> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.planmyrounds.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Why wasn't a doctor's leave respected?

> Check leave status, approval timing, and shift-to-avoid preferences when a doctor was scheduled despite requesting time off.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Was the leave Approved, not just submitted?">
    Only **Approved** leave excludes a doctor from scheduling. **Pending** and **Rejected** entries have no effect on generation. Check the entry's status under [Leave Applications](/docs/leave/overview#leave-statuses).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Was it approved before or after the roster was generated?">
    The engine only applies approved leave that exists **at the moment it generates**. If leave is approved after a roster is already generated or published, that roster is **not automatically updated** — see [What can still change, and when](/docs/duty-plan-lifecycle#what-can-still-change-and-when). You'll need to [edit the roster manually](/docs/rosters/editing-a-published-roster) or regenerate it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Was it a shift to avoid, not leave?">
    A [shift to avoid](/docs/leave/applying-for-leave#mark-shifts-to-avoid) is a **soft preference** — the engine tries to honour it, but may still assign the doctor if there's no other way to produce a valid schedule. This is expected behaviour, not a bug. If a doctor needs a hard guarantee, that needs to be submitted as leave instead.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Was the leave later reversed or removed?">
    An approved entry can be changed to **Rejected**, or cancelled entirely (**Removed**), after the fact. Check the entry's current status and its history if your organisation tracks comments on decisions. See [Approving and rejecting leave requests](/docs/leave/approval-workflow#change-a-decision-later).
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Approval workflow" icon="circle-check" href="/docs/leave/approval-workflow">
    How admins review and decide on leave requests.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Roster constraints" icon="shield-halved" href="/docs/rosters/roster-constraints">
    Hard vs. soft constraints, including approved leave and shifts to avoid.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>