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Administrator Guide
Last Updated: 2026-02-20
Return Workers from Leave

Return Workers from Leave

Record a worker's return from a leave of absence. You can record a worker's return from multiple leaves at the same time, if:
  • Your Workday tenant is configured for multiple jobs, and
  • All the leave types are worker-based or for the same position.
You can enable workers to use the self-service
Request Return from Leave
 task to enter their own requests to return from leave. Modify the
Request Return from Leave of Absence
 business process by adding the
Employee as Self
 and
Contingent Worker as Self
 security groups to the initiating action of the business process.
To return a group of workers from a leave of absence, you can import data into the
Request Return from Leave of Absence
 business process from a spreadsheet using Workday's Enterprise Interface Builder (EIB).
Workday Payroll doesn't support retro-pay calculation for multiple returns from leave in a single event. To return workers from multiple leave request events, select only 1 leave request event at a time. Workday creates a separate leave return event for each leave request event.
If a worker hasn’t returned from leave, and there isn’t a return from leave event for that worker, the Absence Calendar displays the leave of absence request up to the current date, beyond the estimated last day of leave.
  1. Access the
    Return Worker from Leave
     task.
  2. Select the
    Position
    , if applicable.
    This field displays only if the worker is out on at least 1 position-based leave. Entry is optional if the worker is also on a worker-based leave.
    To record the return from a worker-based leave, don't select a position.
  3. (Optional) Enter the
    First Day Back at Work.
  4. If the worker is on more than 1 leave, clear the
    Select
     check box for any leaves the worker is not yet returning from.
  5. Enter the
    Actual Last Day of Leave
    .
  6. (Optional) To require documentation to be attached for the return from leave, see Steps: Enable Attachments on an Individual Business Process.
If the
Request Return from Leave of Absence
 business process includes an approval step, Workday routes the request to the next reviewer's My Tasks. Reviewers can approve, deny, or return the request for revision. They can also add attachments.
Workday sets the worker's status to active on the date following the
Actual Last Day of Leave
, and automatically sends any notifications that you have set up as part of the
Request Return from Leave of Absence
 business process for the worker's organization.
To view information about employees returning from leaves of absence, use these reports:
  • Workers Returning from Leave
  • Workers Returned from Leave