Types of absences

Types of absences

Shiftdesk distinguishes six absence types. Each type behaves differently with regard to auto-approval and the impact on the vacation account.

Available types

Type	Auto-approval	Account impact	Note
Vacation	No	Yes (vacation account)	Manager approval required, balance is checked
Sick	Yes	No	Effective immediately, sick note recommended from day 3
Unpaid leave	No	No	Manager approval required, no pay
Parental leave	No	No	Manager approval required, planned long-term
Special leave	No	No	Wedding, relocation, bereavement, etc.
Other	No	No	Free type for exceptional cases

Auto-approval for sick notes

Sick notes are approved automatically because they cannot be planned in advance and do not cost a vacation day. As a manager you still see the entries in the All absences list and can add remarks if needed.

When to use which type?

• Vacation: plannable rest, draws down the annual allotment.
• Sick: short-term illness; for longer durations, submit a separate sick note.
• Unpaid leave: a deliberate waiver of pay, e.g. for travel.
• Parental leave: statutory parental leave under the BEEG.
• Special leave: paid leave under the employment contract or collective agreement.
• Other: all cases that cannot be clearly classified.

Here is how to select the right type: create the absence under Absences and make your choice in the Type field.