Sickness absence - holding a sickness absence guidance meeting

7. Sickness absence - holding a Sickness Absence Guidance Meeting

Feedback and informal guidance can play an important part in reviewing and improving an individual’s sickness absence record.  This is part of a manager’s day-to-day role and responsibility. 

The focus should be on helping employees improve their sickness absence record in a positive way.  Managers should:

• Meet the employee on a one-to-one basis to discuss their sickness absence record.

• Sickness absence issues must also be discussed with the employee as part of their Guidance Meeting.

• The outcome of the Guidance Meeting should be agreed and confirmed in writing with the employee as an accurate record of the discussions. A copy should also be placed on the employee’s file where it will remain a live record for a period of 12 months.

• The 1st Formal Sickness Absence Meeting should not be instigated until the employee has received guidance at Guidance Meeting relating to their sickness absence record.

• The outcome of the Guidance Meeting will remain on the employee’s file for a period of 12 months. This means that the outcome of the meeting may be considered as part of any further management action taken and in the event of further concerns arising and providing the concerns are related.  New guidance should be given for unrelated issues.

7.1 Preparation before the Guidance Meeting

• Before the manager meets with the employee, the manager will need to gather all the relevant information e.g. copies of the employee’s self certification forms, medical certificates, Return to Work meeting notes, notes from any other meetings and any other relevant information.  The manager will also need copies of any reports from the Government’s Fit for Work Scheme or the Council’s Occupational Health Services if available.

7.2 During the Guidance Meeting

The manager should:

• State their concerns about the employee’s sickness absence in a positive and supportive way while at the same time asking for an explanation and encouraging the employee to engage in the discussion by asking open questions.

• Evidence should be provided as appropriate e.g. sickness absence information etc.

• Explore with the employee any contributory factors e.g. work related problems, stress, personal issues and discuss possible solutions such as ways in which the employee can help themselves and ways in which the Council can assist them.

• The employee may wish to change their working arrangements either on a permanent or temporary basis, reduce their hours or take a period of unpaid leave.  Any requests will need to be discussed between the manager and employee and will be subject to the needs of the service.

• The employee may be experiencing stress, personal problems which may be contributing to their increased sickness absence.  If these are raised, the manager should discuss ways in which the Council can support them.  Employees may be referred to the Government’s Fit for Work Scheme or the Council’s Occupational Health Services for advice, if appropriate.  Employees should be reminded of the Council’s Employee Assistance Programme, who offer a confidential counselling service for employees which can help with a wide range of personal and work related problems. 

• If there are any concerns regarding the employee’s sickness absence levels or an underlying health condition and the employee has not already been referred, the employee may be referred for an assessment to the Government’s Fit for Work Scheme or the Council’s Occupational Health Service.  The employee should be advised that they will be referred as appropriate, as early as possible.

• In cases where there are concerns or where employees have advised that they suffer with alcohol or drugs misuse, the Council’s Drug and Alcohol Misuse procedure should be considered.

• Advise the employee that their sickness absence record must improve otherwise the formal Sickness Absence Procedure will be instigated and a Formal Sickness Absence Meeting will be carried out.

• The employee should be advised of the possible outcome as a result of a Formal Sickness Absence Meeting.

7.3 Confirming the outcome of the Guidance Meeting

• Managers must confirm in writing the outcome of the discussions held at the Guidance Meeting.  The manager should confirm the guidance given, actions agreed, the monitoring period and the consequences if the employee does not meet the required standards discussed and agreed. 

7.4 Not possible to meet in the workplace

• Consideration should be given to visiting the employee at home if the employee is unable to attend the meeting in the workplace.  Home visits must only take place with the employee’s consent.  Sensitivity and tact needs to be exercised in cases of seriously ill employees.  

• If it is not possible to meet with the employee, the employee still needs to be made aware of the consequences of their continuing sickness absence through a telephone conversation and followed up in writing.  Again this needs to be handled sensitively by the manager.