# Leave Guarantee



## ATIS4life (30 Mar 2011)

I wanted to know if there was a way to guarantee leave dates other than with an approved leave pass. I am planning something well in advance with my family but it is a package deal and gets more expensive with every month closer to the dates i need. Leave passes in my unit are usually not approved (or refused) untill 1 week before the actual leave, sometimes only a couple days before. My superior has already verbally approved the dates but i need something more solid. Is there a way?


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## meni0n (30 Mar 2011)

A memo would do it I guess.


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## BernDawg (30 Mar 2011)

Put it in a memo and get it signed off by your boss.


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## PuckChaser (30 Mar 2011)

Your unit refuses to sign leave passes when you're trying to plan ahead? If they were doing that to me, I wouldn't trust their guarantee either.


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## MJP (30 Mar 2011)

ATIS4life said:
			
		

> I wanted to know if there was a way to guarantee leave dates other than with an approved leave pass. I am planning something well in advance with my family but it is a package deal and gets more expensive with every month closer to the dates i need. Leave passes in my unit are usually not approved (or refused) untill 1 week before the actual leave, sometimes only a couple days before. My superior has already verbally approved the dates but i need something more solid. Is there a way?



As said memo it.

But honestly dude with a CoC like that your best bet is to book the vacation and buy cancellation insurance at the same time.  It is a small price to pay for knowing that if everything goes south with your plans you at least get your money back.


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## Nostix (30 Mar 2011)

Be careful with cancellation insurance though.

Many plans have very specific list of reasons that you can cancel for, which usually don't include things like this.


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## PMedMoe (30 Mar 2011)

A memo is fine (it can't hurt), but _technically_, once you have a signed leave pass, you can make financial commitments and they should have to pay you back if they have to cancel your leave.  I would put in the memo just to make sure they know you are making financial commitments.  Now, if you know there's something coming up, that's a different story.


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## dogger1936 (30 Mar 2011)

PMedMoe said:
			
		

> A memo is fine (it can't hurt), but _technically_, once you have a signed leave pass, you can make financial commitments and they should have to pay you back if they have to cancel your leave.  I would put in the memo just to make sure they know you are making financial commitments.  Now, if you know there's something coming up, that's a different story.



Really?

After having my leave cancelled to get called in I have been told to see RSO 1101 "Suck it up". I've been accumlating days like a soldier in 1988. Can you provide references for that?


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## Snaketnk (30 Mar 2011)

I have the same kind of issue coming up; my CoC won't action my memo or my Leave Pass until a couple of weeks before the requested leave date.


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## dapaterson (30 Mar 2011)

dogger1936 said:
			
		

> Really?
> 
> After having my leave cancelled to get called in I have been told to see RSO 1101 "Suck it up". I've been accumlating days like a soldier in 1988. Can you provide references for that?



From the Leave Policy Manual (http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dgcb-dgras/pd/lea-con/doc/cflpm-mprcfc-eng.pdf): 



> Section 2.7 Withholding and Recall From Leave
> 2.7.01 Policy
> The policy for withholding of and recalling from leave is directed in QR&O 16.01, Withholding of and Recall from Leave.
> 2.7.02 General administration
> ...



The CBI reads (http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dgcb-dgras/pub/cbi-dra/doc/209-05.pdf):



> 209.54 – REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES WHEN RECALLED FROM OR ON CANCELLATION OF LEAVE
> 
> 209.54(1) (Application) Subject to paragraph (2), an officer or non-commissioned member who is recalled to duty from leave in accordance with article 16.01 - Withholding of and Recall From Leave of the QR&O or whose approved leave has been cancelled for service reasons may be reimbursed for:
> 
> ...


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## Zoomie (30 Mar 2011)

I would really like to know which units are in the practice of approving leave only weeks in advance... What sort of unreasonable supervisors are out there?  I'm in the habit of putting in a leave pass April 1st for my sons birthday in late July - always approved.


