Table of Contents
- Roles and access
- What are absence types?
- Enable or disable absence types
- Absence type settings
- Display as — how absence is shown to others
- Allow graded absence — how partial days are counted
- FAQ
Roles and access
| Access | Role |
|---|---|
| Configure absence types | System role: Absence → Absence management |
What are absence types?
Absence types are the seven predefined types of absence available in Huma. You cannot create or delete absence types, but you can enable or disable each one and configure their settings to match your organisation's needs.
The seven absence types are: Vacation, Self-certification, Sick leave, Paid time off, Unpaid time off, Sick child and Parental leave.
🔗 Read more about how absence works in Huma.
Enable or disable absence types
You can control which absence types employees are able to register. Disabled absence types are not visible to employees.
- Go to the Absence module
- Navigate to "Settings"
- Scroll down to "Absence types and policies"
- Toggle each absence type on or off
Absence type settings
Each absence type has a set of settings that control how it works. You can configure the following, and all of the settings are find by:
- Go to the Absence module
- Navigate to the "Settings" tab
- Scroll down to the absence type you want to edit and click on it
- "Edit absence type"
- Make your changes and click "Save"
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Symbol | An emoji and colour used to represent the absence type in the calendar and lists |
| Description | A short description shown to employees during registration. Use it to clarify when or how the type should be used. Keep it short. |
| Display as | Controls how absence is shown to colleagues. See the section below for a detailed explanation. |
| Require approval | If enabled, absence registrations of this type require approval from a user with absence management access. |
| Allow graded absence | Allows employees to register partial absence, e.g. 50% sick leave. See the section below for a detailed explanation. |
| Allow partial days | Allows employees to register partial first and/or last days of an absence period. |
| Require end date | If enabled, employees must enter an end date when registering. If disabled, absence can be registered without an end date and runs until manually stopped. |
| Require notes | If enabled, employees must provide a note when registering absence of this type. |
| Include option for work related cause | Adds an option for the employee to flag whether the absence is work related. |
| Export code | A code included in the detailed export. Should match your external absence or payroll system's codes. |
| Enable absence follow-up process | Activates the structured absence follow-up process. Huma currently supports Norwegian and Swedish sick leave legislation. The follow-up process is based on the employee's public holiday calendar. |
| Responsible for follow-up | Who is responsible for managing the follow-up process — either the employee's supervisor, or a fallback if no supervisor is assigned. |
💡 When you turn off "Require approval" for an absence type, all existing pending absence entries of that type will automatically be approved.
Display as — how absence is shown to others
The "Display as" setting controls how colleagues without absence admin access see registered absence of this type.
| Option | What colleagues see |
|---|---|
| Public | The absence is visible in full — name, type and dates |
| Away (private) | The absence is shown as "Away" only, without details — and only within one month of the current date |
| Hidden | Visible only to absence administrators and the employee |
💡 Important rules regardless of display setting:
- Absence administrators always see all absence in full
- Unapproved absence is never visible to colleagues, regardless of display setting
- Private absence is only visible within one month of the current date. If any part of the absence falls within that window, the entire absence is shown as "Away"
- Absence without an end date is treated as still active and will remain visible as "Away" until an end date is set
Allow graded absence — how partial days are counted
When "Allow graded absence" is enabled, employees can register a percentage when registering absence, for example 50% sick leave. You can choose how partial registrations are counted in balances and reports:
| Option | How it works | Example (50% sick leave, Jan 1-2) |
|---|---|---|
| Count as full days in Huma | Days registered with less than 100% still count as full days | 2 days registered, counts as 2 days |
| Count as partial days in Huma | Days registered with less than 100% count as partial days | 2 days registered, counts as 1 day |
FAQ
Can colleagues see that an employee is on sick leave?
It depends on the "Display as" setting for sick leave. If it is set to "Away (private)", colleagues will only see that the person is away, but not why. If it is set to "Public", the absence type is visible to everyone.
Can managers see why an employee is away?
Yes. Users with absence management access, either through a system role or a user role with absence access, always see the full details of absence regardless of the "Display as" setting.
Can colleagues see how long an employee has been sick?
If sick leave is set to "Away (private)", colleagues can only see the absence within one month of the current date. This means they cannot see the full duration of a long-term sick leave period.
If absence is set to Hidden, does it disappear from the absence calendar completely?
No. Absence set to "Hidden" is still fully visible to absence administrators in the absence calendar and in all reports. Only colleagues without absence management access will not see it. Nothing is ever truly hidden from administrators.
Can we hide parental leave from colleagues?
Yes. Set parental leave to "Away (private)" or "Hidden". This is particularly relevant if you want to avoid revealing a pregnancy before the employee is ready to share the news.
There is a time limit on what colleagues can see in the absence calendar — how does this work? Private absence (set to "Away (private)") is only visible to colleagues within one month of the current date. If any part of the absence falls within that one-month window, the entire absence is shown as "Away" for that period. Outside of that window, it is not visible. This means colleagues cannot see past or future private absence beyond one month, but administrators always have full visibility regardless of this limit.