An employee may plan time away based on one balance while the scheduling or payroll system shows another. Denying the request immediately can turn a data mismatch into a retention problem. The balance should be reconciled before the organization treats it as final.
Freeze the disputed calculation
Capture the displayed balance, request date, relevant pay periods, prior usage, and manual adjustments. Tell the employee that the record is under review and whether the leave request will remain pending. Do not ask them to prove transactions the organization already controls.
Reconcile one transaction at a time
Start from a confirmed balance and apply accruals, usage, carryover, and corrections under the applicable policy. Identify system timing differences separately from actual errors. Have a second reviewer check any manual correction that changes a leave decision.
Confirm both systems agree
After correction, show the employee where the updated balance appears and state the effect on the request. Track mismatch causes, especially imports, policy changes, and manager-entered adjustments.
Qualified payroll, HR, benefits, or legal staff should interpret accrual and leave rules. Public background: U.S. Department of Labor leave overview.