Managing Short Term Absence Naw Pres Slides May 2011

Managing Short Term Absence

Neil Wilson

Overview

Top of the Sick Parade

• Young people• Manual workers• Office workers• Overtime workers• Shift workers• Larger teams/groups• Company sick pay recipients

Facts and Figures

• See Handout

The Cost to Your Business

Cost• 10 staff=£6000• 20 staff=£12000• 50 staff=£30000• 100 staff=£60000• 200 staff=£120000• 1000 staff=£600000

Days Lost• 77 days• 154 days• 385 days• 770 days• 1540 days• 7700 days

Measure the Problem

• Cost your absence• Direct Cost-sick pay, pensions, cost of

cover• Effect on Service Delivery

Action Point One

Calculate the cost and days lost for

your business

Common Causes

General• Cold• Flu• Stomach Upset• Stress (Non Manual)

Manual• Back Pain• Musculoskeletal • Home and Family

Beware• Genuine illness• Pregnancy• Disability

Action Point Two

Work Out The Sickness Profile (Reasons) for Your Business

Benefits of Managing Absence

• Reduction in Cost• Discourage “Chucking a Sickie”• Better Engagement with Employees

Set Objectives

• Reduction in % rate• Reduction in Cost• Reduction in Average Days• Line manager/Department Targets

Action Point Three

Set clear, measurable, achievable targets for your business

A Policy on Managing Short Term Absence

• Line Manager Involvement • Trigger Levels• Reporting Procedures• Provision of Sick Pay AND Conditions• Return to Work Interviews• Caution Procedure-Separate to

Disciplinary• Employee Engagement

Action Point Four

Review and Revise OR Introduce Your Absence Management Policy

Line Manager Involvement

• Large or Small Company-Lack of HR Focus

• Consider Incentives• Empower Managers• Train Managers

Action Point Five

Involve, Train and Help Line Managers-Do Not Assume They Are

Automatically Skilled to do This

Trigger Points

• Number of Periods of Absence• Number of Days Off• Bradford Factor

Reporting Procedures

• Before a Certain Time• Direct Personal Contact via Telephone• Take/Retain Contact Details• Regular Contact “Daily”!• Self Certification • Medical Certificates

Action Point Six

Review, Revise and IMPLEMENT a New Reporting Procedure

A Little Help For You

• “I do not employ mummy, daddy, granny, brother, sister, boyfriend, girlfriend so I do not want to speak to them”

• “I do not accept text messages”• I do not believe you have no credit left on your

phone, go and get some or go to a call box”• “I do not believe you were simply too ill to

make a phone call”

Handling Short Term Absence

Return to work interviews• Enquire into the reason for the absence• Are these consistent with other reliable

evidence?• Address and discuss any doubts• Invite and allow the employee to

explain

Investigating Short Term Absence

Investigating Further• Any pattern to the absence e.g. same days,

same reasons• Proportion of certified or self certification • Reasons given compared to previous

reasons• Assess previous return to work interview

information• Consider any other evidence that might be

available

Absence Review Meeting

• More than just a return to work interview• Positive and constructive, help,

encourage and understand• Absence levels present a problem to the

organisation • Explore reasons• Practical steps to reduce • Outcome=agreed improvement plan• Monitor

Action Point Seven

Train managers on Back to Work Interviews. Do mock interviews,

come on we’ve already heard all the excuses in the book, the training

can be fun

Cautions

• Frequent absence with good reason not misconduct

• Disability discrimination protection• Informal Procedures• Communicate Expectations/Targets• First Caution• Final Caution • Dismissal • Statutory Procedures • Unauthorised Absence-Discipline

Employee Engagement

• Consult• Explain Reasons for Policy• Include at Induction• Maintain Contact-this is not harassment• Signed agreement-via handbook receipt

Action Point Eight

Remove the doubt, signature for the policy

Personnel Files

• Document Everything• Signed Policy• Notes of Employee Reporting-Note EMPLOYEE,

not GRAN!• Return To Work Interview Notes• Self Certification Forms• Informal Meeting Notes• Cautions• Warning

Action Point Nine

Record, Record, Record

Other Helpful Points

• Company Sick Pay (waiting days, particular absence, discretionary, service related)

• Medical Certificates for Short Term-note cost!

• Attendance Bonuses• Additional Holiday Incentives• Influence Key Decisions, Promotion,

Redundancy

Action Point Ten

Put an action plan in place for your business

Employment Appeal Tribunal Guidelines

• Fair review by the employer of attendance record and reasons for absence

• Opportunity for employee to make representations

• Appropriate warnings of dismissal if the situation does not improve

• Adherence to the ACAS Code of Practice

EAT Guidance on Factors Relevant to Employment Tribunal Evidence

• Nature of any illness (if there is one!)• Likelihood of recurring further absence• Length and frequency of absence and periods of

attendance between them• Employers need for the work to be done by a

particular employee• The impact of the absences on other employees• Adoption and exercise of fair and

consistent absence policies and procedures

• Extent to which the problem for the employer has been explained to the employee

The Employer Support Pack

“Chad law ESP”

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