To request time off in Gusto, sign in to your employee account, click the “Time off” tab, and submit a request for the dates you need. Your manager gets notified automatically, and you’ll receive an email once the request is approved or declined. Here’s a closer look at the full process and a few related features worth knowing about.
Submitting a Request on the Web
Start by signing in to your Gusto account at app.gusto.com. From your dashboard, click the “Time off” tab in the navigation menu. If your company has set up multiple time off policies (for example, separate buckets for vacation, sick leave, and personal days), select the policy that applies to the time you’re requesting.
From there, choose the dates you want off and fill in any details your employer requires, such as whether it’s a full or partial day. Submit the request, and Gusto will send a notification to your manager or whoever handles approvals at your company. There’s nothing else you need to do on your end until you hear back.
Requesting Time Off in the Mobile App
If you’re away from a computer, you can use the Gusto mobile app (sometimes called Gusto Wallet) to submit the same request. Open the app, navigate to the time off section, select your policy and dates, and submit. The approval workflow works identically to the web version, and you’ll get the same email notification when your manager responds.
Checking Your Time Off Balance
Before you submit a request, it helps to know how much time you actually have available. You can check this from the same “Time off” tab. Sign in to Gusto, click “Time off,” and select the relevant policy. The page shows your current balance, so you can see exactly how many hours or days you have accrued before picking your dates.
This page also displays your pending requests (ones that haven’t been approved or declined yet) alongside your request history. If you’re unsure whether a request went through or want to double-check the dates you submitted, this is where to look.
How Approvals and Notifications Work
Once you submit a request, it sits in a pending state until your manager or admin takes action. You don’t need to follow up inside Gusto. When a decision is made, you’ll receive an email notification letting you know whether the request was approved or declined. Your time off balance updates automatically at that point, so if the request is approved, you’ll see the deducted hours reflected right away on the “Time off” tab.
If a request is declined and you want to adjust the dates, simply submit a new request with different dates. There’s no formal “appeal” step built into the system.
Syncing Time Off With Your Calendar
Gusto lets you sync important dates, including scheduled shifts, paydays, and company events, to an external calendar so nothing slips through the cracks. This won’t push individual PTO approvals to your calendar automatically, but it keeps your broader work schedule visible alongside your personal commitments.
On the web, sign in to Gusto, click the “Schedule” section, then click “Calendar sync” in the top-right corner. Choose your calendar provider:
- Google Calendar: A new tab opens prompting you to add the calendar link. Click “Yes, add this calendar.”
- Outlook: You’ll be prompted to subscribe to the calendar link. Click “Subscribe.”
- iCal: Same process. Click “Subscribe” when prompted.
In the mobile app, go to “Time,” tap “My schedule,” then select “Calendar sync” and follow the same steps for your preferred calendar.
Once connected, synced events appear under a calendar called “Gusto Reminders.” Updates sync automatically but can take up to 24 hours to reflect changes made in the Gusto app. The exact refresh speed depends on your calendar provider’s sync settings.
Tips for a Smooth Request
Submit your request as early as possible. Gusto notifies your manager right away, but giving them lead time makes approval more likely, especially during busy periods when multiple people may be requesting the same days off.
If your company uses multiple time off policies, double-check that you’re selecting the right one before submitting. Choosing “sick leave” when you meant “vacation” can create confusion and may require your admin to manually adjust balances later. When in doubt, glance at your balance under each policy to confirm which bucket has available time.