Leave of Absence

The Leave of Absence (LoA) system lets staff members formally step back from their duties for a period of time. An approved LoA locks the dashboard until the absence ends.

How LoA works#

When you have an active LoA, the org dashboard shows a full-screen lock screen instead of the normal navigation. You are expected not to take any moderation or management actions during your absence. The lock screen shows your LoA details and lets you view the request — nothing else is accessible.

Org admins and holders of the loa.bypass capability are never locked out, even if they have an active LoA themselves.

LoA states#

• PENDING — request submitted, waiting for admin approval.
• APPROVED — approved by an admin but the start date has not yet been reached.
• ACTIVE — the start date has passed; the lock screen is showing. Dashboard access is restricted.
• ENDED — the end date has passed or the LoA was manually closed. Full access restored.

Transitions between APPROVED → ACTIVE and ACTIVE → ENDED happen automatically when the org layout loads — the server checks the dates on every page visit.

Submitting an LoA request#

Navigate to LoA in the sidebar and click New Request. Fill in:

• Start date — when the absence begins.
• End date — when you expect to return.
• Reason — optional explanation for your org admin.

After submission the request shows as PENDING. You can cancel a PENDING or APPROVED request at any time before it becomes ACTIVE.

Admin approval#

Org admins see all pending LoA requests under LoA and can approve or deny them. Denying a request removes it from the queue without restricting access. Approving it sets the state to APPROVED and schedules the lock.

Returning from LoA#

Your LoA ends automatically when the end date passes. On your next dashboard visit after the end date, the lock screen will be gone and full access is restored. No action is needed.

If you return early, an org admin can manually end your LoA from the LoA management page, which immediately restores your access.