legal requirement to pay for additional time worked over and above what is contracted (provided the minimum wage is met), unpaid overtime is rarely well-received. If regular and unrecognised, it does not make for happy employees.

Ideally, employees should be compensated for additional hours worked, but budgets don’t always allow for this especially if the overtime has come when cash flow is a challenge. This isn’t an insurmountable or overly complex issue and doesn’t need to be a source of stress or confusion.

One way of ensuring staff who work overtime are fairly compensated without putting the company under a financial strain, is to offer time off in lieu  or TOIL 'In lieu' means 'instead of'.

It refers to paid time off ‘instead of’ additional pay for hours worked over what is in an employee’s contract. It is essentially an additional holiday allowance. Under such a policy, if an employee was contracted for four days a week and worked five, they would be entitled to one day off ‘in lieu’. If they were contracted for 35 hours a week and worked 40, they could claim 5 hours.

Advantages of taking lieu days

There are several advantages to offering TOIL rather than paying overtime.

Gives you time back

In the busy, demanding, and often high-stress modern work environment, time is an increasingly valuable commodity , and many people would see more value in taking a lieu day than additional pay.

It’s also mutually beneficial and appreciated in roles with high salaries where money may not be as much of a motivator as time away from the office. This is particularly true if it is following an exceptionally demanding period.

Indeed, accrued ‘lieu days’ upon completion of a project may be a powerful incentive for some to work more or longer days to meet essential deadlines.

Keeps costs under control

As an alternative to paying overtime, time off in lieu helps companies to avoid a cost that they may not be able to meet without angering their staff or planting seeds of resentment that could lead to workplace issues or problems with employee retention.

This is particularly salient if the situation that has given rise to the need for additional staffing is one that is associated with a financially or professionally challenging time when management focus may need to be elsewhere.

Disadvantages

There are, however, some limitations and disadvantages to a TOIL policy worth considering.

Tough to implement consistently

For one, it cannot be enforced from the top down as an alternative to overtime. In some sectors, particularly in lower-paid roles, employees may prefer to be paid overtime and thus respond negatively to the internal promotion of such a policy.

It will likely not be equally well-received across your whole staff. For part-time staff, time may not have as much of a draw as additional pay. It is, therefore, essential to consider your employees' demographics, situations, and needs. In this case, these must take priority above the needs and situation of the company, and individual preferences must be honoured and respected.

Difficult to measure indirect costs

While it doesn’t have a direct or immediate cost, offering TOIL is not without expense. The company will pay for the employee’s time at some point, which may not come at a convenient time. We would argue here, though, that if the company cannot afford to pay for time in lieu or for overtime and is regularly relying on employees to work additional hours, then there is a larger business issue that needs to be addressed rather than pointing an inherent weakness in time in lieu policies.

Another point to consider is that time will have to be spent creating and agreeing to a policy which sets out how time in lieu is to be awarded and taken. This is important to avoid a cycle of staff needing to work overtime to cover those taking time off lieu.

This creates an additional administrative burden, though you may feel that the benefits afforded by the policy outweigh this.

and remember...

Lieu days should never be used in place of a clear, fair annual leave policy . 

It is important to reiterate is that a ‘time in lieu’ policy cannot be forced or assumed, and it should never be misused as a way to persuade employees to work antisocial or excessive hours.

Here, much comes down to how the policy is presented. If management clearly communicates that paid overtime is not a possibility, yet there is a need for employees to work additional hours, and that the company is able to offer time in lieu, this is likely to be better received than a ‘take it or leave it’ style approach.

In summary, whether a time off in lieu policy is suitable for your company depends on whether it is right for your staff and your workplace values and priorities.

We recommend being open and transparent ; speak to your employees to gain their feedback and views. If they are open to such a policy or indeed welcome the opportunity for additional paid time off, then this is something that you can promote internally.

When used effectively, TOIL offers a logical, fair, and mutually beneficial solution to periodic or seasonal fluctuations in staffing demand and particularly busy or stressful periods.

It has limitations, but most of the risk can be avoided through careful management, and various online tools can help ease the administrative burden, such as Leave Dates, which can help you schedule and approve time taken in lieu.

Remember also that for any non-enforceable policy to succeed, you must respect and honour the individual wishes of those who opt-out.

By listening to your staff and understanding their motivations and needs, a time off in lieu policy could greatly benefit both your workplace and your employees’ well-being.

Learn more about how to configure TOIL in Leave Dates

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Time in Lieu (TOIL) Explained – Days off for Working Overtime

Taking time in lieu for extra holidays if you have worked overtime or additional hours is a common practice in some workplaces. It’s often referred to as ‘TOIL’, time off in lieu, or a day in lieu.

Our guide explains what time in lieu is, and how it works for employees and employers. If you are offered this type of arrangement for working extra hours, it’s important to understand how you’ll be repaid them.

What is Time Off in Lieu?

The definition of time off in lieu is quite simple. It is given when someone works overtime, meaning they get additional holiday time instead of being paid for extra hours worked.

TOIL can be offered at very busy times, or if sick cover is needed. However, it is important to make sure that a proper agreement is in place. If a worker is asked to work extra hours for time in lieu, the arrangement should be formalised.

What is a Day in Lieu or Lieu Day?

You may also hear a slightly different term, lieu days. It is essentially the same thing as TOIL. However, a day in lieu is often referred to when an employee works a public holiday which forms part of their usual leave entitlement.

An alternative holiday day is provided in lieu of the day worked.

What is the Law on Time in Lieu in the UK?

Time in Lieu is not governed by any specific UK employment law to deal. It is a working arrangement that agreed between worker and employer. Many firms use TOIL as a way to compensate workers for overtime. However, if this is done informally it can lead to staff not being allocated the extra holiday time as agreed. Ideally, an employer should have a Time in Lieu Policy which can be referred back to by all parties. If you’ve been asked to work for TOIL, make sure the arrangement is formalised to prevent misunderstandings. It is worth noting that there is no legal right to be paid for overtime or offered time in lieu.

That means that for many workplaces, offering extra leave is a good way to reward additional hours worked.

The EU Working Directive & Minimum Wage Rules

TOIL hours are covered by the EU Working Time Directive . Under these regulations, no employee can be made to work more than 48 hours a week without prior agreement.

If TOIL hours are being used, workers must still earn minimum wage over the total average of hours worked. If this requirement is not met, it can lead to a business getting a large fine. This is another good reason to have proper policies and procedures in place to cover Time in Lieu arrangements.

Policies & Procedures

Not having proper policies and procedures in place to cover how time in lieu will operate can cause problems.

These can include workers:-

• Taking extra time to do tasks within their working week.
• Building up weeks of extra holiday which can cause staffing or operational issues.

An effective policy should look at how many additional days can be accrued and when additional days must be taken. For example, a policy might say that ‘no more than three days can be rolled over into the following year’, or ‘no more than one day each month can be accrued through TOIL’.

Again, these clauses should be open and approved by both parties.

Time in Lieu Policy Best Practise

As the employee, it is important that you understand your employment contract . If you are asked to work extra hours, make sure you understand how they will be repaid.

As the employer, you must ensure you are clear about what you are offering to workers that work more than their agreed hours. To that end, it’s important to form an effective time in lieu policy.

