When your manager is away, leave approval typically falls to a designated delegate — but the process varies by organisation. Most companies have a formal delegation policy that specifies who covers leave approvals during a manager’s absence. If no delegation exists, leave requests may be delayed until the manager returns, or escalated to the next level of management.

Key Takeaways

  • Most organisations have delegated authority — someone is designated to approve leave when the primary approver is absent.
  • The delegate is usually the manager’s manager, a peer manager, or a team lead.
  • If no formal delegation exists, leave approvals may escalate to the next management level.
  • Leave management software often automates delegation — requests are automatically rerouted when a manager sets their own out-of-office.
  • If you are unsure who to ask, check your employee handbook, HR portal, or ask HR directly.

How Leave Delegation Works

In a well-structured organisation, leave approval delegation works like this:

Primary approver: Your direct manager — they approve or decline leave requests based on team coverage, business needs, and your leave balance.

Delegate approver: When your manager is on leave, their designated delegate takes over. This may be:

  • Your manager’s manager (skip-level)
  • A peer manager who knows your team’s operations
  • A team lead or supervisor
  • An HR representative (for policy-related approvals)

Automatic delegation: Many organisations use leave management software (including Leave Balance) that allows managers to set delegates before they go on leave. Requests are automatically routed to the delegate during the manager’s absence.

Escalation path: If neither the primary nor delegate approver is available, the system may escalate to the next level of management.

What Happens If There Is No Delegate?

In organisations without a formal delegation policy:

  • Leave requests may simply wait in queue until your manager returns
  • Your request may be escalated to your manager’s manager
  • You may be asked to resubmit when your manager is back
  • In some cases, HR may step in to approve time-sensitive requests

This is one of the most common sources of leave management friction. Employees who plan leave may find their request unapproved simply because their manager did not set up a delegate. This is why leave management software with automatic delegation is so valuable — it removes the bottleneck.

Best Practices for Employers

Employers who manage leave well typically:

  • Require managers to set delegates before going on leave — this should be part of the manager’s own leave planning
  • Use software delegation — leave management systems should support automatic routing
  • Document the delegation chain — every employee should know who to ask when their manager is away
  • Set up escalation rules — if a leave request is not approved within a certain timeframe, it escalates automatically
  • Communicate coverage — the delegate should be clearly identified to the team

FAQ

Can I ask someone else to approve my leave if my manager is away?

Yes — if a formal delegate has been designated. If not, check with your HR department or the next-level manager. Avoid asking a colleague who has no authority — it creates confusion and the approval may not be valid.

What if my manager is away and no one can approve my leave?

Ask HR to step in for time-sensitive requests. For planned leave, the best approach is to request it before your manager leaves — or ask them to approve it in advance before their own leave.

Does leave approval delegation work the same in small businesses?

Small businesses often have simpler chains — the owner or a single manager approves everything. When that person is away, there may be no backup. In this case, plan leave around your manager’s schedule.

Can a peer manager approve my leave?

Yes — if they have been formally designated as a delegate. Without formal designation, a peer manager may not have the authority to approve leave, particularly if your budgets or team structures are separate.

How does Leave Balance handle delegation?

Leave Balance allows managers to set delegates in their profile. When the manager sets their own out-of-office, the system automatically routes leave requests to the designated delegate for the duration of the manager’s absence. If no delegate is set, requests are escalated to the next level in the approval chain.

You can take advantage of the free 14 days trial and explore Leave Balance.