LRD guides and handbook March 2022

Sickness absence and sick pay - a guide for trade unions and working people

Employment relations and workplace culture can be enhanced — or damaged — depending on how well sickness absence, disability and worker wellbeing are handled. And if work or poor management is itself causing health problems, that has to be attended to.

Union reps need an understanding of sickness and disability issues, what protections the law has to offer, what the workplace rules are or should be, and any aspects of the job or management that may be contributing to sickness at work.

This new LRD trade union booklet, aimed specifically at trade unions, union reps and the workers they represent, contributes to that by giving a clear understanding of sickness absence and how it should be managed, as well as new information about the aftermath of Covid-19 and its impact on sickness absence in the workplace.

Introduction

Introduction [page 3] (450 words)

It is natural for anyone with a job to be unable to work at one time or another for health-related reasons. Being absent from work is always a worry, ...
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Chapter 1

1. Covid-19 and its impact [ch 1: page 4] (252 words)

All aspects of sickness absence policy came under the microscope during the pandemic. What changed? And which of those changes might help in ...
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Long Covid [ch 1: page 4] (169 words)

Pandemic revealed scope for change [ch 1: page 5] (161 words)

Temporary changes [ch 1: pages 5-6] (351 words)

Employer adaptations [ch 1: page 6] (115 words)

Chapter 2

2. Understanding sickness absence [ch 2: page 7] (200 words)

Negotiations and policy updates may focus on statistics or evidence of “excessive sickness absence” or “days lost” (lost to the employer). ...
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Evidence on sickness absence [ch 2: pages 7-8] (414 words)

Absence under Covid-19 [ch 2: pages 8-9] (294 words)

Workforce sickness patterns [ch 2: pages 9-10] (541 words)

Specific health problems [ch 2: page 10] (185 words)

Caring responsibilities [ch 2: page 11] (76 words)

Violence and personal safety [ch 2: page 11] (57 words)

Domestic and partner abuse [ch 2: page 11] (122 words)

Chapter 3

3. Protecting incomes [ch 3: page 12] (75 words)

Workers will not feel secure in coping with sickness absence or disability if it results in a significant loss of income. Income protection during ...
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Statutory sick pay [ch 3: pages 12-13] (757 words)

Eligibility for SSP [ch 3: pages 13-14] (447 words)

Disputes over SSP [ch 3: pages 14-15] (126 words)

Occupational Sick Pay [ch 3: pages 15-16] (579 words)

Sick pay checklist [ch 3: pages 16-17] (332 words)

Improving Occupational Sick Pay [ch 3: pages 17-20] (1,076 words)

Extended occupational sick pay [ch 3: page 20] (254 words)

Infectious diseases [ch 3: page 20] (79 words)

Time off for medical appointments [ch 3: page 21] (85 words)

Disability leave [ch 3: page 21] (172 words)

Dependants and family emergencies [ch 3: pages 21-22] (189 words)

Other paid leave [ch 3: pages 22-23] (792 words)

Holidays, sickness absence and “leavism” [ch 3: pages 23-25] (771 words)

Contractual leave and sickness absence [ch 3: page 25] (94 words)

Employment and Support Allowance [ch 3: pages 25-26] (238 words)

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit [ch 3: page 26] (96 words)

Chapter 4

4. Managing absence [ch 4: page 27] (109 words)

The statistics in Chapter 2 show just how diverse the factors are behind both short-term and longer-term sickness absence. Procedures for managing ...
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General duties [ch 4: page 27] (143 words)

Formal policy [ch 4: pages 27-30] (834 words)

Absence policy checklist [ch 4: page 30] (176 words)

Short and long-term absence [ch 4: pages 30-31] (231 words)

Managers and sickness absence [ch 4: page 31] (176 words)

Employee responsibilities [ch 4: page 31] (70 words)

Notifying the employer about sickness absence [ch 4: pages 31-33] (659 words)

Self-certification [ch 4: page 33] (74 words)

Fit Note [ch 4: pages 33-34] (586 words)

Managing long Covid [ch 4: pages 34-35] (386 words)

Keeping in touch [ch 4: pages 35-36] (314 words)

Returning to work [ch 4: pages 36-37] (574 words)

Prolonged absence [ch 4: pages 37-38] (335 words)

Trigger points [ch 4: pages 38-40] (663 words)

Procedures checklist [ch 4: pages 40-41] (519 words)

Terminal illness [ch 4: page 42] (278 words)

Collecting information on sickness absence [ch 4: pages 42-46] (1,323 words)

Occupational Health [ch 4: page 46] (214 words)

Investigating absence [ch 4: pages 46-47] (286 words)

Surveillance [ch 4: page 47] (261 words)

Disciplinary proceedings [ch 4: pages 47-49] (629 words)

Capability [ch 4: page 49] (381 words)

Penalties that stop short of dismissal [ch 4: page 50] (242 words)

Capability and dismissal checklist [ch 4: page 50] (116 words)

Frustration of contract [ch 4: page 51] (137 words)

Selection for redundancy [ch 4: page 51] (96 words)

Appeal [ch 4: page 51] (95 words)

Unfair dismissal [ch 4: pages 51-52] (187 words)

Constructive dismissal [ch 4: page 52] (336 words)

Collective response [ch 4: page 53] (226 words)

Chapter 5

5. Equality and sickness absence [ch 5: pages 54-55] (492 words)

Employers must avoid discrimination when they are managing sickness absence, mindful of “protected characteristics” within their workforce. Long ...
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Age and sickness absence [ch 5: page 55] (197 words)

Disability and sickness absence [ch 5: pages 56-57] (699 words)

Deemed disabilities [ch 5: pages 57-58] (217 words)

Reasonable adjustments [ch 5: pages 58-61] (1,703 words)

Disability discrimination [ch 5: pages 62-63] (779 words)

Further information

Further information [page 64] (103 words)

* Statutory Sick Pay: https://www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay ...
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