Time in Lieu Policies Should Include: –

• Clear information on how overtime will be repaid to workers. A policy should clearly state if overtime will be paid as extra wages or lieu days.
• Detailed rules on how the time in lieu operates. For example:
• How much extra time must be worked before TOIL is accrued.
• The amount of time in lieu that can be built up in a month / year.
• When the extra holiday days must be taken by to avoid losing them.

Communication is key when offering days in lieu / toil to workers to repay extra hours worked. A system that accurately records extra hours or days worked is vital. Poor policy management can affect staff morale and teamwork.

TOIL – Frequently Asked Questions

Still got questions about being rewarded for extra time worked with days in lieu? Here’s some quick answers to the most commonly asked questions about this type of arrangement.

Giving workers extra days off in lieu of overtime pay is legal so long as nobody is forced to do it against their will. The EU working time directive does apply, however. This means nobody should work more than 48 hours per week unless they have opted out. It’s also important to note that employers in the UK are not legally required to pay overtime for extra hours worked. However, total wages for hours worked must not fall below national minimum wage.

Gaining days in lieu for working overtime means you are gaining additional paid holidays. That means TOIL is taxable, however it will not mean an increase in your tax bill. You’ll get an extra day or days off and be paid your usual salary.

TOIL stands for Time off in Lieu. This is a term commonly used to refer to extra holidays provided to workers in exchange for working additional hours or days.

Emma-Jane Batey

4 thoughts on “ time in lieu (toil) explained – days off for working overtime ”.

I have to attend alarm activation call outs for the company, however my manager has not put any calculable TOIL in place. As these are mostly unsocialable hours, 2 in the last 24 hours, 1st at 4am and the 2nd at just before midnight and I did not leave the site until after midnight, should I not get extra time, ie. time and 1/2 or double?

How does time off in lieu count towards minimum wage calculations? My son is salaried but not for much more than the minimum wage. He works a lot of unpaid overtime in the summer so that he is paid less than minimum wage for each hour actually worked in those periods. He gets ‘time owing’ during the off season to compensate for the overtime.

So by ‘salaried’ I assume he gets same pay each month but works different hours each month. His employer should ( must) have an annual hours calculation showing how many working hours he’s contracted for in a 12 month period and what the pay is. Eg £10 per hour x 37 hrs x 52 weeks = £19240. It may be on his contract. If over the 12 months he’s worked more than these hours this will reduce his pay, possibly to below NMW. He should ask his employer for the calculation, plus he needs to keep his own record of hours worked and if any discrepancies, or info required, phone ACAS or make an online complaint to HMRC who deals with NMW. The NMW rules around TOIL when paid as a ‘time worker’ ( paid an hourly rate for the actual hours worked) are that TOIL must be taken or paid no later than the pay period following the ‘extra’ working hours. So, extra time worked in January, must be taken or paid for in February otherwise there’s been an underpayment which may take pay below NMW.

HI Emma. Really useful information about TOIL. If you work additional hours to your contracted hours at a weekend /BH where you would normally be paid time plus30% but choose to take TOIL, does this follow that you would be entitled to an additional 30% TOIL?

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• Absence management

Time off in lieu: everything you need to know

Table of content

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What is time off in lieu (TOIL)?

Time off in lieu, or TOIL, is an alternative for employers to give time off to the employees instead of paying for overtime. If you have a big project coming up followed by a slow period, it can be cost-effective to 'pay' for the overtime hours with compensatory time off.

How is time off in lieu helpful?

• It improves the work-life balance of your staff and keeps them healthier and well-rested. Nearly 75% of employees will back this up, saying that time off makes them feel healthier and more productive.
• It keeps you from having to raise expenses for labor. Ask your younger employees, and you'll find that nearly 90% of them prefer extra time off instead of a holiday party.
• It has been folded into the EU's working time regulations. Sanctioned as a way to compensate employees, the only requirement is that your employees agree with the time off in lieu policy in a written agreement.

However, make sure that you set expiration dates. You don't want to be hit with employees cashing in all of their time off in lieu at once. Some options include having them use their worked overtime by the end of the fiscal year, the annual leave year, or the tax year.

You could even require them to use their time off in lieu in the next month.

The overtime accrued should be recorded in a timesheet, a time tracking system, or through spreadsheets. It's good for you and your employees to be able to manage what's been done. 

This seems like a simple concept on paper, but there are plenty of grey areas to worry about. Being aware of potential problems that arise when you offer time off in lieu is essential to keeping your employees happy and your business running smoothly. 

What are the common problems with time off in lieu?

Time off in lieu is coveted by some employees, but it can be a problem when you're calculating your overall costs. 

If paid overtime becomes the norm at your company, you could face issues. TOIL acts as another type of overtime pay, but employees might abuse the system or work longer than needed. If employees are already working lots of extra hours, having everyone take TOIL can cause you some stress.

Time off in lieu could lead to situations where you don't have enough employees to work when you need them, ending in a vicious cycle that never addresses why staff are working extra hours in general.

Employees abusing TOIL

The reason that employees might abuse your time off in lieu system isn't hard to understand. Everyone loves getting a day off in lieu, and time in lieu is a massive benefit to most anyone. However, this enjoyment can lead to abuse quickly.

Employees might even start to work more than 48 hours a week or take lunch at their desk and then write it down as a couple of extra hours per week or 30 minutes of TOIL just to get a day off in lieu. Things can get out of control quickly.

Unclear rules

If the rules around TOIL are loose, you can be sure that they'll be interpreted in problematic ways. There's nothing worse for an employee than planning to accumulate their worked additional hours and then finding they went past their expiry date.

If you don't make the rules of time in lieu, you can create tension in the workplace . Avoid workers who are dispirited and no longer giving you full commitment.

When rules are set to be vague,  annual leave will remain in the grey area. No limits one way or the other will come back to haunt you.

Granting too much TOIL

If you grant TOIL in complete excess, you could struggle to schedule your employees. It's hard for employees to take their earned day off in lieu if everyone is accruing too much TOIL.

If your employees get into a position where they're building up a whole month of TOIL, it could lead to a serious problem in your workplace.

Manage time off in lieu right

To manage TOIL right, you need to make clear rules, and set up your expectations and limits in ways that are verifiable and recorded.

Make clear rules

So that your employees don't end up overusing their time off in lieu, define your limits clearly. Let them know how much TOIL they can take off in a month. They also need to know when those hours expire and when they can be carried out.

This keeps you from having to have tough or uncomfortable conversations with your staff. It also keeps TOIL to a reasonable level.

Every region might have different regulations regarding the hours that people can work and how much they can be compensated in this manner. Make sure you look at whether time off in lieu is allowed.

The approval process should allow you to oversee TOIL. Rather than leaving it up to employees to figure it out or to self-report, there should be an oversight that's well-defined and understood. This ensures clear expectations and keeps employees from being disappointed. Make all-time in lieu rules available in the HR software or employee's contract.

Put agreements in writing

Clarity is going to keep you from ending up in a stressful situation. Set your TOIL agreement in writing and be clear about it. Keep the compensations of time off in lieu transparent and visible in your HR online software .

Set expectations around TOIL

Set expectations around time off in lieu so that your staff understands everything clearly. It helps to set an example in the way that managers and supervisors conduct themselves.

Limit time off in lieu during your busiest seasons to prevent any staff bottlenecks. You don't want too many people on a simple project for one week and then only a few of them on a major project another week. If you have scheduled or predictable busy periods, plan around that.

Design a reliable time off in lieu recording method

A reliable way to record time off in lieu will pay off big time later on. If you keep track of who is working extra hours and when they're doing so, you can keep your system from anyone taking advantage.

