Sickness Absence Management
The news this week that sickness absence in Britain is at its highest level in 15 years whilst probably not a shock, will understandably alarm employers.
Employers have a tricky balance to strike where sickness absence is concerned as there are often several conflicting issues which need to be considered. It is of course vital to ensure the health and wellbeing of employees, but the effect of absences on day-to-day operations within organisations cannot be under-estimated. Additionally, the cost of absences will also concern employers, particularly with the news that sickness absence is costing the UK tens of billions of pounds.
Dealing with sickness absence fairly and appropriately can often be an overwhelming (and sometimes scary) task for employers, but there are a few ways that absences can be carefully managed to ensure that employees are well supported and that the impact on employers is minimised.
First and foremost, a clear Sickness Absence Policy is essential. This should outline how absences should be reported including details of who the absence should be reported to and the required method of reporting. Often employees will send a text message or similar if they are unwell, but it is important to include a requirement for the employee to speak to their line manager in this situation. This ensures lines of communication are kept open and often more information will be provided during such a conversation. Obviously, there may be situations where this is not possible, but these are likely to be rare occurrences.
Where appropriate, absent employees should be directed to any support services provided by the employer, such as Employee Assistance Programmes or similar. Making use of these may assist the employee with their recovery and potentially shorten the absence from work.
Sickness Absence Policies should include details of the amount of sick pay employees are entitled to and whether this is made up of Occupational Sick Pay and Statutory Sick Pay or just the latter. It should also set out that employees can self-certify for 7 calendar days, but after this will require a Fit Note if the absence continues.
Once an employee returns to work, it is essential that a return-to-work interview takes place. This is the case even where an employee has only been absent for a single day. This is such an important part of the process because it can highlight any underlying issues in existence, provide an opportunity for open conversation and allow the employer to discover whether the employee requires additional support or adjustments to their role. These open discussions also help to build trust between employer and employee and will likely encourage future communication. Training for line managers on how to deal with these conversations is also essential in order that they feel fully equipped to do so.
Including a ‘trigger’ system within the Sickness Absence Policy can be a useful tool to help reduce absences. This type of system can be used to issue formal warnings (and eventually effect dismissal) where an employee reaches a certain level of absence within a specific timeframe. Such a system will require clear drafting, and associated documentation will need to be kept up to date, but once in place can be extremely useful when applied consistently. As well as helping to manage and keep track of absences once they have taken place, a trigger system can also be a helpful deterrent to absence in the first place.
Where long-terms absences are proving problematic, or where there is a pattern of repeated short-term absence, a referral to Occupational Health or a request to obtain a report from the individual’s GP may assist. Such a report can provide clarity around any conditions suffered from, advise whether adjustments to the role may be required and importantly can pinpoint where illness may have been exaggerated or identify any malingerers!
Tackling sickness absence can understandably be a headache for employers, but by taking a consistent approach, ensuing there is a clear policy in place and that lines of communication remain open, the burden on and cost experienced by organisations can be successfully minimised.
If you would like assistance with your Sickness Absence Policy or support with a specific sickness absence issue, we offer a retainer service which provides unlimited advice on employment law issues. The cost starts from just £95 per month plus VAT. For a small additional fee, we can even include work on tribunal claims. If you would like a quote, please email Ellie Walsh at ewalsh@keelys.co.uk