The political leadership typically has little impact on the day-to-day business of the career employees in the government. In general, the political leadership sets policy and determines priorities, so in that sense, a five day absence is probably not critical. However, in the event of an emergency, the responsibility for coordinating the response falls to the elected leadership. This is the real reason his absence was inexcusable, IMO. The inability to make contact with him would have severely handicapped the ability of the state government to properly respond had an emergency arisen during his absence.