Managers are already overloaded and worried about extra admin tasks. A system to help them keep track of overtime can keep them from hitting any roadblocks.

Managing employee time off in lieu is a challenge

Given that 52.4% of employees wished they had unlimited paid time off, giving them time off in lieu is a great compromise. Managing time in lieu from your end is vital, but it can be a headache. The right absence management software can ensure that this cost-effective benefit is rolled out simply and efficiently. Request a free demo to learn how kiwiHR can help you take on this challenge head-on.

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As a small business owner, it can be tricky keeping up to date with different employment laws. Sometimes it seems as if the rules are constantly changing, particularly around hours and holidays, and this can cause a lot of worries for employers who don’t want to risk a tribunal claim. Today we talk about travel time to work and what the law says.

The laws around travelling for work, and if this counts as ‘working time’, can seem complicated. We’ve put together this article in order to answer any questions you have and restore your confidence that you’re doing things right.

Is travel time considered work time?

To understand the laws around when ‘travel time’ counts as working time, there are two key rulings you need to know about.

1. Working Time Regulations 1998

Does commuting time count as working time? Answer: No.

This UK law (not including Northern Ireland) states that time spent commuting to and from the workplace does not count as part of the working day. This is because employees are not at the employer’s disposal when commuting, and don’t have to carry out any duties while doing so.

2. European Court of Justice ruling 2015

Should travel time for mobile workers be counted as working time? Answer: Yes.

The outcome of this ruling was that any workers without a fixed place of work, who travel between clients and appointments from their home, should have that travel counted as part of their working time.

The reason for the ruling is that these types of workers are having to follow a set schedule and are at the disposal of their employers, carrying out their duties on behalf of the business they work for. They have no control over where they travel to and are not able to spend their time freely.

Therefore, the court ruled that their travel time needed to count as working time so that they would be entitled to the legal amount of rest periods within their full work day.

How to know if the travel time laws affect your business

Whether these rulings affect your business will depend on the nature of how your employees work and how much control they have over their work days. Generally speaking, if your employee has to follow a tight schedule of appointments set out by you or their line manager, then their travel will probably count as working time.

An individual’s travel is unlikely to count as working time if they:

• have the flexibility to manage their own work schedule
• are self-employed
• are a contractor

Travel time for work: Is it paid?

It’s important to remember that although the Working Time Directive states which hours should be counted as working time, it doesn’t have anything to do with paying employees. This means there’s no automatic obligation to pay workers for travel time unless the travel is for business purposes, so it is down to your discretion as an employer.

Be sure to detail your policy in an employee’s contract, stating whether you will pay them for travel time and if so, how much. This will ensure there’s no room for confusion and will save any surprises on pay day.

Travel for business purposes

When employees are required to travel for a business purpose, for example to meet clients or attend a meeting at a different site, this should be counted as working time.

In these situations, it’s advisable to pay employees their normal wage or salary as well as expensing them for their travel. Ensure you have a clear, well thought-out expenses policy to use in each case, so as to avoid breach of contract or unlawful deduction claims. You could also consider offering staff  time off in lieu  for any business travel outside of their normal working hours.

Things to consider around travelling for work

Employees’ right to breaks.

For every 24-hour period, workers are entitled to at least 11 hours of rest. All employees are also entitled to an uninterrupted 20-minute break when they work for more than six hours. If an employee’s working day is extended to include travel time, you may be required to give them more rest breaks.

You will also need to check that the employee’s working hours do not exceed the legal limit of 48 per week. If they do, and the employee doesn’t sign an opt-out agreement, you will need to reduce their hours. In this case you may need to consider hiring more employees, which will result in extra costs.

Keeping track

The European Court of Justice stated that employers can monitor employee travel times to make sure they are being properly recorded. To do so, you must ensure the employees are aware that this is happening and that you are being compliant with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations).

You can also require your employees to take the most direct routes possible between locations, in order to reduce time worked.

Check contracts

It’s essential to keep  employment contracts  under review for all of your staff to ensure they’re up to date and legally sound. The contract should cover:

• hours worked
• opt-out clauses
• how work is scheduled and by whom
• place(s) of work
• salary/wages.

Manage time

It might be worth having a look at your mobile workers’ schedules and thinking of ways that they could be made more efficient. For example, could the first and last appointments of their working day be chosen for their proximity to the employee’s house? This would reduce travelling time and therefore cut down the number of hours the individual has to work.

What about Brexit?

Since the EU Working Time Directive has now been embedded in UK law, in theory it shouldn’t be immediately affected by Brexit. However, it’s not possible to predict exactly what will happen, so for the meantime, the above rulings still stand, but we’ll be sure to update you if anything changes.

Get HR Support

If you’re unsure about when travel time constitutes working time for your employees, our HR consultants can help.

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Work Toil: What is Time Off in Lieu (TOIL)?

Table of content, what is work toil, days off in lieu (doil) explained, the four types of work toil, managing work toil: benefits and challenges.

• Time in Lieu Policy

When your workforce occasionally exceeds their contractual hours, having a strategy in place to compensate and motivate them is essential. Two approaches can be considered: work overtime payment, where extra work is reimbursed at an agreed rate, or granting Time off in lieu .

However, even with these options, many individuals are not availing themselves of their holiday entitlement during bank holidays. A Glassdoor survey in Personnel Today indicated that 40% of UK employees took a mere a half of a third of their annual leave during the previous bank holiday this year. This data dates back to 2018.

The latter allows employees to take additional Time off, equivalent to their extra hours worked overtime. This compensatory method, Time off in lieu, lets staff accrue extra leave instead of extra pay.

It’s a popular way to acknowledge additional effort while maintaining a healthier work-life and life balance .

Time off in lieu (TOIL) involves an employee’s employment contract for gaining compensatory leave for pre-approved overtime worked.

Calculating TOIL usually entails identifying an employee’s surplus hours and translating them into equivalent Time off.

If an individual works, for instance, two extra hours with managerial consent, they can utilise those hours as leave at a later date.

TOIL is an alternative to paid overtime, appealing to employees wishing to preserve their holiday allowance. It’s also beneficial for businesses seeking to avoid extra overtime costs.

Importance of Work Toil in The Workplace

Time off in lieu (TOIL) is not legally mandatory for UK businesses . It must be mutually agreed upon, similar to regular work hours and pay. TOIL adheres to the UK Working Time Regulations , meaning employees aren’t obligated to exceed 48 hours weekly unless they’ve opted out through an agreement.

Ensure compliance with the National Minimum Wage for the overall worked hours. Non-compliance could lead to substantial penalties.

TOIL can be applied for holidays, sick days, or personal days. By providing this option, businesses allow employees to choose Time off instead of working overtime or working extra hours to pay for their holiday days or additional work.

Employees usually have a set allocation of TOIL hours per week (or days per their normal working hours per week) annually, aligned with the company’s policy. Unlike annual leave, most TOIL work is unpaid .

Consequently, some view it as advantageous, enabling absence without using annual leave. In contrast, others perceive it as a means of gaining extra paid leave days each calendar year or financial year only.

Days Off in Lieu (DOIL) is a practice wherein employees receive compensatory Time off for working additional hours beyond their standard work schedule. This form of compensation allows employees to accumulate extra leave days, which they can use to take Time off.

DOIL serves as an alternative to receiving monetary overtime pay and is often used to maintain a healthy work-life balance for employees.

