Settling leave when someone leaves

Learn how, as an HR admin, you settle a leaving colleague's leave. Heartsome works out how much is left on their last day, so you can pass it on for their final salary.

Why does this matter?

In the Netherlands, leave someone still has when they leave generally has to be paid out with their final salary. Heartsome doesn't run payroll. It does give you the right figure, so you can pass it on.

Where do you find it?

On the leaving checklist: People → [name] → Employment. The leave item is near the top, straight after the account owner.

What do you see?

Heartsome counts leave up to and including the last day, with leave already booked taken into account. Depending on the situation you'll see:

• "Leave to settle: 3 days (24 hours) on [date]": the colleague still has leave left. Pass this on to whoever runs your payroll.
• "2 days (16 hours) more leave taken than earned, up to [date]": the colleague took more leave than they earned. Whether and how that's settled depends on the employment contract. Check it, or ask whoever runs your payroll.

Is the balance exactly 0? Then there's no leave item on the checklist.

If the colleague has more than one time off policy, you'll see one total. You can see the figure per policy in the Balance details.

How to settle it

1. Pass the number of days and hours on to your payroll.
2. Click Mark as settled.

The checklist then shows "Leave settled: 3 days (24 hours), on [date]". The colleague's balance gets a Final settlement line and goes to 0. Made a mistake? Click Undo.

You can settle leave as soon as the leaving is recorded. You don't have to wait for the last day.

Is leave still awaiting approval?

Then you'll see, for example, "2 days are still awaiting approval. Approve or decline them first, so this figure doesn't change." Those days have already been taken off the figure. If you decline them, they're added back.

Does the figure change after settling?

If more leave is booked afterwards, or the last day moves, you'll see, for example, "Leave to settle is now 1.8 days (14.4 hours), not the 3 days recorded." Pass the new figure on to payroll and click Update.

If there's nothing left to settle, you'll see "There's no leave left to settle any more, so the 3 days recorded no longer apply." Let payroll know nothing needs to be paid out.

Did someone change something just as you clicked Mark as settled? Then Heartsome saves nothing and shows "This figure has changed. It is shown as it is now." That way you never record a different number from the one you passed on.

Does the last day fall in the next leave year?

Then you'll see, for example, "Leave to settle can be worked out from 1 January 2027, when the new leave year starts." What's left then depends on what's still taken, carried over and earned. The figure appears by itself once the new year starts.

Have days expired since the last day?

If you record the leaving in a new leave year, some of the leave may already have expired. Heartsome shows what's left now and adds: "This was 8 days on [date]. 3 days have expired since." Whether those days should still be paid out is for you and your payroll to decide.

If the leaving is cancelled

If leave was already settled and you cancel the leaving, Heartsome asks what should happen to the settled leave:

• Take it back: the colleague wasn't paid out, and the days go back on the balance.
• Keep it: the days were paid out.

Heartsome doesn't choose for you, because only you know whether the final salary has already been paid.

Who can do this?

HR admins and the account owner. Heartsome records every settlement, update and undo, with who did it.

Updated on: 19/10/2026