Availability vs time off vs unavailability
Three different things that all mean 'I can't work' — and when to use each.
Slota has three ways to say you are not working. They are not interchangeable.
Availability — a standing weekly pattern
The hours you are generally able to work, week after week. No approval, no dates. Set it once and update it when your life changes — a new class, a second job, a change in childcare.
Use it for: "I can never work Monday mornings."
Unavailability — a standing block on your profile
A recorded pattern of hours you cannot work, held on your employee profile under the Unavailability tab. Managers maintain it alongside your other work details. Like availability, it is a pattern, not a request.
Use it for: recurring commitments a manager needs on record.
Both roles reach it from the UNAVAILABILITY tab on Schedule — employees see their own, managers see the team's.
Time off — a dated request that needs approval
A specific start and end date, a type (PTO, Sick Leave, Unpaid Leave, Other), and a decision from a manager. It affects your balance and is visible in reports.
Use it for: "I am away from the 4th to the 11th."
The practical rule
If it has dates and needs a yes, it is time off. If it repeats every week and needs no yes, it is availability.
Marking yourself unavailable is not the same as booking leave. If you are already rostered for a shift, changing your availability does not remove it — talk to your manager.