How to use the result
The suggested leave dates are generated only from the repeating cycle and anchor date you enter. Real rosters can contain training days, swaps, overtime, reserve periods, sickness changes or locally amended duties. Check the dates against your employer's live roster before requesting leave.
Why rotating shifts need a different leave planner
A conventional Monday-to-Friday leave maximiser can use weekends as predictable non-working days. Rotating rosters are different: the valuable leave dates move through the calendar as the cycle repeats. Taking several adjacent rostered work shifts can sometimes connect two longer rostered-off periods, while the same number of leave shifts elsewhere may produce a much shorter break.
Patterns supported
The presets cover four-on/four-off, two-days/two-nights/four-off, a common 2-2-3 work/off cycle and five-on/three-off. The custom option accepts any repeating cycle up to 42 days using work and off symbols.
What the optimiser deliberately does not do
- calculate statutory or contractual annual-leave entitlement;
- decide how many hours your employer should deduct for a leave shift;
- assume bank holidays are automatically non-working days;
- interpret employment contracts, collective agreements or local leave rules;
- predict whether a leave request will be approved.
Enter only the leave balance that your employer or roster system confirms is available to you. If your leave is recorded in hours rather than shifts, use your employer's own conversion method before using this planner.