Unlike traditional overtime pay, DOIL offers the advantage of preserving one’s Time for personal or leisure activities.

While not a legal requirement in many jurisdictions, DOIL is typically agreed upon between employers and employees, ensuring fairness and transparency in the compensation process.

Difference Between Toil Vs. Doil

TOIL (Time Off in Lieu) and DOIL (Days Off in Lieu) are compensation mechanisms many businesses use to grant employees Time off for working beyond their regular hours. Here are the key differences between the two:

1. Unit of Measurement (Extra hours)

• TOIL : TOIL is typically measured in hours. Employees accumulate extra hours worked and can use these hours as partial Time off, allowing for more flexible breaks.
• DOIL : DOIL is measured in full days. Employees earn complete days off as compensation for their additional work.

2. Duration and Usage

• TOIL : TOIL suits situations where employees work extra hours on specific days, such as staying late to finish a project. They can use their accrued hours for shorter breaks or to leave work early on other days.
• DOIL : DOIL is more applicable for extended periods of additional work, like working on weekends or public holidays. It grants employees entire days off for recovery.

3. Frequency

• TOIL : TOIL can be accrued and used in smaller increments, which makes it suitable for employees who occasionally work beyond their regular hours.
• DOIL : DOIL is more suited for employees working substantial additional hours less frequently.

4. Flexibility

• TOIL : Offers greater flexibility as employees can utilise accrued hours to create customised breaks within their schedules.
• DOIL : Provides a more extended break in the form of full days off, allowing for comprehensive rest and rejuvenation.

Physical Toil

Physical toil refers to labour-intensive tasks that require manual effort, often leading to fatigue, strain, and potential health risks. Employees engaged in physically demanding jobs might experience exhaustion and physical discomfort.

Implement ergonomic practices and provide proper training to ensure employees use correct posture and techniques. Regular breaks, proper equipment, and rotation of tasks can also alleviate the physical strain.

Mental Toil

Mental toil involves cognitive strain and intense mental effort for tasks demanding concentration, problem-solving, and decision-making. This can lead to managing toil, mental fatigue, burnout, and decreased productivity.

Encourage time management techniques, promote a balanced workload, manage Time, and provide opportunities for short breaks to refresh the mind. Mindfulness or relaxation sessions can help employees manage stress and maintain mental well-being.

Emotional Toil

Emotional toil relates to managing one’s emotions while interacting with others. Jobs involving customer service, caregiving, or leadership often require suppressing personal emotions to maintain a professional demeanour, leading to emotional exhaustion and empathy fatigue.

Create a supportive work environment where employees can openly discuss emotional challenges. Offer training on emotional intelligence to help employees cope with emotionally demanding situations. Rotating emotionally taxing tasks among team members can also distribute the load.

Spiritual Toil

Spiritual toil pertains to the internal journey of self-discovery, purpose-seeking, and personal growth. Individuals might experience spiritual discomfort or disconnection in work environments that do not align with their values.

Foster a positive organisational culture that encourages personal growth and aligns with individual employees’ values. Offering flexible work arrangements, allowing Time for personal pursuits, and recognising diverse perspectives can help alleviate spiritual toil.

Offering Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) yields benefits for both employers and employees:

Employee Benefits

Work-life balance.

TOIL enables employees to achieve a healthier equilibrium between work and personal life by granting them paid Time off for personal obligations, family matters, appointments, or relaxation.

Flexibility During Busy Periods

Employees can utilise accrued TOIL hours according to their preferences, offering greater control over their leave schedule to align with individual needs.

Health and Well-being

TOIL contributes to employee well-being by mitigating burnout and stress linked to extended working hours. Regular breaks and Time off bolster both mental health and physical wellness.

Morale and Engagement

TOIL boosts employee morale and job satisfaction, showcasing the organisation and employee’s contract in recognition of their contributions. This fosters higher engagement and commitment levels.

Motivation and Productivity

The prospect of taking a holiday or earning paid Time off incentivises employees to enhance productivity and efficiency during standard work hours. This mutually beneficial approach toil policies can inspire a more focused work ethic.

Paid Overtime Pay

Paid overtime provides financial compensation to employees who put in additional work beyond their standard hours, acknowledging their dedication and ensuring equitable compensation for their extra hours and contributions.

Employer Benefits

Cost savings.

Implementing TOIL can lead to substantial cost savings for employers. Instead of paying the higher overtime rates required by law or company policy, employers can offer Time off in lieu, which often proves more economical. This becomes especially advantageous during heightened workloads or when operating within tight financial constraints.

Flexibility in Staffing

TOIL provides a flexible solution for managing staffing levels. Employers can utilise existing employees for extra hours when faced with increased demand or seasonal peaks, knowing they can use accrued TOIL to balance their workload and take Time off when needed.

Retention and Attraction

In today’s competitive job market, benefits that support work-life balance are highly sought after. Offering TOIL can enhance employee retention and attraction efforts. Prospective employees are more likely to be drawn to a company that values their well-being and offers a flexible approach to Time off, while existing employees are likely to stay for the same reasons.

Positive Organisational Culture

By implementing TOIL, organisations communicate a commitment to their employees’ work-life balance. This approach fosters a positive organisational culture that prioritises employee needs and contributes to a more engaged and motivated workforce. Such a culture can also improve employer branding and reputation.

Reduced Overtime Costs

Introducing TOIL can lead to reduced overtime costs over Time. Organisations can manage their overtime expenses more effectively by allowing employees to accumulate Time off in lieu of monetary compensation for overtime hours.

Compliance and Employee Relations

TOIL helps organisations comply with labour regulations governing overtime, working hours, and compensation. When employees are granted Time off for extra hours worked, a clear and transparent mechanism is in place for adhering to legal requirements.

Downsides of TOIL

Potential exploitation.

There is a slim possibility that certain employees might attempt to exploit the TOIL system by intentionally prolonging projects to accumulate more hours for Time off in lieu. Clear guidelines within the written agreement, specifying the minimum amount of time in lieu permissible and under what circumstances, can mitigate this risk.

Pre-Approval Requirement

To prevent misuse, it’s recommended that employees must inform and gain approval from their manager before becoming eligible for TOIL. This ensures that extra hours worked are necessary and aligned with business needs.

Increased Stress and Performance Decline

Mandating extra than normal working hours during busy periods could elevate employee stress levels, potentially leading to decreased performance or even resignations in severe cases. Employers should assess the necessity of overtime and maintain open lines of communication through regular check-ins and appraisals.

Underlying Issues

Frequent overtime might indicate underlying problems within the organisation, such as inadequate staffing or inefficient or manual processes. Consistently relying on overtime warrants investigation into the root cause of work overtime and considering measures like hiring new staff or process optimisation.

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Creating a Time Off in Lieu Policy

Creating a Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) policy involves careful planning to ensure effectiveness and fairness. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you establish a clear TOIL policy:

Understand Applicable Laws

Begin by thoroughly researching your jurisdiction’s labour laws and regulations on overtime, working hours, and compensatory Time. This foundational knowledge will help shape your TOIL policy to meet legal requirements.

Define Eligibility Criteria

Clearly outline the criteria that determine which employees are eligible for TOIL. Additionally, specify the circumstances under which TOIL can be earned – such as working beyond regular hours or covering holidays.

