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Business English · Module 5 · Unit 17

Absence Procedures

Pre B1 Intermediate

Learning Objectives

In this session, you will discuss absence procedures and expand your vocabulary for everyday communication.

Situation

Alex is feeling unwell and needs to report an unplanned absence. He calls his manager, Mr. Miller, to report his absence and later contacts Sarah to ask how to record his sick leave in the HR portal.

Discussion

Direction: Answer these questions.
  1. How do you usually inform your supervisor when you cannot work?
  2. What steps must employees follow to request time off at your company?
  3. Why do companies enforce strict policies for reporting unexpected absences?

New Words & Expressions

Direction: Listen and repeat these words with your teacher.

  • Out of the loop

    Set Phrase

    /aʊt ʌv ðə luːp/

    Meaning:Uninformed or excluded from specific information shared within a group.

    Please copy Sarah on the updates so she is not left out of the loop.

    Real Life Tip:

    Commonly used in American workplaces to ensure smooth team collaboration and avoid miscommunication.

  • Call in sick

    Idiom

    /kɔːl ɪn sɪk/

    Meaning:To contact your workplace to report that you cannot work due to illness.

    Alex had a high fever this morning, so he had to call in sick.

    Real Life Tip:

    Standard American workplace expression for notifying an employer about an unexpected illness.

  • Ping

    Verb / Informal

    /pɪŋ/

    Meaning:To send a quick digital message through instant chat applications or workplace tools.

    I will ping you on Slack as soon as my leave request is submitted.

    Real Life Tip:

    Ubiquitous in modern American tech and corporate settings using tools like Teams or Slack.

  • Fill out

    Phrasal Verb

    /fɪl aʊt/

    Meaning:To complete an official form or document by writing or typing information into specified spaces.

    You must fill out the absence report on the HR intranet before noon.

    Real Life Tip:

    In American English, "fill out" is preferred over "fill in" when referring to entire forms or documents.

Conversation

Direction:

  • Listen carefully as your teacher reads the conversation aloud.
  • Role-play the conversation with your teacher
Alex calls his manager, Mr. Miller, to report an absence and then messages Sarah to clarify the submission steps.
  • Mr. Miller
    Good morning, Alex. Is everything alright with today's schedule?
  • Alex
    Good morning, Mr. Miller. I need to call in sick today because I have a fever.
  • Mr. Miller
    Understood. Take time to rest, but ensure Sarah is not left out of the loop.

Q&A

Direction: Answer the questions based on the conversation.
  1. Does Alex call in sick because he has a fever?
  2. Does Mr. Miller want Sarah to be left out of the loop?
  3. Does Sarah tell Alex to fill out a form on the portal?

Navigating Workplace Absence Procedures

Exercise

Direction: Choose the correct answer to complete each sentence, then read it aloud. Each question gives you 5 Points.

  1. Please ________ on the portal before taking time off.

  2. When you are too ill to work, you should ________ before your shift starts.

  3. Alex ________ earlier this morning to report his absence.

  4. If you do not submit your request today, HR ________ an administrative warning.

  5. Sarah was helping Alex when he ________ technical issues with the HR page.

  6. Which of the following is the correct order of words?

  7. Which of the following is the correct order of words?

  8. Which of the following is the correct order of words?

Ask Your Teacher

Direction: Ask your teacher these questions.
  1. How do employees usually call in sick at your workplace?
  2. What steps do you follow when you fill out leave paperwork?
  3. How do you make sure your team is not out of the loop?

Your Time To Speak

Direction: Answer using the language you have learned in this lesson. Talk about yourself!
  1. Do you call in sick using phone calls or messaging apps?
  2. Have you ever forgot to fill out a leave form on time?
  3. How do you ping colleagues when you need quick updates?
  4. Why is it bad when employees stay out of the loop?
  5. What do you think causes employees to call in sick often?
  6. Would you agree that it is easy to fill out HR forms?
  7. Is it true that workers must ping managers for emergency leave?
  8. Would you call in sick if you had a minor headache?
  9. What if an employee fails to fill out an absence report?
  10. What would you do if a teammate was left out of the loop?
  11. What do you think will happen if staff ignore absence procedures?
  12. Which is better, to call in sick or text your manager?
  13. What should managers do when workers ping them during sick leave?
  14. What do you think causes people to feel out of the loop?
  15. What happens if you forget to ping your boss when absent?
Alex
Thank you. I will message her immediately to hand over my urgent tasks.
  • Alex
    Hi Sarah, I am off today. What steps should I take on the employee portal?
  • Sarah
    Hi Alex! You just need to fill out the digital leave form under HR tools.
  • Alex
    Got it. I will ping you if I run into any issues with the portal submission.
  • Sarah
    Sounds good! Focus on recovering, and we will handle things here.