We allow people to take time off a day or two at a time. Anything over three weeks needs to be approved by the managing partner. Our staff is quite small, so only one person from each category (LAA, Admin, Reception) can be away at a time. Our lawyers prefer not to have temps so internal coverage is cruicial.
I receive requests for Christmas vacation in September and we allow about half the staff to be off. Those who worked last Christmas will have first option on this Christmas. We have a vacation calendar and people are expected to look at it before requesting time off from their lawyers. It then comes to me and I enter it into the calendar. I have only twice had to refuse a vacation request, and those were at Christmas because everyone wanted the same three days off.