The Best Leave Management Systems of 2021

CakeHR is a leave management system that can be accessed via the web or a mobile app. Some of its top features include a shared company calendar to stay organized, employee self-service tools, custom approval flows, detailed reporting tools, and the ability to create custom policy rules.  Managers can easily approve time-off requests from email, the CakeHR web or mobile app, or Slack. This solution costs $5.50 per user per month, and a 14-day free trial is available. CakeHR includes the following capabilities: 

• Integrations
• Reports
• Mobile app 
• Leave policy management 
• FMLA tracking 
• Self-service portal 
• Calendar management 
• Approval process control

Calamari is a web-based leave management system. This offline time-off manager allows organizations to automate PTO calculations and makes it easier to manage holidays. Features include absence calendars, automated entitlement, a variety of absence types, approval flows, and privilege controls. Calamari also supports remote work. This system integrates with other apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Asana, and Jira. It costs $40 per month for a team of 35, and the price goes up for larger teams. A free trial is available. Here’s what’s included: 

• Integrations
• Reports
• Mobile app 
• Leave policy management 
• FMLA tracking 
• Self-service portal 
• Calendar management 
• Approval process control 

Deputy makes it easier to manage, track, and approve time-off requests. With the included error-free scheduling tools, organizations won’t be without staff when they need them most. Deputy also includes tools to quickly request a replacement if an employee doesn’t show up for work or calls in. Deputy integrates with payroll programs such as QuickBooks, Gusto, ADP, and Xero. Pricing ranges from $2.50-$4.50 per user per month, and a 31-day trial is offered. Here’s what’s included in Deputy: 

• Integrations
• Reports
• Mobile app 
• Self-service portal 
• Calendar management 
• Approval process control 

Freshteam is an employee leave and absence management solution. Employers can track and manage time off with this tool. Users can create multiple leave policies and approval workflows and keep track of the whole team with a team calendar. Freshteam is a web-based solution but also offers a mobile app. Pricing ranges from $7-$250 per user per month, and a free trial is available. These capabilities are included in Freshteam: 

• Integrations
• Reports
• Mobile app 
• Leave policy management
• Self-service portal 
• Calendar management 
• Approval process control 

Vacation Tracker is another leave management system option. With this solution, organizations can easily create their own leave types, set the team’s holidays, and export detailed reports. Vacation Tracker integrates with Slack, so managers can handle time-off requests and receive vacation reminders within the program. This solution costs $1 per user per month, with a minimum monthly cost of $25. A 14-day free trial is available. Here’s what’s included in Vacation Tracker: 

• Integrations
• Reports
• Leave policy management
• FMLA tracking
• Calendar management
• Approval process control