Revised Sickness Absence Policy

1. Revised Sickness Absence Policy

2. Major Revisions • Introduction of Absence Co-ordinators • Compulsory Return to Work meetings • Increased Human Resources Role • Monthly Sickness Absence reports • Amended Trigger Points and review meetings • Amended Flowchart

3. Areas that remain unchanged • Patterns of Absence • If an employee's attendance pattern is such that it can be reasonably considered that there is deliberate abuse or manipulation of the University's absence procedure or sickness payment entitlements then that matter may also be treated as misconduct and will be investigated appropriately

4. Role of Staff • Attend work regularly at the times required • Report sickness absence to line manager on first day of absence • Failure to make contact

5. Information Required on First day of Absence • Reason for Absence • Anticipate attending Doctor • Likely duration

6. Contact During Absence • 4th Day absence – contact Line Manager • 8 or more days absence – make contact with line manager again • Home Visits

7. Sickness Certificates • Return to work before 8th consecutive day – Self Certify Appendix 3 • Absence in excess of 7 consecutive days – Doctors Certificate • Failure to follow reporting & Certification – may lead to Disciplinary Action

8. Role of Line Managers Have a Responsible for managing absence within their defined area to: • Ensure contact procedures are followed by all members of staff • Ensure reason for absence is recorded • Discuss sickness absence with members of staff after periods of absence • Take appropriate action in accordance with the provisions of the policy • Analyse absences, paying particular attention to the frequency and patterns of absence

9. The ‘Return to Work’ Meeting • Line Managers will hold a return to work meeting with the employee after a period of sickness or disability-related absence • On the day of return to work • Complete Appendix 3 Sickness Absence Form (SAF)

10. Role of Human Resources • Advice and support in the application of the Policy in individual cases • Maintaining records of all absence • Monthly statistical management information to assist in monitoring • Review absence levels both of individuals and within sections to ensure consistency of treatment. • Meet with HoD on a Regular basis to review attendance levels

11. Monthly Sickness Absence Reports Human Resources will provide sickness absence reports to management on a monthly basis. • Number of absences in a rolling 12 month period • Reason for each absence • Length of each absence in working days only • Self-certified or authorised by a doctor’s certificate • Cumulative number of working days absence in the year • Total Absence score for reporting period

12. Short term Absence • Short-term absences are defined as those which cumulatively last for less than 20 working days within a rolling 12 month period. • The manager shall review absence levels on a more formal basis when, in any 12 month rolling period, a threshold index of 45 is exceeded.

13. Trigger Points • Example 1 • 5 days + 5 days + 5 days = 15 days x 3 occasions of absence = 45 (on threshold) • Example 2 • 1 day + 1 day + 1 day + 1 day + 1 day + 1 day + 1 day = 7 days x 7 occasions of absence = 49 ( above threshold of 45) • Example 3 • 3. days + 2 days + 3 days = 8 days x 3 occasions = 24 (below threshold of 45)

14. Stage 1 - 1st Sickness Absence Review Meeting • Review attendance record during the relevant period; • Opportunity to discuss any problems or raise any concerns; • Decide whether any further action • Referral to Occupational Health • To set a target for improvement • To set a period over which absence levels will be monitored; • To inform the member of staff that if attendance does not improve within the time period being monitored, a 2nd Sickness Absence Review meeting will be held

15. Action Taken Form (ATF) (Appendix 4) The outcome of this meeting may be one of the following • No Further Action • Monitoring, follow up meeting • Referral to Human Resources • Referral to Occupational Health (via Human Resources) • Referral to Equality and Diversity Services • An agreed target for improvement and a period over which absence levels will be monitored; • Other…………………………..

16. Stage 2 - 2nd Sickness Absence Review Meeting • Review attendance record during the relevant period; • Review the support offered in achieving the required level of attendance; • Opportunity to discuss any problems or raise any concerns • Review Occupational Health advice that has been received; • To set a target for improvement a period over which absence levels will be monitored; • To inform the member of staff that if attendance does not improve a 3rd Sickness Absence Review meeting will be held. • To give the member of staff an opportunity to disclose a disability

17. Action Taken Form (ATF) • The outcome of this meeting may be one of the following • No Further Action • Monitoring, follow up meeting • Referral to Human Resources • Referral to Occupational Health (via Human Resources) • Referral to Equality and Diversity Services • An agreed target for improvement and a period over which absence levels will be monitored; • Other…………………………..

18. Improvement at stage 2 If, after a period of satisfactory improvement based on the targets set at stage 2 the individual's absence levels then exceeds athreshold index of 45, within a 12 month rolling period (repeated short term absence), Stage 2 of the Sickness Absence Policy will be repeated.

19. Non Improvement at Stage 2 • If during the specified monitoring period following the 2nd Sickness Absence Review meeting, absence exceeds the improvement target this will trigger a 3rd Sickness Absence Review Meeting. • The meeting will be with the Head of Department and a representative of the HR Consultancy Team.

20. Stage 3 - 3rd Sickness Absence Review Meeting • Review attendance record during the relevant period; • Review support offered to achieving the required level of attendance; • Opportunity to discuss any problems or raise any concerns, • Review Occupational Health advice that has been received; • To inform the member of staff that his/her job may be at risk if their attendance levels do not improve; • To issue a final caution, set a target for improvement and a period over which absence levels will be monitored • To give the member of staff a further opportunity to disclose a disability

21. Improvement at Stage 3 If, after a period of satisfactory improvement based on the targets set at stage 3 the individual's absence levels then exceeds athreshold index of 45, within a 12 month rolling period (repeated short term absence), Stage 3 of the Sickness Absence Policy will be repeated.

22. Non Improvement stage 3 • A Final Caution • If it has been decided not to issue a final caution, but to extend the monitoring period, the individual's sickness absence pattern will be monitored over an appropriate, specified period.

23. Stage 4 - Final Absence Review Meeting: • If during the specified monitoring period following the issue of a final caution, absence exceeds the improvement target this will trigger a Final Sickness Absence Review meeting. The meeting will be held in accordance with the relevant disciplinary policy for the staff category under consideration which may result in dismissal.

24. Employee Telephones in sick Complete Part 1 Sickness Action Form (SAF Appendix 3) HR Monthly Report 45 Threshold Exceeded Employee returns to work Complete Action Taken Form AFT Appendix 4 1st Stage absence meeting Stage 1 -Target not met Exceeds 45 12 month period repeat stage 2 Line Manager and Employee meet. Complete Part 2 Sickness Action Form (SAF Appendix 3) Complete Action Taken Form AFT Appendix 4 2nd stage absence meeting Stage 2 -Target not met Exceeds 45 12 month period repeat stage 3 Final Caution 3rd Stage absence meeting Stage3 - Target not met Dismissal

25. Long Term Absence • Sickness absence in excess of four weeks • Referral to Occupational health • Maintaining contact • First stage, Second stage and Non Improvement/Final Review

26. Role of Occupational Health • Specialist advice • Case Management • Referral

27. Equality & Diversity ServicesEquality and Diversity Services will liaise with a disabled member of staff and their line manager where necessary to ensure that reasonable adjustments are addressed.