Accrual Rates

Decide how much toil and TOIL hours will accumulate in calculating Time. This might involve establishing an exchange rate, such as one-to-one for overtime hours worked. Determine whether there will be a maximum limit on accrued TOIL hours and whether unused hours can carry over.

Recording TOIL Hours

Establish a robust system for accurately tracking TOIL hours. This could involve time-tracking software, spreadsheets, or another method. Clearly define how employees should record their overtime hours and how supervisors will verify them.

Requesting TOIL Time Off

Outline a formal process for employees to request Time off using their accrued TOIL hours. This process might involve submitting a request to a manager or the HR department. Specify the notice period required for requesting TOIL time off.

Approval Process

Detail how TOIL time off requests will be reviewed and approved. Define the roles and responsibilities of different groups of supervisors or managers in this process to ensure consistency and fairness.

Scheduling and Availability

Address how TOIL time off requests will be managed alongside regular vacation and leave requests. Consider the organisation’s operational needs and ensure that TOIL time off requests are balanced within the context of your business requirements.

Implementation and Training

Train supervisors and line managers on effectively managing Time and approving TOIL requests. Offer comprehensive guidance to employees on accurately recording and keeping track of their TOIL hours and submitting requests.

Regular Review and Feedback

Commit to periodically review and manage TOIL policy to ensure its effectiveness and alignment with the organisation’s needs. This includes staying updated with any changes in labour laws that might impact your policy. Additionally, create channels for employees to offer feedback and suggest improvements, fostering a collaborative approach.

Tip: Enhance your work in lieu management with TimeTracks’ Leave Management Software , streamlining time-off requests and ensuring efficient handling of compensatory leave through HR software.

Bottom Line

In conclusion, Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) is a valuable strategy that benefits employers and employees. TOIL balances addressing business needs and recognising employees’ efforts by incentivising additional work without incurring extra costs.

However, its successful implementation relies on a well-crafted policy that delineates responsibilities, ensures clarity in accrue toil and usage, and fosters equitable application. HR’s pivotal role in communicating, maintaining consistency, and nurturing understanding among employees is integral to the effectiveness of the TOIL policy.

Being a digital marketer, I have been working with different clients and following strict deadlines. For me, learning the skill of time management and tracking was crucial for juggling between tasks and completing them. So, writing about time management and monitoring helps me add my flavor to the knowledge pool. I also learned a few things, which I am excited to share with all of you.

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The Complete Guide to Time Off In Lieu (TOIL)

In the modern workplace, balancing the demands of business with the well-being of employees is a constant challenge. One flexible approach gaining popularity in the UK is Time Off In Lieu (TOIL). TOIL offers an alternative to traditional overtime pay, where employees can accumulate extra hours worked and use them as additional leave at a later date. This guide delves into the intricacies of TOIL, its legal standing in the UK, and why it’s becoming an essential tool in contemporary human resource management.

Understanding TOIL

TOIL stands as a unique concept in the landscape of employee compensation and time management. Unlike overtime pay, where employees receive additional remuneration for extra hours worked, TOIL allows them to convert these hours into leave. This system is particularly beneficial in industries where workload fluctuates, providing a flexible solution that aligns with both employee preferences and business needs. TOIL’s adaptability makes it a valuable tool for promoting work-life balance and employee satisfaction.

Legal Considerations and Compliance

Navigating the legal landscape of TOIL in the UK requires careful consideration to ensure both compliance and fairness. Here are key legal aspects and compliance measures to consider:

Understanding the Working Time Regulations 1998

• Overview: The Working Time Regulations set the maximum weekly working hours and outline rights to rest breaks and paid holiday. While TOIL isn’t explicitly mentioned, these regulations provide the framework within which TOIL must operate.
• Compliance with Working Hours: Ensure that the accumulation and use of TOIL do not cause employees to exceed the 48-hour average weekly working limit, unless they have opted out.

Aligning with National Minimum Wage Regulations

• Minimum Wage Considerations: It’s important to ensure that when employees are working extra hours and accruing TOIL, their average pay does not fall below the National Minimum Wage.
• Record Keeping: Maintain accurate records of hours worked and TOIL accrued to demonstrate compliance with minimum wage regulations.

Employee Rights and Employer Obligations

• Fair Treatment: Under UK employment law, employees have the right to fair treatment. TOIL policies should be applied consistently and without discrimination.
• Contractual Considerations: If TOIL is part of the employment contract, failing to honour it could be seen as a breach of contract. Ensure that TOIL policies are clearly outlined in employee contracts or company handbooks.

Health and Safety Implications

• Duty of Care: Employers have a duty of care to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of their employees. This includes considering the impact of excessive working hours on employee health.
• Managing Workloads: Monitor workloads to prevent burnout and stress, particularly when employees are accruing significant amounts of TOIL.

Handling Disputes and Grievances

• Dispute Resolution: Have clear procedures in place for employees to raise concerns or disputes regarding TOIL, in line with your grievance policy.
• Consultation and Review: Regularly consult with employees and their representatives (such as trade unions) about your Time Off In Lieu policy , and be open to making adjustments based on feedback.

Keeping Policies Up-to-Date

• Regular Reviews: Employment law and best practices evolve. Regularly review and update your TOIL policy to ensure ongoing compliance and relevance.
• Expert Advice: Consider seeking advice from HR experts or legal professionals, particularly when making significant changes to your TOIL policy.

By adhering to these legal considerations and compliance measures, organisations can ensure that their TOIL policy is not only legally compliant but also fair and beneficial for both the company and its employees. A well-managed TOIL system can contribute significantly to a positive and productive workplace, fostering employee satisfaction and well-being.

Implementing TOIL in the Workplace

Establishing a TOIL policy requires careful planning and clear communication. The first step is to draft a comprehensive policy that outlines the accrual and usage of TOIL, ensuring it aligns with existing HR systems and workplace norms. An essential aspect of this process is transparent communication with employees . Integrating TOIL with your HR software and systems is also crucial for seamless management. See our tips for implementing TOIL in your organisation.

Managing TOIL Effectively

For TOIL to be a success, effective management is key. This involves tracking TOIL accrual and usage accurately. Many organisations use HR software solutions to automate this process, ensuring transparency and ease of tracking. Setting clear limits on how much TOIL can be accrued and how it can be used is also essential to prevent operational challenges. It’s a balancing act between providing flexibility to employees and ensuring business needs are met. For insights on managing holiday requests, which is closely related to TOIL management, you might find our article on How to Manage Holiday Requests helpful.

Common Challenges and Solutions with TOIL

While TOIL offers many benefits , it also comes with its own set of challenges. Here we explore some of these common issues and provide practical solutions to address them effectively:

Potential for Abuse

• Issue: Employees might work additional hours unnecessarily to accrue more TOIL, leading to issues like increased labour costs and potential burnout.
• Solution: Implement strict guidelines and monitoring to ensure TOIL is only accrued when necessary. Managers should approve overtime work in advance and review TOIL requests to prevent abuse.

Ensuring Fairness

• Issue: Not all roles or departments may have equal opportunities to earn TOIL, which can lead to perceptions of unfairness.
• Solution: Develop a TOIL policy that is equitable across different roles and departments. Consider alternative arrangements for roles that do not lend themselves easily to TOIL.

Operational Disruption

• Issue: Excessive accrual and use of TOIL might disrupt business operations, especially during peak times.
• Solution: Set caps on TOIL accrual and limits on when it can be used. Ensure there’s a system in place for managing peak periods and cover for staff on TOIL.

