Employer's Sickness Policy - Template, Sample Form

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SICKNESS ABSENCE POLICY

PURPOSE

This policy demonstrates ________'s commitment to promoting the health and well-being of all employees. The primary objective of this policy, along with other associated guidance, is to support and effectively manage absence caused by ill-health or injury which renders an employee unfit for work. This policy also aims to ensure that possible support for employees who are unfit for work is considered as soon possible.

GENERAL

In this policy:

• Company sick pay: refers to any form of contractual sick pay which is aside from and in excess of statutory sick pay.
• Employee or You: refers to persons employed by ________ under a contract of employment.
• Sickness absence: refers to an employee's inability to resume at the workplace due to ill-health or injury.
• We, us, our or the Employer: refers to ________
• Your manager: refers to the person you directly report to.

ABOUT THIS POLICY

This policy sets out our procedure as it relates to:

1. sick pay;

2. reporting sickness absence; and

3. managing sickness absence.

We aim to make sure that we understand the reason for a sickness absence in each case and investigate where necessary. Additionally, in the event that it is required or is reasonably practicable, we will take measures to help you return to work if you have been absent because of sickness.

This policy is only applicable to employees hired under a contract of employment. Nothing in this policy shall apply to agency workers, consultants or self-employed contractors.

In the event that an employee abuses sickness absence by failing to report an absence or making a false claim for sick pay, it will amount to misconduct under our Disciplinary Procedure.

As this policy does not form part of any employee's contract of employment, we reserve the right to amend it at any time.

Where this policy is to be amended, we will inform all employees about the amendments made via the following means: ________.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING THIS POLICY

The effective management and operation of this policy will be overseen by the employer. The employer will also be responsible for its compliance with the necessary statutory regulations.

All managers within the organisation shall be responsible for ensuring the fair application of this policy. All members of staff shall also be responsible for supporting their colleagues and ensuring the successful application of this policy.

HOW TO REPORT WHEN YOU ARE SICK

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PROVING INABILITY TO COME TO WORK

Where a sickness absence will last up to 7 (seven) calendar days, you must complete a self-certification form.

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Where your doctor's note or certificate states that you "may be fit for work", you are required to inform your manager immediately. We will arrange a meeting between you and us on how we can ensure your easy resumption back to work, while taking your doctor's advice into account. In the event that appropriate measures cannot be taken, we will set a date for review while you remain on sick leave.

STATUTORY SICK PAY

You may qualify for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you satisfy the relevant statutory requirements. The qualifying days for SSP are either:

1. the days employees are to work, which are: ________; or

2. the days listed in your employment contract.

For clarity, the statutory requirmenets for receiving SSP are:

1. you must be unfit for work for 4 consecutive days;

2. a day which you are unfit for work must fall within a period where you should be entitled to SSP; and

3. a day which you are unfit for work must be a day on which you are ordinarily expected to work under your contract of employment. This is excluding the first 3 consecutive days of unfitness for work.

The government sets the rate of SSP yearly, in the month of April. There will be no SSP payable for the first 3 (three) consecutive days of absence. SSP will start on the fourth day of absence and may be payable for up to 28 weeks.

CONTRACTUAL SICK PAY

You will only qualify for Contractual sick pay provided:

1. if you have been in continuous service with the employer for ;

2. your compliance with this policy and any additional requirements set out in your employment contract.

The enumerated conditions for qualifying for Contractual sick pay do not affect any entitlement you may have to receive SSP relating to the same periods of sickness absence. However, any sick pay you receive from the employer shall be inclusive of any SSP you are meant to receive.

You will need to submit a medical evidence of your incapacity for work from the first day of your sickness absence in order to qualify for Contractual sick pay.

Contractual sick pay is equal to your full basic salary for up to a maximum of ________ consecutive weeks' absence. After this time, further payment will be at our absolute discretion.

RETURN-TO-WORK INTERVIEWS

Your manager may hold a return-to-work interview with you upon your return from a period of sick leave. The reasons may include:

1. making sure you are fit for work, as well as agreeing any measures that are necessary to facilitate your return;

2. confirming your submission of the necessary certificates;

3. bringing you up to date on anything that may have happened during your absence;

4. addressing any other concerns regarding your absence record or your return to work.

A return to work interview can be held after you return from any absence.

Your manager has the discretion on whether to organise a return-to-work intervew and will inform you of the reason or need to hold the return-to-work interview with you.

