Use your excess leave before March 31, 2026

September 15, 2025 – Defence Stories

Important - take any excess leave before March 31
 

Estimated read time – 1:30

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat lifted the moratorium on the automatic cash-out of vacation and compensatory leave from March 31, 2022, to March 31, 2026 (Accessible only on the National Defence network).

Although leave pay-out is an annual exercise, this year is the last year of the lifting of the moratorium. This means that on March 31, 2026, if you have more vacation or compensatory leave than you’re allowed to carry over (as outlined in your collective agreement), the excess amounts will be paid out in full. This payment will bring your vacation balance down to the permitted amount.

If you have a high leave balance, now is the time to plan and use it.

Taking time away from work offers many benefits and can support a healthy work-life balance. In accordance with operational requirements, employees are expected to use vacation leave during the year in which it is earned.

If you have a high vacation and/or compensatory leave balance:

Note: Vacation leave planned for the new fiscal year (2026-2027) is not considered in the pay-out calculation. You cannot avoid the pay-out by submitting leave that falls after March 31, 2026.

If you receive a leave pay-out:

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