Absences due to employee sickness represent a significant cost your business and can impact on productivity and staff morale.
Whether you are managing a long-term, intermittent or short-term absence, you must follow a fair process.
Short-term absences
If your employee is absent on a short-term basis, you must monitor their absences and conduct return-to-work interviews.
If you identify there is a problem, you should meet with the employee to discuss your concerns and give them a chance to improve.
If there is no improvement, you may have to issue a formal warning, which makes the employee aware that their poor attendance could ultimately lead to their dismissal.
Long-term absences
With a long-term absence, the primary aim is to help the employee return to work. If this is not possible, an employer may consider dismissing the employee on grounds of ‘capability’.
Before reaching such a decision, an employer needs to demonstrate they have consulted with the employee, obtained relevant medical information and considered if there are any adjustments that can be made to help the employee return to work.
This is particularly important where the medical problem could be deemed to be a disability under the Equality Act.
How Mentor could help
Your Mentor Consultant could provide the advice and support you need to implement fair policies and procedures, and follow them.
Should you also require a medical report, your Mentor Consultant can arrange for a referral to be made with a leading occupational health provider.