Tracking and Management

• Issue: Keeping track of TOIL accrual and usage can be complex and time-consuming.
• Solution: Utilize HR software to automate tracking and management of TOIL.

Balancing Employee Expectations

• Issue: Employees might have unrealistic expectations regarding the accrual and use of TOIL.
• Solution: Clearly communicate the TOIL policy, including any limits or restrictions. Regular meetings and feedback sessions can help manage expectations and gather employee insights.

Legal Compliance

• Issue: Ensuring that the TOIL policy complies with employment laws and regulations can be challenging.
• Solution: Regularly review and update the TOIL policy to align with current employment laws. Consult with legal experts or HR professionals to ensure compliance.

Cultural Resistance

• Issue: Some employees or managers may be resistant to the concept of TOIL, preferring traditional overtime pay.
• Solution: Educate staff about the benefits of TOIL, including improved work-life balance and flexibility. Share success stories and case studies to demonstrate its effectiveness.

By proactively addressing these challenges, organisations can ensure that their TOIL policy is not only compliant and fair but also beneficial for both the business and its employees. Effective management of TOIL is crucial for maintaining a positive and productive workplace environment.

TOIL Best Practices

Implementing Time Off In Lieu effectively requires a strategic approach that balances the needs of the business with the well-being of employees. Here are some best practices to ensure your TOIL policy is both effective and fair:

Clear and Comprehensive Policy

• Policy Transparency: Ensure your TOIL policy is documented clearly and is accessible to all employees. This should include how TOIL is accrued, the process for requesting time off, and any caps or limits on accumulation.
• Alignment with Business Goals: The TOIL policy should align with your company’s broader objectives and operational requirements. It should support, not hinder, the overall productivity and efficiency of the organisation.

Effective Communication

• Regular Updates: Keep employees informed about any changes to the TOIL policy. Use various communication channels such as email, company intranet, or staff meetings.
• Training Sessions: Offer training to both managers and employees to ensure everyone understands how TOIL works and its benefits. This can be linked to our article on Effective Feedback , highlighting the importance of clear communication.

Fair and Equitable Application

• Equitable Opportunities: Ensure all employees have equal opportunities to accrue and use TOIL, regardless of their role or department.
• Monitoring for Abuse: Keep an eye out for any potential abuse of the TOIL system, such as consistently working extra hours to accrue excessive time off.

Integration with HR Systems

• Technology Utilisation: Use HR software to track TOIL efficiently. This can help in monitoring TOIL balances and ensuring the system is not being misused.
• Data Analysis: Regularly review TOIL data to identify trends, such as departments where TOIL is most used or times of the year when it peaks. This data can inform business decisions and policy adjustments.

Regular Review and Adjustment

• Policy Reassessment: Regularly reassess the TOIL policy to ensure it remains relevant and effective. Consider employee feedback and any changes in business operations or legislation.
• Continuous Improvement: Be open to making changes to the TOIL policy based on feedback and data analysis. This ensures the policy evolves in line with the changing needs of the business and its employees.

Focus on Employee Well-being

• Work-Life Balance: Encourage employees to use TOIL to improve their work-life balance, which can lead to increased job satisfaction and productivity.
• Mental Health Consideration: Be mindful of the mental health implications of working extra hours. TOIL should not lead to employee burnout.

By following these best practices, organisations can create a TOIL policy that benefits both the business and its employees. It’s about finding the right balance between flexibility and productivity, ensuring that TOIL is a tool for positive workplace change.

The Future of TOIL in the UK

The concept of Time Off In Lieu is increasingly relevant in today’s dynamic work environment. Looking ahead, several factors are likely to shape the future of TOIL in the UK:

Evolving Work Cultures

• Shift Towards Flexible Working: There is a growing trend towards flexible work arrangements. As work-life balance becomes a priority for employees, TOIL could become a more prominent feature in employment contracts.
• Impact of Remote and Hybrid Working: The rise of remote and hybrid working models post-pandemic has changed the way businesses view time and productivity, potentially leading to more adaptive TOIL policies.

Technological Advancements

• Digitalisation of HR Practices: Advances in HR technology, such as sophisticated time-tracking and workforce management software, will make it easier for businesses to implement and manage TOIL policies efficiently.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Enhanced data analytics capabilities could provide deeper insights into how TOIL is used and its impact on productivity and employee well-being.

Legislative Changes

• Potential Regulatory Revisions: Employment laws and regulations are subject to change. Future legislative developments could formalise or alter the framework within which TOIL operates.
• Monitoring Legal Trends: Businesses must stay informed about legal changes to ensure their TOIL policies remain compliant and effective.

Employee Expectations and Demands

• Changing Employee Priorities: As the workforce evolves, so do employee expectations. A greater emphasis on work-life balance and mental health could see TOIL becoming a more common and expected benefit.
• Adaptation to Employee Needs: Organisations that are responsive to these changing expectations and offer flexible benefits like TOIL may find themselves at a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining talent.

Economic Influences

• Economic Uncertainties: Economic factors, such as recessions or growth periods, can influence how organisations approach overtime and TOIL. During tougher economic times, TOIL might be favoured over paid overtime to manage costs.
• Balancing Cost and Employee Satisfaction: Finding the right balance between cost management and employee satisfaction will be crucial in shaping TOIL policies.

Global Influences

• Learning from International Practices: The UK could also look towards international best practices in TOIL management, adopting strategies that have been successful in other countries.
• Global Workforce Trends: As businesses become more globalised, understanding and integrating international trends in flexible working will be important.

The future of TOIL in the UK is intrinsically linked to these evolving trends in work culture, technology, legislation, employee expectations, and economic factors. Organisations that anticipate and adapt to these changes will be well-placed to use TOIL as an effective tool for managing workforce flexibility and employee satisfaction.

TOIL offers a flexible approach to managing work hours and employee compensation. Its successful implementation can lead to increased employee satisfaction and improved work-life balance, while also meeting the operational needs of the business. As with any policy, clear communication, effective management, and regular reviews are key to its success.

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Articles written by and for SkyHR for our blog and other sections of our main website, https://skyhr.io, by the central SkyHR team

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Chelyabinsk city, Russia

The capital city of Chelyabinsk oblast .

Chelyabinsk - Overview

Chelyabinsk is one of the largest industrial, economic, cultural, and business centers of Russia, the administrative center of Chelyabinsk Oblast. This city is located on the geological border of the Urals and Siberia, in the Asian part of Russia, on the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains, on both banks of the Miass River, about 1,800 km east of Moscow.

The population of Chelyabinsk is about 1,179,000 (2022), the area - 500 sq. km.

The phone code - +7 351, the postal codes - 454000-454930.

Chelyabinsk city flag

Chelyabinsk city coat of arms.

Chelyabinsk city map, Russia

Chelyabinsk city latest news and posts from our blog:.

26 July, 2024 / Magnificent Landscapes of Ayskiye Pritosy .

18 July, 2018 / Bolshiye Pritesy Cliff in the Chelyabinsk Region .

12 June, 2018 / Frosty Dawn in Taganay National Park .

8 June, 2018 / Colors of the Dead World of Karabash .

6 January, 2018 / Chelyabinsk - the view from above .

More posts..

News, notes and thoughts:

15 February, 2013   / Powerful explosion has happened in the sky over Chelyabinsk today morning. According to the officials, it was the result of a meteor rain. About 500 people sought medical attention mostly injured by fragments of broken glass. A bright flash was seen over the entire region, including Ekaterinburg and Tyumen. You can find more info in our blog post about Chelyabinsk meteorite explosion .

