An absence is any time taken off from work by an employee. It is typical to split absences into two broad categories; Authorised and Unauthorised.

Authorised Absence

Any absence that is approved by somebody with the appropriate authority, such as a manager, can be considered as authorised. Absences that typically fall into this category include annual holiday, TOILTime Off In Lieu, TOIL, is a type of authorised absence. It is granted to an employee who has worked additional extra time beyond their usual requirem..., maternity leaveEmployees are entitled to take time off to have a baby. This is known as maternity leave. UK law entitles employees to take up to 52 weeks leave, alth... More, paternity leave, and reasonable sick leaveWhen employees are ill, they are entitled to take time away from work to recover - this is known as sick leave. If they require fewer than 7 days off ... More.

Unauthorised Absence

Unauthorised absence occurs whenever permission is not given to the employee for the absence. This can include long term sick leaveWhen employees are ill, they are entitled to take time away from work to recover - this is known as sick leave. If they require fewer than 7 days off ... More when the employee has not provided sufficient evidence. Persistent lateness can also be considered an unauthorised absence.

It is recommended to record all employee absences. Having accurate absence records can have many benefits for any organisation including the early detection of absenteeismIf an employee is regularly absent from work it is known as absenteeism. This normally refers to unauthorised absences such as sickness. High levels o... More.