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## CombatDoc (31 Mar 2011)

ATIS4life said:
			
		

> I wanted to know if there was a way to guarantee leave dates other than with an approved leave pass. I am planning something well in advance with my family but it is a package deal and gets more expensive with every month closer to the dates i need. Leave passes in my unit are usually not approved (or refused) untill 1 week before the actual leave, sometimes only a couple days before. My superior has already verbally approved the dates but i need something more solid. Is there a way?


The only guarantee is a signed leave pass.  Although a minuted memo to your CO through your supervisor may help you convince your CoC to sign off your leave pass request, without a signed leave pass in your possession you're SOL.   This is assuming that there is no important concurrent military activity planned for the same time period.


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## Nostix (31 Mar 2011)

Zoomie said:
			
		

> I would really like to know which units are in the practice of approving leave only weeks in advance... What sort of unreasonable supervisors are out there?  I'm in the habit of putting in a leave pass April 1st for my sons birthday in late July - always approved.



I'd consider it very helpful if a few RegF members would comment on their experience with advanced signing of leave passes. 

It's an issue that I'm curious about, but haven't had a lot of luck finding information on.


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## q_1966 (31 Mar 2011)

Be careful they don't "loose" your leave pass on a friday afternoon, and tell you don't need one to go to Courtney/Comox for the weekend (from Esquimalt). Ive also seen people book flights prior to having leave pass in hand, or setting up to fly out friday night and be late shift that day. :facepalm:


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## Occam (31 Mar 2011)

Nostix said:
			
		

> I'd consider it very helpful if a few RegF members would comment on their experience with advanced signing of leave passes.
> 
> It's an issue that I'm curious about, but haven't had a lot of luck finding information on.



Most of my leave gets taken within a couple weeks of asking for it, but I did take a few weeks back in 2005 that I know I had a signed leave pass for, a few months in advance.  No issues with them signing it.


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## CombatDoc (31 Mar 2011)

Nostix said:
			
		

> I'd consider it very helpful if a few RegF members would comment on their experience with advanced signing of leave passes.
> 
> It's an issue that I'm curious about, but haven't had a lot of luck finding information on.


 I have been recalled from leave for short notice operational taskings.  However, I've never had a problem getting leave passes approved in advance eg. Spring Break, summer holidays.  That has also been my observation for other members at every unit that I've served with.  Problems arise when someone wants to take leave when the fall ex, career courses or something similar are already on the training calendar.


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## exgunnertdo (31 Mar 2011)

Nostix said:
			
		

> I'd consider it very helpful if a few RegF members would comment on their experience with advanced signing of leave passes.
> 
> It's an issue that I'm curious about, but haven't had a lot of luck finding information on.



My husband was in Afghanistan in 2009 and I (Reg F member) needed a signed leave pass in order to do our bookings for 3rd location HLTA (Disney World + a cruise = a metric boat load of money that I wasn't about to lose for lack of a leave pass).

HLTA was in September, I believe I had signed leave pass in hand in early June, as soon as hubby had his leave approved in theatre. I was making bookings by end June.

I don't make any bookings without a signed leave pass, and I have never had trouble getting leave passes signed well in advance of my leave (6 years in the RegF). I've done it other times (like in Sept/Oct timeframe for Christmas leave) but the HLTA is the only one where I can remember the details. The odd time, I've had someone say "wow, you're submitting this one early" but never an argument or denial.


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## BernDawg (31 Mar 2011)

When I was a ground pounder we needed a damned good reason to get a signed leave pass more than a week or two in advance. After I re-mustered and worked for the Airforce I got in the habit of putting in my leave passes as early as possible to avoid any issues and generally they were approved, signed and returned within a week or two of submission. One year we were requested to submit a leave plan in April for the entire year, I submitted my leave plan and the leave passes to go with it (I thought I would piss someone off) and they were approved, signed and returned within two weeks without so much as a harsh word, in fact I was complemented on  my planning skills. 
I guess the point of it is - it's up to your unit as to how they process leave passes and it varied widely across the CF.


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