Home > FAQ - Vacation

GENERAL QUESTIONS


Where can I apply for leave?
You can apply for leave on the page on which you enter your working hours at http://schedules.belgium.ikea.com or http://nowpandc.ingka.com. Click the ‘Vacances’ [Holidays] link and then the page your need.
Can I apply for leave from home?
Oui! L’adresse http://schedules.belgium.ikea.com/Holiday/Request ainsi que http://nowpandc.ingka.com, sont accessibles en dehors de IKEA. Le site est "mobile friendly" et peut donc être consulté sur tablette ou smartphone. À la maison, dans le bus, sur la terrasse, au supermarché... partout où tu as une connexion internet, tu peux faire ta demande de congé. Yes. Both http://schedules.belgium.ikea.com/Holiday/Request and http://nowpandc.ingka.com can be accessed outside of IKEA. The site is mobile-friendly, which means it can be accessed on tablets and smartphones. So you can apply for leave at home, on the bus, at a cafe, at the supermarket... anywhere you have an internet connection.
How do I make a connection?
To connect while you are at work, simply open a session on a computer and go to http://schedules.belgium.ikea.com. Then click ‘Holidays’.
If you are not at work, go to http://nowpandc.ingka.com or http://schedules.belgium.ikea.com. You will have to log in. Then click ‘Schedules’.You will be prompted to enter your username and password again. Then confirm with the six-digit code you receive by text message.
Why do I have to log in twice?
When you access your schedule from your place of work, your data is protected on the IKEA network. To ensure the same protection when you access your schedule offsite, the system requires you to log in again. The username and password are the same as for the IKEA network.
Do I need to log in twice when I am at IKEA?
No, if you have opened a session on a computer at work you can open your schedule without having to log in again. Do check your name is displayed in the top right-hand corner.
What are cookies and why should I accept them?
Cookies are small text files that are stored on a computer when you display a website. In this case, they are used to protect the connection to the IKEA network.
How can I reset my password if I forget it?
You can reset your password at http://mypassword.ikea.com or ask your line manager, who can ask our IT service for your login details.

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Rules you should be aware of before applying for leave

  • Duration of leave: The total duration of any leave must not exceed 3 weeks. The store manager must approve any application for leave longer than this.

  • Co-workers who want to take a day’s leave must request this from their line manager at least 8 days in advance. Co-workers who want to take more than 5 days’ leave must request this at least 3 weeks in advance.

  • You will receive an answer no later than midway between the date of your request and the first day’s leave requested, and in any case no later than 5 weeks after your request.

  • You must request your main annual holiday between 1 December and 15 January included. You will receive an answer no later than 6 February. As well as your main annual holiday, you can request all remaining legal and extralegal leave (23 days in total).

  • The rules of priority apply to the main annual holiday. These are recommendations for the managers to enable them to make a decision if the main annual holiday of the co-workers in a team overlap, with due consideration for the needs of the department:

  • Collective closures at a partner company (= compulsory leave): the co-worker must provide proof of this.

  • Co-workers with school-going children (not including further education).

  • During this period, priority is given to co-workers with shared custody if they only have their children on specific weeks (the co-worker must provide proof of this).

  • Deadlines for taking leave:

  • Legal leave, reduced working hours leave, substitute public holidays: by 31/12 of the current year.
  • Seniority leave, extralegal leave and annual holiday: by 31 March of the following year (+1).
  • Time off in lieu: no deadline, but the upper limit in the counter is 1 week.
  • Leave saving scheme (late hours in lieu): no deadline, but the upper limit in the counter is 3 months.

  • Unpaid leave can only be granted by the store manager.

  • o Leave saving scheme (late hours in lieu): up to 3 months’ time off in lieu is possible (up to 6 months for the over 50s). Leave in lieu must be taken in full days up to 3 months (or 6 months for the over 50s).

When to put in a request:

  • Less than 1 week: 4 weeks in advance with answer within 1 week.
  • 1-3 weeks: 2 months in advance with answer within 2 weeks.
  • More than 3 weeks: 3 months in advance with answer within 1 month Co-workers who request at least 1 month’s leave savings scheme leave (following the above procedure) and who have already taken their legal leave and reduced working hours leave will have their request accepted (except in July and August).

How do I create a leave request?
You can create a leave request directly on the “New request” page, which is also accessible via a link on the “My requests” page. There are two tabs on the leave request page. One to request leave and one to view your leave counters. Leave request

In this tab you can enter the information needed to request leave.

Type:

From: & To: Choose the start and end dates of your requested leave.

Number of hours: The number of hours will already be filled out with the sum of the calculation. You can change these if you feel you need to.

Main annual holiday: You can check the box if you want this request to be deducted from your main annual holiday.

Remark for manager: You can enter any remarks for your manager here. Only you and your manager can see these remarks.


After filling out your request, you can save it by clicking “Draft” or send it straight to your manager by clicking “Send”.

Counters

Your leave counters are shown here, like on your pay slip. For each counter or group of counters, you can see the current status (number of hours available) and the total of your requests entered in the tool. The various counters are grouped and ordered by deadline. You can also see the date they were most recently updated.

How is the number of hours calculated?

The calculator is there to give you the number of hours’ leave, which you must enter in your request based on your contract and the number of days you have requested (depending on the start and end dates).

You must enter your number of contractual hours and how many days you work.

Tip: The first time you use the tool, you will have to enter this information. It will be saved for your next requests but you can change it whenever you wish (if your contractual situation changes, for example).

Based on your request and your personal situation, the calculator may make various suggestions.

For example: You have a 25-hour contract, working 5 days and you request leave from Monday 1 July up to and including Friday 5 July. Here, there are two possibilities:

Where can I view my requests?

A list of all your requests can be found on the “My requests” page. These include both future and past dates.

The following important information is included in the list:

What additional information is available with regard to your request?

When you return to your request after having sent it to your manager you can see additional information.

For example, you see the deadline for your manager’s answer.

Can I see my colleagues’ requests?

Yes, you can see the requests of people in the same department as you on the “My department” page. You will see a calendar showing all the requests of your colleagues and the status of these requests (decision pending/accepted/rejected).

This calendar will also enable you to plan your schedules with due consideration for important information, such as the activities of your department, the school holidays and public holidays.

The ongoing month is always shown, but you can change the month if you wish.

Click the arrows to move backwards or forwards in time (depending on the view).

You can also select a specific period by entering dates manually.

Co-workers are sorted in alphabetical order, but:

  • Your name is always at the top of the list.
  • Your manager is always at the bottom (as on the schedules).
How come co-workers in other departments are included in my department?

People are shown based on the CDS information. If you see anything strange, the CDS information must be rectified (through HR). The correction will be seen automatically in the tool.