Policy 9: Sickness absence policy

About this policy

• 1. This policy sets out our arrangements for sick pay and for reporting and managing sickness absence.
  2. Abuse of sickness absence, including failing to report absence or falsely claiming sick pay will be treated as misconduct under our Disciplinary Procedure.

Reporting when you are sick

• 1. If you cannot attend work because you are sick or injured you should call your manager as early as possible and no later than 30 minutes after the time when you are normally expected to start work.
     Admin department staff are required to notify the Finance Director of their absence via phone call.
  2. It is the expectation of the company that managers will keep in contact with employees during an extended period of absence. The nature of any contact is in the context of support and welfare for the employee.
  3. It is also the expectation of the company that employees will maintain regular contact with their manager to provide information and progress towards a return to work.

Evidence of incapacity

• 1. You must complete a self-certification form for sickness absence of up to seven calendar days.
  2. For absence of more than a week you must obtain a certificate from your doctor stating that you are not fit for work, giving the reason. You must also complete a self-certification form to cover the first seven days. If absence continues beyond the expiry of a certificate, a further certificate must be provided.
  3. If your doctor provides a certificate stating that you "may be fit for work" you must inform your manager immediately. We will hold a discussion with you about how to facilitate your return to work, taking account of your doctor's advice. If appropriate measures cannot be taken, you will remain on sick leave and we will set a date for review.
  4. Where we are concerned about the reason for absence, or frequent short-term absence, we may require a medical certificate for each absence regardless of duration. In such circumstances, we will cover any costs incurred in obtaining such medical certificates, for absences of a week or less, on production of a doctor's invoice.
  5. Unacceptable delays in notifying the company and/or failure to provide evidence of incapacity may result in the withholding of any Statutory Sick Pay due.

Statutory sick pay

• 1. You may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you satisfy the relevant statutory requirements. The rate of SSP is set by the government in April each year. Employees are entitled to SSP payments from the first day of employment. Employee’s are required to complete a Self-Certification Form for all sickness absences up to 7 calendar days. Where an absence continues beyond 7 calendar days, a Fit Note / medical certificate from a GP should then be provided in line with standard requirements. Failure to provide the required self-certification or medical documentation may result in SSP/company sick pay being delayed or withheld until the appropriate documentation is received.
  2. If a period of sickness absence is or appears to be occasioned by actionable negligence, nuisance or breach of any statutory duty on the part of a third party, in respect of which damages are or may be recoverable, you must immediately notify the Operations Director of that fact and of any claim, compromise, settlement or judgment made or awarded in connection with it and all relevant particulars that we may reasonably require. If we require you to do so, you must co-operate in any related legal proceedings and refund to us that part of any damages or compensation you recover that relates to lost earnings for the period of sickness absence as we may reasonably determine, less any costs you incurred in connection with the recovery of such damages or compensation, provided that the amount to be refunded to us shall not exceed the total amount we paid to you in respect of the period of sickness absence.

Return-to-work interviews

• 1. After a period of sick leave you must complete a Return to Work form before starting work. Your manager may hold a meeting with you on your return to work. The purposes may include:
     1. ensuring you are fit for work and agreeing any actions necessary to facilitate your return;
     2. confirming you have submitted the necessary certificates;
     3. updating you on anything that may have happened during your absence;
     4. raising any other concerns regarding your absence record or your return to work.
  2. Managing Attendance and Absence
  3. The following paragraphs set out the Company’s procedure for managing long‑term absence, or where the level or frequency of short‑term absence gives cause for concern. The purpose of this procedure is to review and discuss the reasons for absence, whether the absence is likely to continue or recur, and whether there are any reasonable measures that could support the employee’s health and/or attendance. The Company may request medical evidence, or additional medical evidence, before determining any appropriate course of action.
  4. Where an employee has experienced two separate periods of absence within a rolling three‑month period, they will normally be invited to an absence review meeting to discuss their attendance.
  5. Where an employee has experienced three periods of absence within a rolling three‑month period, a further absence review meeting will normally be convened. Depending on the circumstances, this may result in formal action, including the issuing of a verbal warning.
  6. Any subsequent periods of absence may result in the matter progressing through the normal stages of the Company’s absence management procedure, which may include a verbal warning, written warning, final written warning and, where appropriate, dismissal.
  7. All absences will be considered on an individual basis. Decisions will not be automatic or purely punitive. The Company will take into account any underlying medical conditions, disabilities, or other relevant personal circumstances before determining any outcome
  8. Managing Long-term absence

The following paragraphs set out our procedure for dealing with long-term absence or where your level or frequency of short-term absence has given us cause for concern. The purpose of the procedure is to investigate and discuss the reasons for your absence, whether it is likely to continue or recur, and whether there are any measures that could improve your health and/or attendance. We may decide that medical evidence, or further medical evidence, is required before deciding on a course of action.

