1. Background to sickness absence
[ch 1: page 7]Central government policy is an important influence on the management of sickness absence. It controls the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) scheme, other relevant state benefits, and government-funded programmes like Access to Work (see Chapter 3).
The government issues guidance to doctors on medical certification (the Fit Note, see page 36) and is responsible for wider legislation that affects absence management, like the Equality Act 2010 (EA10, see page 51). It initiates or supports research and policy development on sickness absence (see below) and can set an example (for better or worse) in its role as a major employer.
The SSP scheme, which underpins occupational sick pay, has seen little change in recent years (apart from annual uprating in line with the Consumer Prices Index and the phasing out of employer rebates — see page 85).