Absence requests let employees request time off. You review and approve them, then reflect them in the schedule.

What are absence requests

Absence requests are submitted by employees for:

• Holiday
• Sick leave
• Other time off

They help you manage availability before it impacts the schedule.

Why absence requests matter

If absence is not handled properly:

• You get last minute gaps
• Staffing becomes unstable
• Planning becomes reactive

Managing requests early keeps your schedule under control.

Open absence requests

Follow these steps:

1. Go to Absence Requests
2. View the list of requests
3. You will see all pending and processed requests.

What you will see

Each request shows:

• Employee
• Date or time period
• Type of absence
• Status

This gives you a clear overview of what needs action.

Review a request

When reviewing, check:

• Does this create a staffing gap
• Is the skill coverage still safe
• Are too many people off at the same time
• Always check impact before approving.

Approve or reject a request

Review Status

Here, there are 3 options:

• To be reviewed
• Accepted
• Denied

The review status allows the administrator to leave the request until later, approve or deny the request.

Handling Status

The handling status option allows Calm to determine if rescheduling is necessary. There are three available options:

• To be handled
• Not needed
• Handled

What happens after approval

Once approved:

• The absence is added to the schedule
• The employee is no longer available at that time
• Staffing may need to be adjusted
• The employees' portal is updated, and an email is received to alert them that the leave request is updated.

You may need to:

• Move work
• Add coverage
• Update shifts

Handle conflicts

If multiple requests overlap:

• Prioritise based on policy
• Check staffing impact
• Communicate clearly with employees
• Do not approve blindly.

Important to know

• Approved absence affects scheduling
• It does not automatically fix coverage
• You still need to adjust the schedule

Common mistakes

1. Approving without checking coverage. Creates avoidable gaps.
2. Leaving requests pending too long. Delays planning and causes confusion.
3. Not updating the schedule after approval. Leaves work uncovered.

Best practice

• Review requests early
• Check staffing before approving
• Keep decisions consistent
• Adjust the schedule straight after approval

What next

👉 Employee Availability

Manage when employees can work to improve scheduling accuracy.