Absence form template
Record an absence that has already happened: the dates, the type, who was told and when, and what would help the person back, without medical details.
19 questions · about 2 min · logic · file upload · e-signature
- No sign-up to start
- Unlimited responses on Free
Who is filling this in?
Your name and relationship to the employee
Employee’s name
Department or team
First day of absence
Last day of absence
Not back yet? Give the last day you expect to be off.
Were these full days?
Type of absence
Anything your manager should know
Optional. You do not need to give medical details.
Did you tell your manager on the day?
Is there anything that would help you return?
For example a change of hours or duties for a while.
Declaration
Signature
What you get back
Every response lands in your results the moment it is sent. Turn on email notifications and each one arrives like this, and the same answers become a row in your spreadsheet.
From PulseFormCreator
Subject New response to Absence report
- Who is filling this in?
- Me, the employee
- Employee’s name
- Hamid Karimi
- Department or team
- Customer service
- First day of absence
- 2026-09-14
- Last day of absence
- 2026-09-15
- Were these full days?
- Yes
and 6 more answers
| submitted_at | Who is filling this in? | Your name and relationship to the employee | Employee’s name | Department or team | First day of absence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-22T09:41:00.000Z | Me, the employee | Hamid Karimi | Customer service | 2026-09-14 |
The first 6 of 28 columns. Export to CSV or Excel, or send each response to Google Sheets, Notion, Airtable, Slack or a webhook as it arrives, all on the free plan. The answers above are made up.
What this form asks, and why
| Question | Why it is there |
|---|---|
| Who is filling this in? Required | A partner or the manager can report it when the employee cannot. |
| Your name and relationship to the employee Required Only when “Who is filling this in?” is not Me, the employee | Shown when it is not the employee, so the record says who reported it. |
| Employee’s name Required | Whose absence this is. |
| Department or team Required | Routes the report to the right manager. A link can fill it in. |
| First day of absence Required | Where the record starts. |
| Last day of absence Required | Closes the record, or tells the manager when to expect the person back. |
| Were these full days? | Payroll needs hours for part days. |
| Hours missed Only when “Were these full days?” is No | Shown after No. |
| Type of absence Required | A category is enough for pay and policy, and it decides what else is asked. |
| The employee’s relationship to the person who died Required Only when “Type of absence” is Bereavement | Bereavement pay often depends on it. |
| Was it caused by an accident or condition at work? Required Only when “Type of absence” is Sick | Shown for sickness. A yes means an incident report too. |
| Anything your manager should know | Optional, and it says medical details are not needed. |
| Did you tell your manager on the day? Required | Whether it was reported on the day, which your policy may require. |
| Who did you tell, and when? Only when “Did you tell your manager on the day?” is Yes | Shown after Yes. A name and a time settle it later. |
| What stopped you reporting it on the day? Only when “Did you tell your manager on the day?” is No | Shown after No. Sometimes the answer is a hospital bed. |
| Supporting document Only when “Type of absence” is Sick or Jury service or court | Shown for sickness and jury service. |
| Is there anything that would help you return? | Asked on the first day, when a small change can bring someone back sooner. |
| Declaration Required | A plain statement that the record is correct, with no threat attached. |
| Signature | Optional: the tick and the submission time already make the record. |
What we left out
- A diagnosis or a list of illnesses. The type of absence is enough for pay and policy, so no question asks what the illness was. PulseFormCreator is not HIPAA compliant.
- “No call, no show” and other violation boxes. They belong on a disciplinary record the manager writes, not on the employee’s own report.
- A “pre-approved” option. Leave asked for in advance goes on a time-off request, so this form holds only absences that happened.
How the form changes as people answer
Most people see a shorter form. These questions and screens only appear when an answer calls for them.
-
When “Who is filling this in?” is not Me, the employee
shows “Your name and relationship to the employee”
-
When “Were these full days?” is No
shows “Hours missed”
-
When “Type of absence” is Bereavement
shows “The employee’s relationship to the person who died”
-
When “Type of absence” is Sick
shows “Was it caused by an accident or condition at work?”
-
When “Did you tell your manager on the day?” is Yes
shows “Who did you tell, and when?”
-
When “Did you tell your manager on the day?” is No
shows “What stopped you reporting it on the day?”
-
When “Type of absence” is Sick or Jury service or court
shows “Supporting document”
Make it yours
-
Give each team its own link
Add ?dept=Customer service to the link and the department is filled in, so reports sort by team.
-
Tell the manager and payroll together
In the Connect tab, turn on email and put both addresses in Also send to.
-
One school note for every school
In the school preset, add ?school=Riverside Primary to each school’s link.
Good practice and the law
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by country and state, so check anything important where you operate.
- US
An employer may ask for a doctor’s note to justify sick leave if it asks everyone, with or without a disability. EEOC, disability-related inquiries
- UK
No fit note is needed for seven days off or fewer; after that the employee must give one. GOV.UK, taking sick leave
- UK
Children may miss school only when too ill to attend or with the school’s permission in advance. GOV.UK, school attendance
Questions about this template
How is an absence form different from a time-off request?
Timing. A time-off request asks permission before the leave. This form records a day already missed, often without notice.
Do employees have to say what illness they had?
Not on this form. It asks for the type of absence, and the note says medical details are not needed.
Can parents report a child’s absence from school with it?
Pick “School absence note” above the preview: the student, their year, a full day or a late arrival, the reason and the parent’s details.
Can a manager fill it in when someone phones in sick?
Pick “Absence call-in log”: who took the call and when, whether the employee rang personally, the expected return and work to cover.
Which form do you need?
The absence form is one of the hr & employee forms. If it is not quite the job, one of these may be.
- Time off request form template
For asking in advance for leave that is planned, such as a holiday or an appointment.
- Return to work form template
For clearing someone to come back after a longer illness or an injury.
- Disciplinary action form template
When absences have become a pattern and you are taking action.
Start with the absence form template
Open it in the editor, put your absence policy’s contact on the thank-you screen and share the link with your team.
Updated 22 September 2026.