diff --git a/core/templates/base.html b/core/templates/base.html
index 23b9e9c..f11e9ea 100644
--- a/core/templates/base.html
+++ b/core/templates/base.html
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@
                     <i class="fas fa-clock"></i><span>History</span>
                 </a>
                 {% if user.is_staff %}
-                <!-- Resources dropdown: Workers, Teams, Projects -->
+                <!-- Resources dropdown: Workers, Teams, Projects, Absences -->
                 <div class="dropdown">
-                    <a href="#" class="topbar-nav__link dropdown-toggle {% if 'worker' in request.resolver_match.url_name|default:'' or 'team' in request.resolver_match.url_name|default:'' or 'project' in request.resolver_match.url_name|default:'' %}active{% endif %}"
+                    <a href="#" class="topbar-nav__link dropdown-toggle {% if 'worker' in request.resolver_match.url_name|default:'' or 'team' in request.resolver_match.url_name|default:'' or 'project' in request.resolver_match.url_name|default:'' or 'absence' in request.resolver_match.url_name|default:'' %}active{% endif %}"
                        data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false" role="button">
                         <i class="fas fa-hard-hat"></i><span>Resources</span>
                     </a>
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@
                         <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="{% url 'worker_list' %}"><i class="fas fa-hard-hat me-2" style="color: var(--accent);"></i>Workers</a></li>
                         <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="{% url 'team_list' %}"><i class="fas fa-users me-2" style="color: var(--accent);"></i>Teams</a></li>
                         <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="{% url 'project_list' %}"><i class="fas fa-project-diagram me-2" style="color: var(--accent);"></i>Projects</a></li>
+                        <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="{% url 'absence_list' %}"><i class="fas fa-user-clock me-2" style="color: var(--accent);"></i>Absences</a></li>
                     </ul>
                 </div>
                 {% endif %}
@@ -148,6 +149,9 @@
             <a href="{% url 'project_list' %}" class="mobile-menu__link">
                 <i class="fas fa-project-diagram"></i><span>Projects</span>
             </a>
+            <a href="{% url 'absence_list' %}" class="mobile-menu__link">
+                <i class="fas fa-user-clock"></i><span>Absences</span>
+            </a>
             {% endif %}
             <a href="{% url 'create_receipt' %}" class="mobile-menu__link {% if request.resolver_match.url_name == 'create_receipt' %}active{% endif %}">
                 <i class="fas fa-receipt"></i><span>Receipts</span>
diff --git a/core/templates/core/absences/edit.html b/core/templates/core/absences/edit.html
index 5563834..10d9046 100644
--- a/core/templates/core/absences/edit.html
+++ b/core/templates/core/absences/edit.html
@@ -3,20 +3,21 @@
 {% block title %}Edit Absence | FoxFitt{% endblock %}
 
 {% block content %}
-{# === EDIT ABSENCE PAGE ===
-   Single form for editing one Absence row. The is_paid checkbox is
-   the magic field — toggling it on creates a Bonus PayrollAdjustment
-   at the worker's daily rate; toggling it off deletes the adjustment
-   (UNLESS it's already been paid, in which case the view surfaces an
-   error).
+{% comment %}
+=== EDIT ABSENCE PAGE ===
+Single form for editing one Absence row. The is_paid checkbox is
+the magic field — toggling it on creates a Bonus PayrollAdjustment
+at the worker's daily rate; toggling it off deletes the adjustment
+(UNLESS it's already been paid, in which case the view surfaces an
+error).
 
-   Why two forms? HTML doesn't allow nested <form> tags. The delete
-   action needs its own form to POST to /absences/<id>/delete/. So
-   the delete form lives OUTSIDE the edit form (hidden), and the
-   Delete button inside the edit form uses the HTML5 `form="..."`
-   attribute to submit the delete form instead of its parent edit
-   form.
-#}
+Why two forms? HTML doesn't allow nested <form> tags. The delete
+action needs its own form to POST to /absences/<id>/delete/. So
+the delete form lives OUTSIDE the edit form (hidden), and the
+Delete button inside the edit form uses the HTML5 `form="..."`
+attribute to submit the delete form instead of its parent edit
+form.
+{% endcomment %}
 <div class="container py-4">
     <h1 class="page-title mb-3"><i class="fas fa-pen me-2"></i>Edit Absence</h1>
 
@@ -24,8 +25,10 @@
         {% for m in messages %}<div class="alert alert-{{ m.tags }}">{{ m }}</div>{% endfor %}
     {% endif %}
 
-    {# Hidden sibling form so the Delete button can submit to its own URL.
-       Hidden via inline style — only the button inside the edit form is visible. #}
+    {% comment %}
+    Hidden sibling form so the Delete button can submit to its own URL.
+    Hidden via inline style — only the button inside the edit form is visible.
+    {% endcomment %}
     <form method="post" action="{% url 'absence_delete' absence.id %}"
           onsubmit="return confirm('Delete this absence?');"
           id="absence-delete-form" style="display: none;">
@@ -71,8 +74,10 @@
             {% endif %}
 
             <div class="d-flex justify-content-between mt-3">
-                {# `form="absence-delete-form"` makes this button submit the
-                   hidden delete form rather than its enclosing edit form. #}
+                {% comment %}
+                `form="absence-delete-form"` makes this button submit the
+                hidden delete form rather than its enclosing edit form.
+                {% endcomment %}
                 <button type="submit" form="absence-delete-form" class="btn btn-outline-danger">
                     <i class="fas fa-trash me-1"></i>Delete
                 </button>
diff --git a/core/templates/core/absences/list.html b/core/templates/core/absences/list.html
index c9b550d..1e3a0ae 100644
--- a/core/templates/core/absences/list.html
+++ b/core/templates/core/absences/list.html
@@ -4,10 +4,11 @@
 {% block title %}Absences | FoxFitt{% endblock %}
 
 {% block content %}
-{# === ABSENCES LIST PAGE ===
-   Filtered, paginated table of absences. Each row links to edit and
-   has an inline delete form. CSV export button only shows for admin.
-#}
+{% comment %}
+=== ABSENCES LIST PAGE ===
+Filtered, paginated table of absences. Each row links to edit and
+has an inline delete form. CSV export button only shows for admin.
+{% endcomment %}
 <div class="container-fluid py-3">
 
     {# === Page header — title + log/export action buttons === #}
@@ -162,13 +163,14 @@
     {% endif %}
 </div>
 
-{# === Reason badge colours ===
-   Reuses the existing semantic badge palette from custom.css so dark/
-   light theme switching works out of the box. Green-ish for "valid"
-   leave (sick/family/annual), neutral for unpaid/other, amber for IOD,
-   purple-ish (deduction) for the disciplinary reasons (suspension,
-   absconded).
-#}
+{% comment %}
+=== Reason badge colours ===
+Reuses the existing semantic badge palette from custom.css so dark/
+light theme switching works out of the box. Green-ish for "valid"
+leave (sick/family/annual), neutral for unpaid/other, amber for IOD,
+purple-ish (deduction) for the disciplinary reasons (suspension,
+absconded).
+{% endcomment %}
 <style>
 .badge-absence-sick       { background: var(--badge-bonus-bg); color: var(--badge-bonus-fg); }
 .badge-absence-family     { background: var(--badge-bonus-bg); color: var(--badge-bonus-fg); }