Managing Absence

Principles of Effective Absence Management

At AHACCOUNTANTS, we understand the critical importance of effective absence management for businesses. If you are an employer in the Nottingham area, we can provide assistance and additional information on managing employee absences.

The Impact of Absence on Business

Recent surveys indicate that employee absence significantly affects business profitability, with thousands of man-hours lost every day. Statistics show that the average employee loses 4.3 days each year due to absence, costing a median of £522 per employee. Notably, approximately two-thirds of working time lost to absence is attributed to short-term absences lasting up to seven days.

Key Principles of Effective Absence Management

1. Good Absence Management Procedures

A staggering 94% of surveyed businesses confirm that tightening attendance policies significantly helps control absence levels, especially since 60% of all absences are for minor illnesses lasting less than five days.

2. Distinguishing Between Short and Long-Term Absence

Employers must differentiate between short-term and long-term absences when managing sickness. For short but persistent absences, disciplinary action may be warranted after appropriate investigation. In contrast, long-term sickness absence requires a different approach.

Short-Term Absence Management

Managing short-term absence involves several key steps:

• Establish Clear Procedures: Implement a clear process for reporting absence, including return-to-work interviews with line management and the completion of self-certification forms, even for one-day absences. This ensures monitoring and accurate record-keeping.
• Monitor Absence Trends: Regularly review absence data for emerging patterns. Frequent short absences may indicate malingering, or they could signal a deeper issue. Tracking statistics can help prompt early intervention.
• Conduct Return-to-Work Interviews: These interviews should be led by the employee’s immediate line manager to uncover the reasons for absence and identify potential underlying issues.
• Flexibility for Personal Issues: If an absence stems from personal issues unrelated to work, employers should consider how much flexibility they can offer to help the employee address these matters.
• Consider Medical Reports: If there may be a medical condition causing the absences, the employer should consider requesting a medical report to identify any underlying issues and potential links to disability discrimination.
• Communicate Policies on Sick Pay: Ensure that all employees understand that abuse of sick pay provisions will lead to disciplinary action.
• Counsel for Improvement: If there’s no valid medical reason for absences, counsel the employee on expected improvements and warn them of the consequences if improvements are not observed.
• Compliance with the Equality Act 2010: If absences relate to medical appointments or treatment, reasonable adjustments should be made, allowing time off as needed.
• Dismissal Procedures: If it becomes necessary to dismiss an employee without a defined medical condition, it may be for misconduct. Employers must follow fair procedures, considering the nature and length of illness and the employee’s service record.

Long-Term Absence Management

Key steps for managing long-term absence include:

• Similar Procedures as Short-Term Absence: Absence procedures, monitoring, and return-to-work interviews are just as crucial for long-term absences.
• Seek Medical Advice: Gather medical insights to assess whether the employee’s condition qualifies as a disability and their capability to perform their role moving forward.
• Request Specific Information: Be clear about the information needed from the medical report, such as the nature of the illness, the employee’s ability to perform their role, the expected duration of the illness, and reasonable adjustments that could help.
• Conduct Welfare Visits: Once medical evidence is obtained, consult with the employee based on the doctor’s recommendations.
• Listen to Employee Proposals: Actively consider the employee’s suggestions for returning to work.
• Investigate Work-Related Causes: If the illness is work-related, identify root causes and discuss ways to reduce these influences, such as providing additional support or training.
• Document Everything: Keep detailed written records of what is expected from the employee and the steps the employer will take to support them, ensuring clarity and fairness.
• Dismissal Considerations: If dismissal is necessary, it will likely be on the grounds of capability. Ensure compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and that a fair procedure has been followed.

Understanding Disability

Under the Equality Act 2010, a disability is defined by three criteria:

1. The employee must have a physical or mental impairment.
2. The impairment must substantially affect their ability to perform normal day-to-day activities, such as using a phone or public transport.
3. The effect of the impairment must be long-term, meaning it has lasted for at least 12 months or is likely to last that long.

Discrimination and Reasonable Adjustments

Discrimination Arising from Disability: A disabled person is discriminated against if they are treated unfavorably due to something arising from their disability, and the employer cannot prove that the treatment is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. This does not apply if the employer can demonstrate that they were unaware of the disability.

Reasonable Adjustments: If a medical report identifies a disability, employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments. This can include physical modifications to the workplace, providing equipment, or adjusting the role itself, such as reallocating tasks or altering work hours. Employers must also consider transferring the employee to a suitable vacant position.

Conclusion

Effective absence management requires a comprehensive approach that considers both short-term and long-term absences, compliance with legal requirements, and a focus on employee welfare. If you are an employer in the Nottingham area and need support with absence management, please reach out to us at AHACCOUNTANTS. We are here to help!