TIME OFF REQUEST POLICY: Balancing Work & Life While Keeping the Team Strong

At The Grove, we believe in work-life balance and know that time off is important—whether it’s for rest, personal commitments, or just living life outside of work (is that a thing?). But as a small, tight-knit team, every role matters. That means we can’t always grant time-off requests and we rely on each other to keep things running smoothly.

This policy ensures fairness, supports team members’ needs, and helps us manage schedules effectively while protecting hours and income for everyone.

Why It Matters:

• We are a small team by design—this means everyone plays a critical role, and coverage must be managed carefully. We intentionally keep the team small so we can maximize hours for everyone and keep us on the top of your priority list (or so we hope!)

• We want to support work-life balance while ensuring the needs of the business are met.

• Schedules are built with experience, skills, and business needs in mind—not every shift can be covered by just anyone.

Who This Applies To:

• All team members—responsible for submitting time-off requests in advance and ensuring shift coverage when needed.

• Management team—reviews requests and ensures schedule fairness and operational needs are met.

Your Role as a Team Member:

✅ Submit Time-Off Requests in Advance – Requests should be submitted as early as possible for consideration - this is done through the HOMEBASE platform.

✅ Time Off is Not Guaranteed – While we do our best to accommodate, not all requests can be approved due to business needs.

✅ Once the Schedule is Posted, It’s Set – Schedules are typically posted two weeks in advance. After this point, it is entirely the team member’s responsibility to cover their shift if they can no longer work.

✅ Shift Coverage Must Be Approved – If you find someone to cover your shift, management must approve the switch to ensure skill levels and operational needs are met.

✅ Maintain a Fair Balance – If you frequently swap or request time off, be mindful of your commitment to the team and your scheduled hours.

✅ Communicate Professionally – If you have an issue with scheduling or need assistance, speak to management in a timely and respectful manner.

HOW TIME OFF REQUESTS WORK

📌 Step 1: Submit Your Request

• Use the Time Off Request on HOMEBASE to submit your request as far in advance as possible.

📌 Step 2: Wait for Approval

• Management will review requests based on business needs and fairness to the team.

📌 Step 3: If Approved, You’re Good!

• If your request is granted, it will be reflected in the schedule.

📌 Step 4: If Not Approved & You Can’t Work, YOU Need To Find Coverage

• If the schedule is already posted and you can no longer work, you are responsible for finding someone to cover your shift.

• The replacement must be approved by management to ensure they have the necessary skills for that shift.

📌 Step 5: Confirm Shift Coverage

• Once management approves, the shift swap will be reflected in the schedule.

LAST-MINUTE ABSENCES & EMERGENCIES

🚨 In case of an emergency (illness, urgent personal matters), notify management ASAP. We understand that unexpected things happen, and we’ll work together to find a solution.

🚨 No-call/no-shows are unacceptable—they put pressure on the entire team and affect operations. Failure to communicate will be addressed accordingly, possibly leading to termination.

FINAL NOTES FOR THE TEAM:

✅ We support time off when possible, but business needs come first.

✅ Once the schedule is posted, it’s your responsibility to find coverage if needed.

✅ Shift swaps must be approved—experience and skills matter!

✅ Clear communication ensures fairness and keeps the team strong.

Let’s keep supporting each other, balancing work & life, and running an awesome, well-managed team! 🚀