What is Time off in lieu?


"Time off in lieu", frequently shortened to TOIL, is a system where employees swap overtime pay for equivalent time off. In essence, rather than receiving extra pay for overtime, employees accumulate equivalent time off.


For example, if an employee works three hours beyond their usual hours on a certain day, they would be able to take three hours off at a future date, as agreed with the employer, instead of getting overtime pay for those three hours.

The implementation of time off in lieu can differ greatly across different companies and jurisdictions. Key variables include the rate of accrual (for example, hour for hour, or a different rate), the timing and manner in which it can be taken, and if there's a cap on the amount that can be accrued or a deadline by which it must be used.

In TIMEOFF.GURU we handle TOIL in a very elegant and simple way. Managers and HR administrators can add specific amount of hours or days to the employee's so called "balance". This way, when someone wants to submit a leave request, besides the standard paid time-off (PTO), they see the TOIL too. Some companies call this additional time "compensation" or "bonus". In TIMEOFF.GURU the clients are able to choose the way they want to label this vacation type.

Time off in lieu is most often offered by employers as a flexible work arrangement to control compensation expenses and offer employees more flexibility to balance their work and personal life. However, local labor laws and company policies often dictate the availability and rules around TOIL. So it is crucial for both employers and employees to understand regulations and policies to ensure first of all - compliance, and even more important - fairness.


If you wish to do something good both for the organization and for the people, to simplify the leave of absence request process, to minimize the expenses, and to better coordinate your teams, then TIMEOFF.GURU is created exactly for that reason.

Show the solution to your colleagues and see for yourself how convenient and easy everything becomes with TIMEOFF.GURU. With just a few clicks, you have a request, approval, report, and a view of the overall absence calendar. Without unnecessary bureaucracy, without piles of paper, without hours of processing.