MANAGING LONG-TERM OR PERSISTENT ABSENCE

We have implemented procedure to address long-term absences or where we have concerns, regarding how frequently you use short-term absences or where we feel your absences are causing or are likely to cause disruptions to the business. This procedure will help us answer and understand any, if not all, of the following questions:

1. the reasons for your absence;

2. the likelihood of recurrence; and

3. prospective measures that can be taken to improve your health and/or your attendance.

Before taking a course of action, we may require medical evidence or additional medical evidence from you.

We will provide you with written notice of the date, time and place of any meeting, along with the reason for the meeting. You will be given a week's notice of the meeting.

The ________ will conduct such meetings and the ________ will normally be in attendance.

Our procedure makes provision for you to be accompanied by a companion of your choosing to any meeting or appeal meeting. You may be accompanied by a colleague, who will be allowed reasonable paid time off from duties to as your companion.

Where you or your companion are unable to attend the meeting at the scheduled time, you should inform us at the earliest opportunity and we will attempt, within reason, to reschedule for a different time.

If you have a disability, we will try to make reasonable adjustments, that may be necessary, to the sickness absence meetings procedure, or to your role or working arrangements.

MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS

It is possible that you may be asked to be medically examined by a doctor, occupational health professional or other special that we have chosen. In such an event, we will bear the expense of such medical examination.

We may wish to discuss the findings of any produced medical report with the specialist who produced the report, or with our advisers. We will always ask for your consent for the content of the medical report to be shared with us, as well as permission to proceed with any necessary discussions. All medical reports will be kept confidential and held in accordance with our Data Protection Policy.

FIRST SICKNESS ABSENCE MEETING (STAGE 1)

A sickness absence meeting will be conducted to make inquiries about:

1. the reasons for your absence;

2. how long it is likely to continue;

3. the likelihood of its recurrence;

4. if there is need to obtain a medical report; and

5. the availability of any steps that can be taken to improve your health and/or attendance.

When returning from a long-term absence, we may phase you back in to work on the basis of a return-to-work programme which will be created subject to agreement.

When returning from a short-term absence, we may set a target for you to improve your attendance within a set timescale.

At the conclusion of the meeting, we may decide to take no further action, set a date for review, or, where appropriate, issue you with a first warning. You will be informed in writing of the outcome of the meeting as soon as possible.

Where a first warning is issued, it will set out the improvement in attendance required and the timescale within which the improvement must be achieved. It will also warn you that a failure to improve may result in a further sickness absence meeting being held.

You have the right to appeal against any warning or decision made at this stage in accordance with the section headed "Appealing a decision" below.

SECOND SICKNESS ABSENCE MEETING (STAGE 2)

Where there has been no sufficient improvement in your attendance or health within the timescale set at the first sickness absence meeting, or where a long-term absence is continuing, we will hold a second sickness absence meeting. At this meeting we will again review the reasons for your absence, any medical evidence and the steps that may be taken to improve your health and/or attendance.

At the conclusion of the second meeting, we may decide to take no further action, set a further date for review, or issue you with a final warning. Any final warning will inform you that a failure to achieve and sustain the required improvement in attendance may result in your dismissal. You will be informed in writing of the outcome of the meeting as soon as possible and you have the right to appeal in accordance with the section headed "Appealing a decision" below.

FINAL SICKNESS ABSENCE MEETING (STAGE 3)

Where we have issued you with a warning, informing you that you could be dismissed due to absences and there is no significant change to the situation, we will hold a meeting with you to examine whether your employment should be terminated.

Before making a decision, we will give you the opportunity to raise matters you think are relevant or could help you. We will take these into consideration along with whether there have been any changes since our last meeting with you.

APPEALING A DECISION

You have the right to appeal the decision we reach at any stage of this procedure. To make an appeal, you will need to submit your appeal to the ________ in writing, stating your grounds of appeal. Your appeal should be submitted within from the date on which the decision was sent or given to you.

If your appeal is against a dismissal decision, then within two weeks of receiving your appeal, we will hold an appeal meeting. In order to ensure that the hearing is handled impartially, we will appoint a more senior personnel (such as a manager) who has no previous involvement in the matter, to preside over the appeal hearing.

You will be notified, in writing, of our final decision within one week of the appeal hearing. You do not have a further right to appeal.

We will not put the decision to dismiss on hold while the outcome of the appeal is pending. Rather, where your appeal is successful, we will overturn the decision to dismiss and there will be no break in your continued employment or pay.

This Sickness Absence Policy has been implemented following review and endorsement by all levels of management.

Signed: ___________________

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Date: ________