Sickness Absence Management

1. Introduction

1.1 The Council is committed to promoting and maintaining the health and welfare of all employees, and recognises the need for an understanding and supportive approach towards employees who are sick to assist them in their recovery and return to work. The Council also recognises the significant impact of ill-health and sickness absence on the cost and quality of service delivery and expects all employees to make every effort to attend work.

1.2 The Council seeks to ensure appropriate arrangements are in place to minimise the likelihood of sickness absence and to support staff through periods of ill health with the aim of securing their return to work. Managers will handle individual cases sensitively, in accordance with individual circumstances using their discretion in a supportive way and considering a range of support mechanisms to enable employees to attend work regularly.    

1.3 This policy has been developed to comply with legal requirements and ACAS Code of Practice and Guidance.

1.4 This Policy and Procedure is governed by principles of natural justice. Employees will be given the opportunity to present their case at all stages of the process. Managers will be responsible for the application of this policy and for providing a rationale for their decisions.

2. Purpose

2.1 The purpose of this Policy is to enable fair and sensitive management to help staff maximise their attendance and to ensure that reasonable and timely action is taken in managing sickness absence.

3. Scope

3.1 This policy and procedure applies to all directly employed staff excluding schools employees, new employees within their probationary period and 'as and when' workers. It does not apply to agency workers, interims or consultants.

3.2 This policy and procedure is not applicable in schools, however, it is recommended for adoption by the Schools Governing bodies.

3.3 This policy applies only to sickness absence; unauthorised absence will be addressed through the Council's Disciplinary Procedure.

4. Types of sickness absence

4.1 In managing absence the Council distinguishes between repeated short term absence and long term absence.

5. Short term sickness absence

5.1 This is where an individual is absent from work through sickness or injury on a number of occasions within a defined period, or where absences fall into a pattern over the same period.

6. Long term sickness absence

6.1 Long term absence is defined as absence where an employee has been or is expected to be absent from work for more than 4 consecutive weeks.

7. Managing sickness absence

7.1  Managers will be responsible for reviewing and monitoring levels of absence with individual employees in a supportive manner using discretion to take account of individual circumstances.

7.2 The council's approach to managing short and long term sickness absence is set out in the Sickness Absence Procedure.

7.3 Managers must complete Sickness Absence forms and particularly Return to Work forms without delay.

7.4 The Council monitors absence against a number of triggers which are set out in the procedure.

7.5 Advice is available from HR and other sources to support employees and managers. From the autumn of 2015, managers can access general health and work advice from the Fit for Work service through their website (http://www.fitforwork.org/) and telephone advice line.

7.6 Harrow employees are also eligible for a free occupational health assessment by the Government's Fit for Work Scheme if they have had (or their GP expects them to have) four or more weeks of sickness absence and have a realistic outlook of returning to work.

7.7 Referral to Fit for Work will normally be done by an individual's GP, but managers will be able to do so if the GP has not. Fit for Work is designed to compliment and not replace the Council's existing occupational health services. Managers can still access the Council's OH provider for assessment, advice, assistance and support on particular cases. The employee's consent will be required for the referral to the Fit for Work Scheme and the Council's OH provider. The Return to Work Plan issued by Fit for Work will be shared with the employee's GP and manager. Please refer to the Fit for Work Guidance Note for more details.

7.8 The Council's occupational health provider can also advise on fitness for work and adjustments to work tasks and/or the work environment. If an employee has a disability, advice on return to work and adjustments can also be obtained from Harrow's Disability Adviser (contact through HR).

7.9 Additionally, a free, confidential and independent Employee Assistance Programme is available to all employees of the Council 24 hours a day/7 days per week. Further information can be found on the HR intranet.

7.10 When a grievance is raised that relates to the formal management of sickness it will be resolved as part of the proceedings. If it is raised after a formal Attendance Meeting it will be considered as part of any appeal. If the grievance does not relate to the formal management of sickness it will be dealt with separately and without delay to any sickness absence proceedings.

8. Delegations 

8.1 Delegations are part of the Council's financial regulations and constitution and any changes will be made through due process. In some services across the Council other managers may be given delegated authority.

8.2 Managers graded MG1 and above, have authority to issue First Warnings, which remain on an employee's file for 6 months, and Final Warnings, which remain on an employee's file for 12 months.

8.3 Managers graded MG3 and above have authority to dismiss employees.

8.4 Managers graded MG2 and above have authority to hear appeals against First and Final Warnings, advised by HR.

8.5 Managers graded D1 and above have authority to hear appeals against dismissals, advised by HR.

9. Redeployment

9.1 All options will be considered when someone is unable to continue in their current role due to ill health including change of working hours or location, redeployment and ill health retirement. Advice should always be sought from the Council's OHS provider on the suitability of alternative employment and the possibility of ill health retirement.

10. Pregnancy related sickness absence

10.1 Sickness absence related to pregnancy will be discounted in relation to trigger points but still monitored and will be recorded as sickness absence for sick pay purposes.

10.2 If the employee is off sick within 4 weeks of the expected week of childbirth for reasons related to the pregnancy, Maternity Leave will commence. Please refer to the Maternity Policy for further information.

11. Disability Related Absence

11.1 Sickness absence related to disability will be discounted in relation to trigger points but still monitored and will be recorded as sickness absence for sick pay purposes.

12. Sick Pay

12.1 Subject to meeting the eligibility criteria, the Council pays Statutory Sick Pay and Occupational Sick pay.

12.2 It is important that employees follow the reporting procedures and/or provide supporting documentation as requested. Failure to do so may result in loss of sick pay.   

13. Confidentiality and Record keeping

13.1 Information disclosed during the process must be treated with sensitivity and confidentiality and kept securely in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

14. Equality and Diversity

14.1 The Council recognises its diverse workforce and will take into account different ways of working and the need for reasonable adjustments.

14.2 When dealing with issues of sickness absence/ill health, managers will ensure that equality and diversity considerations are taken account of at every stage of the  process.

14.3 Reasonable adjustments will be fully considered for employees who have a  disability.