Commotion as quorum regularly absent during work (7)
I believe the answer is:
turmoil
'commotion' is the definition.
(I know that turmoil is a type of commotion)
'quorum regularly absent during work' is the wordplay.
'regularly absent' means one should take alternating letters (letters removed at regular intervals).
'during' indicates putting letters inside.
'work' becomes 'toil' (toiling is a kind of working).
The alternating letters of 'quorum' are 'urm'.
'urm' inserted within 'toil' is 'TURMOIL'.
'as' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for turmoil that I've seen before include "Violent commotion" , "Brouhaha" , "Violent confusion" , "Agitation, confusion" , "Tumult, upheaval" .)