Blackout Period
Also known as: leave embargo, closed period
A blackout period is a date range during which leave requests are restricted or blocked because the business needs full staffing.
A blackout period is a window — such as a retail peak, a product launch, or a financial year-end — when an employer restricts or prohibits time off because demand is high and coverage is critical. Requests for those dates are blocked or require special approval.
Blackout periods are usually scoped: org-wide, to a specific office, or to a single department. Communicating them in advance helps employees plan and avoids a flood of declined requests.
Related terms
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