We will notify you in writing of the time, date and place of any meeting, and why it is being held. We will usually give you a week's notice of the meeting.

Meetings will be conducted by your manager.

You may bring a companion to any meeting or appeal meeting under this procedure. Your companion may be either a trade union representative or a fellow colleague.

If you or your companion cannot attend at the time specified you should let us know as soon as possible and we will try, within reason, to agree an alternative time.

If you have a disability, we will consider whether reasonable adjustments may need to be made to the sickness absence meetings procedure, or to your role or working arrangements.

Medical examinations

• 1. We may ask you to consent to a medical examination by a doctor or an external occupational health professional or other specialist nominated by us (at our expense).
  2. You will be asked to agree that any medical report produced may be disclosed to us and that we may discuss the contents of the report with the specialist and with our advisers. All medical reports will be kept confidential and held in accordance with our Data Protection Policy.

Initial sickness absence meeting

• 1. The purposes of a sickness absence meeting or meetings will be to discuss the reasons for your absence, how long it is likely to continue, whether it is likely to recur, whether to obtain a medical report, and whether there are any measures that could improve your health and/or attendance.
  2. In cases of long-term absence, we may seek to agree a return-to-work programme, possibly on a phased basis.
  3. In cases of short-term, intermittent absence, we may set a target for improved attendance within a certain timescale.

If matters do not improve

• 1. If, after a reasonable time, you have not been able to return to work or if your attendance has not improved within the agreed timescale, we will hold a further meeting or meetings. We will seek to establish whether the situation is likely to change, and may consider redeployment opportunities at that stage. If it is considered unlikely that you will return to work or that your attendance will improve within a short time, we may give you a written warning that you are at risk of dismissal. We may also set a further date for review.

Final sickness absence meeting

• 1. Where you have been warned that you are at risk of dismissal, and the situation has not changed significantly, we will hold a meeting to consider the possible termination of your employment. Before we make a decision, we will consider any matters you wish to raise and whether there have been any changes since the last meeting.

Appeals

• 1. You may appeal against the outcome of any stage of this procedure. If you wish to appeal you should set out your appeal in writing to the Managing Director stating your grounds of appeal, within one week of the date on which the decision was sent or given to you.
  2. If you are appealing against a decision to dismiss you, we will hold an appeal meeting, normally within two weeks of receiving the appeal. This will be dealt with impartially and, where possible, by a more senior manager who has not previously been involved in the case.
  3. We will confirm our final decision in writing, usually within one week of the appeal hearing. There is no further right of appeal.
  4. The date that any dismissal takes effect will not be delayed pending the outcome of an appeal. However, if the appeal is successful, the decision to dismiss will be revoked with no loss of continuity or pay.
  5. MISCARRIAGE LEAVE (PARENTAL BEREAVEMENT LEAVE)
  6. The Company recognises that experiencing a miscarriage is a deeply distressing event and is committed to supporting Employees with care, dignity and compassion during this time.
  7. In line with statutory entitlements in Northern Ireland, employees who experience a miscarriage before 24 weeks of pregnancy, or who have a defined connection to a person who has experienced a miscarriage, are entitled to Parental Bereavement Leave.
  8. Eligible employees are entitled to take up to two weeks’ leave following a miscarriage. This entitlement is available from the first day of employment and may be taken as one continuous period of two weeks or as two separate one‑week periods. Leave must be taken within 56 weeks of the date of the miscarriage.
  9. Where eligibility criteria are met, Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay will be paid in accordance with current statutory rates. Employees are not required to provide medical evidence of a miscarriage. However, the employee should notify the Company as soon as reasonably practicable so that appropriate support and arrangements can be put in place. All information will be handled sensitively and in strict confidence.
  10. The Company understands that individual circumstances will vary and encourages employees to speak with their line manager to discuss any additional support or workplace adjustments that may be required.