History of Chelyabinsk

Foundation of chelyabinsk.

In 1736, the fortress named Chelyaba (most likely, a Bashkir word) was founded on the Miass River. One of the reasons for the construction of this and several other fortresses located nearby was the threat of attacks of the Bashkirs on caravans with supplies. The fortress became part of the Ufa Province.

In 1748, the first stone church was laid in the fortress. In 1781, it received the status of a town called Chelyabinsk. In 1782, the coat of arms of Chelyabinsk was approved by decree of Empress Catherine II. A loaded camel depicted on it meant that trade routes passed through this town located in the Asian part of the Russian Empire. In 1795, the population of Chelyabinsk was about 2,700 people.

By the middle of the 19th century, this town played an important role in trading in the Urals. Until the end of the 19th century, Chelyabinsk remained a small town. In 1882, its population was about 7,700 people. The second birth of Chelyabinsk took place in 1892 - after the completion of the construction of the Samara-Zlatoust Railway, which connected Chelyabinsk with the European part of the Russian Empire.

After 1892, the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway continued further to the east of the country. In 1896, the further development of Chelyabinsk was facilitated by the commissioning of the branch of the Ural Mining Railway, which connected Chelyabinsk with Yekaterinburg. In just a few years, the town became one of the leaders in bread, butter, meat, and tea trade in the Russian Empire. Chelyabinsk was unofficially called “The Gateway to Siberia”.

More historical facts…

Chelyabinsk in the first half of the 20th century

In just a decade, the population of the town grew significantly (in 1897 - about 20 thousand people, in 1910 - more than 60 thousand), and the territory increased by one third. For rapid growth at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, similar to American cities, Chelyabinsk was sometimes called “Chicago beyond the Urals”.

The armed rebellion of the Czechoslovak Corps after the events at the Chelyabinsk Railway Station on May 14, 1918 and the capture of the city on the night of May 26 to 27, 1918, led to its participation in the Civil War in Russia on the side of the Committee of Members of the Constituent Assembly and later on the side of A. V. Kolchak (one of the leaders of the White Armies opposing the Reds (Bolsheviks)). In July 1919, the Reds occupied Chelyabinsk and Bolshevik authorities began to form in the city. In 1923, the population of Chelyabinsk was about 54,300 people.

On September 3, 1919, Chelyabinsk became the center of the Chelyabinsk province. On November 3, 1924, it was transformed into the Chelyabinsk district of Ural Oblast. On January 17, 1934, Ural Oblast was divided into three separate regions - Sverdlovsk Oblast with a center in Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast with a center in Chelyabinsk, and Ob-Irtysh Oblast with a center in Tyumen.

In 1937, there were discussions about renaming the city of Chelyabinsk in Kaganovichgrad in honor of Lazar Kaganovich, a Soviet politician and administrator. During the first Soviet five-year plans, Chelyabinsk became one of the largest industrial centers of the USSR. From the beginning of the 1930s, tractor, abrasive, ferroalloy, electrode, machine tool, and zinc plants began to operate. In 1939, the population of Chelyabinsk was about 273,000 people.

Chelyabinsk during the Second World War

During the Second World War, Chelyabinsk played a very important role as a production base. The population of the city grew rapidly from 270 to 650 thousand people. On the basis of more than 200 enterprises evacuated from the western regions of the USSR that merged with local industries, several giant plants were opened: the Chelyabinsk Forge and Press Plant, the Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant, and the Chelyabinsk Pipe Rolling Plant.

After combining the capacities of the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant with two evacuated enterprises - the Leningrad Kirov Plant and Kharkov Engine-Building Plant, mass production of tanks (KV-1, IS-2, T-34) and self-propelled guns (SU-152 and ISU-152) began. In total, during the war, about 60 thousand tank diesels and 18 thousand fighting vehicles (20% of all Soviet fighting vehicles) were produced in Chelyabinsk. By the end of the war, every third Soviet tank and combat aircraft had Chelyabinsk steel. The city acquired a new unofficial name - Tankograd (The City of Tanks).

During the war years, about 220,000 people were sent from the front to Chelyabinsk for treatment, 78% of them returned to service after healing their wounds. In 1941-1944, the Kiev Medical Institute, evacuated from the capital of Ukraine, was training medical doctors in Chelyabinsk. In 1944, the Chelyabinsk Medical Institute was established on its basis.

Chelyabinsk in the second half of the 20th century and beyond

In the post-war period, Chelyabinsk became a supplier of equipment, machinery, and specialists for the reconstruction of Stalingrad, Donbass, DneproGES, and other industrial centers. In 1947, a new development plan was approved, which provided for multi-storey buildings in the city center and areas adjacent to industrial enterprises. This radically changed the panorama of Chelyabinsk.

By 1960, there were already about 15 thousand students in Chelyabinsk. In 1976, Chelyabinsk State University was founded - the first classical university in the South Urals. By the 1980s, the capital of the South Urals became a major scientific center of the USSR with 7 universities and about 40 research and design institutes.

On October 13, 1976, a millionth resident was born in Chelyabinsk. By 1980, its enterprises produced more than 50% of Soviet stainless steel, 20% of pipes, 30% of ferroalloys. At this time, the new building of the Chelyabinsk Drama Theater with 1,200 seats was opened, the Chelyabinsk Puppet Theater gained all-Russian fame. In 1986, Chelyabinsk celebrated its 250th anniversary. In honor of this, a geological museum, a chamber and organ music hall were opened.

The first half of the 1990s, after the collapse of the USSR and the transition to a market economy, was a difficult time for Chelyabinsk and its huge plants. From the second half of the 1990s, industry gradually resumed production, and a lot of plants entered the world market.

In 2004, the pedestrian street of Kirovka was opened. It has become a favorite place for walks of Chelyabinsk residents and guests of the city. In 2006, the new building of the State Historical Museum of the South Urals was opened. In 2009, the ice arena “Tractor” with a capacity of 7,500 spectators was built. In the 2010s, after the recession of the 1990s, construction and commissioning of new housing intensified.

On February 15, 2013, a large meteor with a diameter of about 17 meters and a mass of about 10 thousand tons entered the atmosphere in the vicinity of Chelyabinsk (the Chelyabinsk Meteor). Fortunately, it exploded in the sky relatively high above the city. However, 7,320 buildings were damaged and 1,613 people were wounded as a result. Its debris fell into Lake Chebarkul, from where the largest fragment was later raised and delivered to the Chelyabinsk Museum of Local Lore.

Chelyabinsk views

Winter in a residential area in Chelyabinsk

Author: Andrey Kalachev

Trinity Bridge in the center of Chelyabinsk

Author: Angelina Galimzyanova

Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Virgin near the Chelyabinsk Railway Station

Author: Aleksey Podbelsky

Chelyabinsk - Features

Chelyabinsk, one of the ten largest cities in Russia, is located almost in the center of the continent of Eurasia (about 1,400 km from its geographical center), east of the Ural Mountains, 216 km south of Yekaterinburg.

This city is located on the border of the Urals and Siberia. That is why it is also informally known as “The Gateway to Siberia”. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, after the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway, a lot of travelers bought postcards at the railway station of Chelyabinsk and sent them around the world as evidence of their stay in Siberia. Leningrad Bridge connects the Ural and Siberian banks of the Miass River, thus it is a bridge from the Urals to Siberia.

