Good practice: Sickness absence management

On this page:
Summary
Case study
Key references
Questions and answers
Overview
The importance of managing sickness absence
Workplace measures to prevent ill health and promote wellbeing
Using occupational doctors
Referring employees for medical examination and report
Preventing and managing stress in the workplace
Employee assistance programmes
Sickness absence policies
Rules on notifying sickness absence
Recording absence
Self-certification and doctors' certificates
Fit notes
Paying sick pay
Return-to-work interviews
Permitted sick days
Communication with employees who are absent due to long-term ill health
Rehabilitation after a period of sickness absence
Adjustments and support for a returning employee
Support for employees with an alcohol or drugs dependency

Summary

1.1

• Given the high costs to business of sickness absence, it is important for employers to put in place and implement sickness and rehabilitation policies. (See 1.3 The importance of managing sickness absence)
• Employers should take measures to facilitate and promote employee health, thus reducing the likelihood of sickness absence. (See 1.4 Workplace measures to prevent ill health and promote wellbeing)
• Involvement of occupational health professionals is a particularly effective tool in the management of long-term sickness absence and, as one of their functions is to examine sick employees, it is important to allow for this in employee contracts. (See 1.5 Using occupational doctors and 1.6 Referring employees for medical examination and report)
• Various steps can be taken to minimise the likelihood of employees experiencing workplace stress and taking time off sick as a result. (See 1.7 Preventing and managing stress in the workplace)
• Employee assistance programmes can be used to promote health and wellbeing and provide help and support to individuals with personal or workplace problems. (See 1.8 Employee assistance programmes)
• Employers should ensure that they have in place a clearly worded sickness absence policy, including rules on notification, required evidence, payment of sick pay and return-to-work interviews. (See 1.9 Sickness absence policies, 1.10 Rules on notifying sickness absence, 1.11 Recording absence, 1.12 Self-certification and doctors' certificates, 1.13 Fit notes, 1.14 Paying sick pay and 1.15 Return-to-work interviews)
• It is important to maintain contact with employees who are on long-term sickness absence and, when they are ready to return to work, to devise a structured return-to-work plan and allow for adequate adjustments and support. (See 1.17 Communication with employees who are absent due to long-term ill health, 1.18 Rehabilitation after a period of sickness absence and 1.19 Adjustments and support for a returning employee)
• It is good practice for employers to implement a drugs/alcohol policy with the principal aim of providing support to any employee who has an alcohol or drugs dependency. (See 1.20 Support for employees with an alcohol or drugs dependency)

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Overview

1.2 This section of the XpertHR good practice manual discusses the management of both long- and short-term sickness absence, including measures to promote employees' health and reduce absence, sickness absence policies, paying sick pay and rehabilitation after long-term sickness.

Another section of the XpertHR good practice manual - Attendance management - deals with absence for reasons other than genuine sickness, attendance procedures, attendance review meetings, possible causes of frequent non-attendance, and ways of encouraging and promoting attendance.