Absence Management

Sickness absence Most organisations are increasingly recognising the significant costs associated with high levels of employee absence. At the same time, managers are often unsure about the nature of the problems they may be facing, or about how staff absence can be most effectively minimised. The information and links on this page are designed to help organisations manage both short and long-term sickness absence in a legal, supportive and effective way.

Absence Management Policies - for free download

Policy 1 - Policy for controlling absence, clearly outlining the stages involved, an appeal process, a procedures checklist and a template 'Return to Work' form

Policy 2 - Alternative Absence Management policy - also makes reference to suggested 'trigger' points which trigger management actions.

Useful Links

Free Absence Management Tool
From a partnership of the Health & Safety Executive, ACAS and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

Health & Safety Executive
Good advice on all aspects of managing sickness absence

Practical advice from Business Link
Good advice on many aspect of managing sickness including monitoring arrangements

Employee sickness absence - a complete guide for employers
Two part article from Bytestart - a small business portal

Absence Management - Related Documents

Statement of Fitness to Work
GPs no longer issue medical certificates, these have changed to 'statements of Fitness for Work'. This is a booklet from Dept of Work and Pensions explaining the new arrangements.

Absence Management - Recommended Book

"Off The Sick List! - How To Turn Employee Absence Into Attendance" by Kate Russell

This is an excellent book for any manager who wants to bring the absence rate down in their organisation. It includes: how to manage the absence process from the first instance of sickness, hold high impact return-to-work meetings, recognising patterns, trigger points, when disciplinary action is appropriate, handling complaints of stress effectively and managing employees with serious health problems. It also contains sample procedures, forms and letters.

It is highly recommended, and available from the Amazon link on the cover for £6.99.

Human Resource Solutions offer these documents to UK organisations only as a service, but cannot be responsible or liable to any person or entity in respect of any cost, loss or damage caused, consequential or otherwise, directly or indirectly by the information contained in the policies and procedures or their component parts, to include any mistakes therein.