{
  "id": 2871308,
  "title": "askST Jobs: I had to work during my annual leave to meet a deadline. Can I ask for time off in lieu?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/askst-jobs-i-had-to-work-during-my-annual-leave-to-meet-a-deadline-2871308",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-23T21:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Straits Times",
    "slug": "straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/jobs/askst-jobs-i-had-to-work-during-my-annual-leave-to-meet-a-deadline-can-i-ask-for-time-off-in-lieu"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The issue of working during annual leave and requesting time off in lieu has sparked a discussion among professionals. Tong Liu, a certified senior professional at the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, suggests discussing time off in lieu with the manager if the work was required due to urgent business needs. However, employees should also take ownership if they could have completed the task before their leave. Managers should consider whether the situation was unavoidable or if the work could have been reprioritized, delegated, or communicated earlier. Larson Ong, co-founder of Visual Studio Singapore, agrees that asking for time off in lieu after using annual leave to meet a deadline can be reasonable. He notes that deadlines in certain industries may be non-negotiable, such as live events in MICE, food and beverage, and emergency services sectors. Ong emphasizes that exceptional urgency should be recognized, and employees should flag potential delays early. Both agree that if employees anticipate needing to work during approved leave, they should discuss the issue with their manager, rather than assuming time off in lieu will be granted. Employers should assess whether the additional work was genuinely unavoidable or if it indicates a recurring problem with workload, staffing, or project planning. Clients can also contribute by setting realistic deadlines, responding promptly, and avoiding last-minute changes. Ong stresses that the focus should be on delivering what matters while allowing employees to genuinely disconnect and recharge.",
  "summary": "Working during annual leave may warrant time off in lieu, but why the extra work was needed also matters.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Straits Times Business",
        "title": "askST Jobs: I had to work during my annual leave to meet a deadline. Can I ask for time off in lieu?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/askst-jobs-i-had-to-work-during-my-annual-leave-to-meet-a-deadline",
        "published": "2026-08-23T21:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}