Attendance Support Program Staff Session

1. Attendance Support Program • Staff Session Feb

2. Fiscal 08/09 Statistics: • PRHC average 12.96 sick days • 25th percentile – 8.65 sick days • 87.61% of all absences fall within the 1 – 3 day range • PRHC trending upward while comparator hospitals are trending downward • On track this fiscal to be at or exceed last years average

3. Causes of Absenteeism: • Serious accidents and illness • Lack of job satisfaction • Inadequate or poor supervision • Personal problems (financial, marital, substance abuse) • Poor physical fitness / nutrition • Stress / workload • Employee discontent • Perceived entitlement to sick benefits

4. Attendance Support: • Develop a willingness on the part of all our employees to attend work regularly and to assist them in motivating their co-workers to attend work regularly.

5. Attendance Support: • This can be done by: • Addressing the physical and emotional needs of our employees • Communicating the attendance expectations of the Health Centre • Dealing with cases of excessive absenteeism effectively and fairly so deterrence can occur

6. Types of Absenteeism: • Culpable absenteeism are absences within the employees control such as: • Arriving to work late • Leaving work early • Unauthorized Leaves

7. Types of Absenteeism: • Non-Culpable absenteeism (or innocent absenteeism) are absences not within an employees control: • Hospitalization • Illness

8. Types of Absenteeism: Culpable absences are dealt with through the progressive discipline process Non-culpable absences are dealt with through the Attendance Support Program

9. Attendance Support Program • The program is designed to: • provide clear guidelines to reasonably and consistently manage attendance • ensure employees meet their obligations • promote awareness • assist employee’s in improving their attendance • recognize improved attendance • understand the root causes of absences

10. How does the Program Work? • applies to all staff, including management • outline’s roles and responsibilities • has 4 steps focused on improving attendance

11. Attendance Support Program • Exemptions: • Catastrophic event – such as heart attack, stroke • Surgical intervention • Leaves covered under the Employment Standards Act (ie: Family Medical Leave, Emergency Leave Days) • Consultation with Occupational Health and Human Resources required to determine exemption

12. Roles and Responsibilities: • The Employee: • To maintain regular attendance at work • To report all absences as per reporting processes • Identify reason for absence • Provide medical as required / requested • Initiate and maintain regular contact with Manager and Occupational Health • Identify the need for accommodation • Identify needed supports to maintain regular attendance at work

13. Roles and Responsibilities: • The Manager: • Monitor employee’s attendance • Meet with employee’s to discuss attendance record and identify concerns regarding ability to attend work • Record all discussions and provide records to Human Resources • Provide support to employee including discussing solutions / alternatives for improving attendance

14. Roles and Responsibilities: • The Manager cont’d: • Record absent calls on the Call-in Form • Ensure staff are aware of the requirement to contact Occupational Health Services and request the Attending Physician Statement • Communicate with Occupational Health Services regarding Attending Physicians Statement requests outside of normal parameters • Acknowledge good and improved attendance of all staff

15. Roles and Responsibilities: • Occupational Health Nurse: • Contact employee as required to provide guidance and support through their recovery and return to work • Collect medical documentation and verify fitness to work based on the medical received • Arrange for Physical Demands Analysis, Functional Abilities Evaluations • Maintain confidentiality of medical information

16. Roles and Responsibilities: • Human Resources: • Provide attendance statistics • Provide support and consultation on the program • Monitor program for consistency and application under the Ontario Human Rights Code • Participate in return to work and accommodation meetings

17. The Program Overview: • Informal Discussion ( occurs at 30 hours sick time) • Step 1 – Initial counseling (occurs at 52.5 hours of sick time) • Step 2 – Ongoing monitoring • Step 3 – Assessment • Step 4 – Follow-up and Action Plan

18. The Program Overview: • Progression through the steps occurs when 15 hours of sick is reached in a quarter (or sooner if identified) • If improved attendance (less than 15 hours of sick time) between quarters, remain on current step • Exit program when 12 consecutive months of improved attendance (less than 52.5 hours of sick)

19. Re-Entry to Program: • Occurs when the absences again exceed the standard as follows: • Within 12 months of exiting the program – re-enter the program at step exited from • Greater than 12 months of exiting the program – start program at informal stage • A total of 24 months of improved attendance is required in order to start the program over once on the program

20. Attending Physicians Statement: • ONLY accepted medical form – unless work related absence – WSIB FAF is accepted • Required to be completed following 3 or more days of medical absence • As requested by manager (ie: sick after vacation, sick on denied day off, Step 2 of program) – consult with Occupational Health

21. Attending Physicians Statement: • Accessible on intranet and Occupational Health • Must be completed PRIOR to payment for sick time • If APS is not completed, sick pay withheld and absence will be considered culpable