On the coat of arms of Chelyabinsk you can see a loaded camel, as a sign that important trade routes passed through it, and a fortress wall showing that Chelyabinsk was founded as a fortress.

The climate of Chelyabinsk is temperate continental (transitional from temperate continental to sharply continental). Winters are long, moderately cold, and snowy. The average temperature in January is minus 14.1 degrees Celsius. Summers are moderately warm and dry. The average temperature in July is plus 19.3 degrees Celsius.

Due to the fact that Chelyabinsk is an industrial city with a large number of factories, the environmental situation in the city is poor. The level of air pollution is high. The city has an increased level for a number of diseases compared with the average for Russia.

Chelyabinsk is one of the largest industrial centers of Russia. The main industries are metallurgy, manufacture of finished metal products, engineering. Chelyabinsk Electrometallurgical Plant is the largest ferroalloy plant in Russia. Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant produces about 2% of the world and 60% of Russian zinc. Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant is the largest producer of stainless steel in Russia.

Through Chelyabinsk, traffic flows from the European part of Russia to Siberia. In particular, this city is the final point of the federal highways M5 Ural (Moscow - Chelyabinsk), R254 Irtysh (Baikal) (Chelyabinsk - Novosibirsk), A310 (Chelyabinsk - Kazakhstan). Public transport is represented by buses, trolleybuses, trams, and minibuses. The international airport “Chelyabinsk” offers flights to several large Russian cities, mainly to Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Chelyabinsk has historically developed as a center of several cultures: first of all, the cultures of the indigenous inhabitants of the region - the Bashkirs, Tatars, and Russians. There are Orthodox churches and mosques, a Catholic church, several Protestant churches, and a synagogue in the city.

Main Attractions of Chelyabinsk

Kirovka Pedestrian Street - an analogue of the pedestrian street of Arbat in Moscow. Here you can see a number of interesting monuments (“Zero Milestone”, the monuments to volunteer tankers, Alexander Rosenbaum, the founders of Chelyabinsk), as well as sculptures (“The Boy with the Camels”, “The Artist at the Mirror Easel”, “The Saxophonist”, “The Coquette”, “The Beggar”, “The Merchant”, and others).

Also on this street there are shops, cafes, entertainment facilities, buildings of the early 20th century, and the business center “Chelyabinsk-City”.

Aloye Pole (Scarlet Field) - a park located in the very center of Chelyabinsk, one of its most popular holiday destinations. In the 19th century, it was a square where the city fair was held. In 1905, a demonstration of workers was dispersed by force here. That’s why the place got a new name - “Scarlet Square”. In 2000, the park received the status of a historical place.

Central Park of Culture and Rest named after Yury Gagarin . This park adjacent to the relict pine forest is the most beautiful park in Chelyabinsk with rides, sports grounds and playgrounds, a contact zoo, a summer movie theater. Fresh air, thick crowns of trees, blue expanse of ponds, comfort, and cleanliness attract residents and visitors of the city.

Chelyabinsk Zoo . On an area of 8 hectares, more than 130 species of animals live, of which more than 80 are listed in the Red Book including polar bears, Amur tigers, leopards. There is also a contact zoo on the territory, where children can also feed animals and play with them. Truda Street, 191.

Historical Museum of the Southern Urals . There are three permanent exhibitions dedicated to nature and ancient history, folklife, and history of the 20th century. The museum has old photographs, documents, books, paintings of the 18th-20th centuries, household items and clothing of Russians, nomads, and Tatar-Bashkir tribes, Zlatoust engravings, ancient coins, mineralogical collections, bones of extinct animals, and stuffed animals.

The museum also exhibits the largest (weighing half a ton) of the found fragments of the Chelyabinsk Meteor that exploded in the sky above the city at an altitude of about 15-25 km in 2013. Truda Street, 100.

Museum of Fine Arts . This museum has several thousand exhibits of Western European, Eastern, and Russian art. Here you can see the works of world-famous artists: Aivazovsky, Levitan, Shishkin. Also there is an interesting collection of icons of the 16th-19th centuries. Truda Street, 92a.

Museum of Arts and Crafts of the Urals . Here you can see the whole range of folk art crafts of the Southern Urals: products of the Zlatoust weapons factory, exhibits demonstrating the skill of local carvers and jewelers, hand-painted utensils, porcelain products of the South Ural factory, etc. Revolution Square, 1.

Chelyabinsk Railway Museum . The museum exposition is located in two places: in the building #63 on Tsvillinga Street, where more than 14 thousand exhibits are stored, and at the Chelyabinsk Railway Station (Zheleznodorozhnaya Street, 1/1), where you can see various railway equipment: steam locomotives, electric locomotives, modern trains, military trains, and special equipment. In the exhibition halls, you can see rails, station bells, old tickets, lights, signaling devices, and other items.

Museum of the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant - the largest and most popular museum in the region. It is dedicated to the history and activities of the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant. The museum has several thousand photographs, documents, personal belongings of employees, posters, newspaper clippings. It is better to visit this museum with a thematic tour, during which you can not only learn interesting facts, but also feel the true spirit of the plant and the city of Chelyabinsk. Lenina Avenue, 19.

Holy Trinity Church (1914) - the largest church in Chelyabinsk built of red brick and topped with a green roof. The main feature of this building is a large number of arched windows on all tiers and an abundance of decorative ornaments on the facade. Inside, the walls and ceiling are painted with murals on biblical themes. Kirova, 60?.

Monument to Kurchatov . Igor Kurchatov, the famous Soviet scientist and creator of the first atomic bomb in the USSR, was born in the town of Sim of Chelyabinsk Oblast in 1903. In 1986, in honor of the 250th anniversary of Chelyabinsk, the monument “Split Atom” was erected in his honor on Nauki (Science) Square. It consists of two vertical platforms 27 meters high, which symbolize an elementary particle, and the figure of Kurchatov standing in the middle. Lenina Avenue, 86.

Chelyabinsk city of Russia photos

Sights of chelyabinsk.

Palace of Pioneers and Schoolchildren in Chelyabinsk

Author: Yuri Palmin

Circus in Chelyabinsk

Author: Nico Kaiser

Stele to the Defenders of the Fatherland in Chelyabinsk

Author: Olga Kopp

Pictures of Chelyabinsk

Stele at the entrance to Chelyabinsk

Author: Alexander Sapozhnikov

Church of the Icon of the Mother of God Soothe My Sorrows in Chelyabinsk

Author: Angie Ambrosio

The questions of our visitors

The comments of our visitors.

I heard an interview with a woman from Chelyabinsk several days after the meteor exploded over your city on February 15th, 2013. She said "We should use this meteor to bring people to our city. We need our own Eiffel Tower or Statue of Liberty".

I think the meteor could help your city draw tourists, if the city is willing to invest money to make this happen. Specifically, you could build a museum that would:

Besides the museum, have boat rides on the lake where pieces of the meteor broke through the ice.

To support the museum (and tourists) year-round, would it work to put together ski packages, transporting skiers to the Urals by bus via the M5 highway (or others) during the day and bringing them back to Chelyabinsk at night? Can you improve air connections US-Europe-Moscow-Chelyabinsk? Add a few restaurants? Etc.

A meteor like yours hits the Earth once a century. If you want it, you could make Chelyabinsk a tourist destination. It's worth a try. David Irvin

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