(Amended January 7, 2026)

SECTION 4: LEAVE POLICY 

Chapter I – Purpose and Scope

This policy governs leave entitlements, accrual, filing procedures, approval requirements, and operational limitations at Aycardo Veterinary Center Inc. (AVCI). It applies to all employees, subject to employment status and internal classifications.

This policy is issued in compliance with Philippine labor laws and in the exercise of management prerogative, allowing AVCI to regulate the administration and timing of leave while granting benefits beyond statutory minimums.

Chapter II – Legal Basis and Governing Laws

This policy is anchored on the following Philippine laws and principles:

  1. Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended (Labor Code of the Philippines)

    • Article 95 – Service Incentive Leave (SIL)

  2. DOLE Handbook on Workers’ Statutory Monetary Benefits

    • SIL coverage, entitlement, and minimum standards

  3. Civil Code of the Philippines and Labor Jurisprudence

    • Doctrine of Management Prerogative, allowing employers to grant benefits beyond statutory minimums and regulate procedures, provided statutory rights are not diminished

Chapter III – Service Incentive Leave (SIL) at AVCI

3.1 Statutory SIL

Under Article 95 of the Labor Code, employees who have rendered at least one (1) year of service are entitled to a minimum of five (5) days Service Incentive Leave (SIL) per year.

3.2 AVCI SIL Entitlement (Enhanced Policy)

At AVCI:

  • SIL entitlement begins after six (6) months of continuous service.

  • Regularization at AVCI also begins after six (6) months of service.

This policy allows employees to enjoy leave benefits earlier than the statutory one-year requirement.

3.3 AVCI SIL Allocation

For regular staff, AVCI provides annually:

  • Six (6) days Vacation Leave (VL)

  • Six (6) days Sick Leave (SL)

In addition, AVCI grants:

  • One (1) day Birthday Leave (BDL) as a bonus benefit, separate from SIL.

Chapter IV – Vacation Leave (VL)

4.1 Vacation Leave Accrual

Vacation Leave at AVCI is earned gradually and is not granted in full at the start of the year.

  • Vacation Leave accrues at a rate of one (1) day per month, starting January of each calendar year.

  • Employees may only use earned or accrued VL credits.

Examples:

  • If an employee files a Vacation Leave in March, only three (3) days of VL are available (January–March).

  • If an employee files a Vacation Leave in June, only six (6) days of VL may be used.

  • An employee cannot use future VL credits that have not yet accrued.

4.2 Filing and Approval of Vacation Leave

  • VL requests must be filed at least three (3) calendar days in advance.

  • Approval is subject to operational requirements and staffing availability.

Approval Levels

  • VL of three (3) days or less → approval by designated approver

  • VL exceeding three (3) days → approval by Department Head and Practice Manager

4.3 Departmental Vacation Leave Allocation

To ensure uninterrupted clinic operations:

  1. Staff within the same department may not take Vacation Leave on the same date.

  2. Staff from different departments may take Vacation Leave on the same date, subject to approval.

Example:
On a Wednesday:

  • Only one (1) veterinary technician may be on Vacation Leave.

  • However, one (1) veterinary technician and one (1) receptionist may both be on Vacation Leave since they belong to different departments.

Chapter V – Sick Leave (SL)

5.1 Sick Leave Availability

  • Six (6) days Sick Leave (SL) are granted per calendar year.

  • Unlike VL, Sick Leave does not follow an accrual schedule.

  • SL may be availed anytime, provided the employee is officially sick.

This recognizes the unpredictable nature of illness.

5.2 Filing and Medical Certificate Requirement

  • Sick Leave may be filed at any time, including on the day of absence.

  • Filing through eIRIS must be completed as soon as reasonably possible.

Medical Certificate

  • SL not exceeding three (3) days → approver approval only

  • SL exceeding three (3) days → a medical certificate is required stating that the employee is not fit for work

Chapter VI – Birthday Leave (BDL)

Birthday Leave is a bonus benefit granted under the following conditions:

  1. One (1) day per year only

  2. May be availed only within the employee’s birth month

  3. May be availed only on weekdays (Monday–Friday)

  4. Birthday Leave falling on a Saturday shall not be approved

  5. Subject to staffing needs and approval

Unused Birthday Leave automatically lapses after the birth month.

Chapter VII – Bereavement Leave (BL)


AVCI grants two (2) days bereavement leave to regular employees in the event of the death (demise) of an Immediate Family Member. This bereavement leave is an AVCI-provided incentive and is not a government-mandated leave benefit, and is granted to support employees during times of personal loss.

Definition – Immediate Family Member
For purposes of this policy, “Immediate Family Member” refers to any of the following:

  1. Spouse (legal spouse)

  2. Child (biological, adopted, or legally recognized stepchild)

  3. Parent (biological, adoptive, or stepparent)

  4. Sibling (biological, adopted, or stepsibling)

Guidelines / Availment
a) Bereavement leave is up to two (2) working days per occurrence, typically taken consecutively.
b) The employee must notify their immediate supervisor/branch manager as soon as practicable.
c) The leave should be used within seven (7) calendar days from the date of death, unless management approves a different schedule due to funeral arrangements or travel.
d) AVCI may request reasonable documentation for verification (e.g., death certificate, funeral notice, or any acceptable proof) to be submitted when available.
e) Bereavement leave is not convertible to cash, not cumulative, and unused days expire if not taken within the allowed period.
f) If additional time off is needed, the employee may request to use Service Incentive Leave/Vacation Leave (if applicable) or leave without pay, subject to approval.

Chapter VIII – Annual Reset, Non-Carryover, and Non-Monetization

  1. Annual Reset

    • VL, SL, and BDL are granted on a calendar-year basis and reset every year.

  2. No Carryover

    • Unused VL, SL, and BDL shall not be carried over to the following year.

  3. No Monetization

    • All leave credits are non-monetizable and cannot be converted to cash.

  4. Mandatory Utilization Period

    • Leave credits should be used before the second half of December.

    • Unused credits shall automatically lapse.

Chapter IX – Leave Blackout Periods

To ensure adequate staffing during peak operational periods:

  • No Vacation Leave (VL) or Sick Leave (SL) shall be approved during:

    • The first week of January

    • The second half of December

Exceptions may be considered only in extreme or emergency cases, subject to management discretion.

Chapter X – Filing System and Approval Hierarchy

  • All leave requests must be filed through eIRIS, AVCI’s official HRIS.

  • Requests must be submitted to the designated approver.

  • Direct requests to higher management are not allowed unless endorsed by the approver.

Chapter XI – General Provisions

  1. Leave approval is not automatic.

  2. Failure to comply with this policy may result in denial of leave.

  3. Abuse or misrepresentation of leave may result in disciplinary action.

  4. Management reserves the right to amend this policy in accordance with law and operational needs.

Chapter XII – Effectivity

This policy takes effect immediately upon publication.

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