# PTO Request Procedure Report Date: 08/25/2026 Audience: Bill / Leadership Review ## Executive Summary - Titan's current handbook dated `06/19/2024` supports a clear PTO request procedure, but it does not set a hard payroll cutoff day for PTO to land on a specific check. - The handbook already requires planned PTO requests to be submitted at least `4 weeks` in advance, limits PTO use to accrued balances, and treats PTO in `1 full workday` increments. - Based on the current payroll cadence provided, the cleanest operating rule is to set fixed payroll cutoffs by employee pay group. - Salary personnel paid on the `15th`: cutoff is `12:00 PM` on the `3rd business day` before payday. - Salary personnel paid on the `last day of the month`: cutoff is `12:00 PM` on the `3rd business day` before payday. - Hourly personnel paid every other Friday: cutoff is the regular `Wednesday` time-sheet turn-in before payday. - For salary payroll, `business day` means Monday through Friday excluding federal holidays. ## What Needs Attention Now - Leadership should approve one written payroll cutoff rule and use it companywide so supervisors, HR, Operations, and payroll are not making case-by-case judgment calls. - The approved rule should be added to the PTO request form, employee-facing procedure, and supervisor payroll checklist. - Late but valid PTO requests should default to the next regular paycheck unless HR/payroll explicitly approves a manual correction. ## Standardized Payroll Cutoff Rule - **Salary personnel / 15th paycheck**: PTO request must be approved and in HR / Operations hands by `12:00 PM` on the `3rd business day` before payday to hit the `15th` check. - **Salary personnel / month-end paycheck**: PTO request must be approved and in HR / Operations hands by `12:00 PM` on the `3rd business day` before the last-day-of-month paycheck. - **Hourly personnel / every-other-Friday paycheck**: PTO must be approved, entered on the signed time sheet, and received by HR / Operations no later than the regular `Wednesday` time-sheet turn-in before payday. Recommended control point: `12:00 PM` on that Wednesday unless payroll defines a later same-day close. - **Business-day definition**: for salary payroll, business day means Monday through Friday excluding federal holidays, so the cutoff automatically rolls back as needed. - **Late submission rule**: if approval or paperwork reaches payroll after cutoff, the PTO rolls to the next regular paycheck unless HR/payroll authorizes a manual payroll correction. ## PTO Request Procedure 1. Employee checks accrued PTO balance before submitting a request. PTO cannot be used before it is earned. 2. For planned time off, employee submits the PTO request in writing to the direct supervisor at least `4 weeks` before the first day off. 3. Request should include employee name, division or property, requested dates, total full PTO days requested, and whether the time is vacation, sick, or personal. 4. Supervisor reviews staffing impact and either approves, denies, or proposes alternate dates. 5. Once approved, the PTO must be entered on the employee's time sheet for the affected week or pay period. 6. Employee and supervisor sign the time sheet before it is forwarded to the Operations Manager / payroll path. 7. Payroll applies PTO at the employee's base pay rate on the intended check only if the approved request reaches payroll before the cutoff for that pay group. ## Pay Period Timeline by Employee Type - **Salary personnel / 15th paycheck**: PTO intended for the `15th` paycheck must be fully approved by `12:00 PM` on the `3rd business day` before payday. - **Salary personnel / month-end paycheck**: PTO intended for the last-day-of-month paycheck must be fully approved by `12:00 PM` on the `3rd business day` before payday. - **Hourly personnel / every-other-Friday paycheck**: PTO intended for the next every-other-Friday paycheck must be fully approved and included on the signed time sheet by the regular `Wednesday` turn-in before payday. Recommended control point: `12:00 PM` on that Wednesday unless payroll defines a later same-day close. - **Missed cutoff**: the employee still may use approved PTO, but the pay posts on the next regular paycheck unless HR/payroll makes an exception. ## Unplanned Absence Procedure - If the absence is unplanned because of illness, injury, or emergency, the employee must notify the supervisor as soon as possible and before the shift when feasible. - The employee should tell the supervisor whether accrued PTO should be applied to the missed day. - If the employee is out more than `2` consecutive days for a medical issue, a doctor's note is required under the handbook. - If the final approved PTO entry reaches payroll after cutoff, the missed day can still be coded to PTO, but payment moves to the next regular payroll unless HR/payroll manually corrects it. ## Handbook Rules Confirmed - PTO eligibility starts after completion of `1 full year` of employment. - Full-time employees accrue `10 days per year` in the first eligible year (`0.83` days per month). - Part-time employees regularly scheduled for `20+` hours per week become eligible on a pro rata basis after one full year. - PTO may be used for vacation, sick time, or personal matters. - PTO is taken in `1 full workday` increments. - PTO of more than `2` consecutive weeks requires prior supervisor approval. - Pay periods are `bi-weekly or semi-monthly` depending on division. - Weekly time sheets must be signed by both the employee and supervisor before being forwarded to the Operations Manager. ## Recommendation - Adopt the cutoff rule above without exceptions other than documented HR/payroll corrections. - Publish the rule in one short employee-facing PTO policy and one supervisor payroll checklist. - This removes ambiguity, reduces payroll disputes, and gives employees a predictable answer on whether PTO will hit the next check or the following one. ## Source Review - Titan Employee Handbook reviewed: `Employees/EMPLOYEES/Handbook/Handbook - 2024 FINAL June 19 2024.docx` - Additional live payroll timing provided by Bill on `08/25/2026`: salary personnel are paid on the `15th` and the `last day of the month`; salary PTO requests should be turned in `3 business days` before payday; hourly staff are paid every other Friday and hourly time sheets are turned in on `Wednesday` before payday.