An Overview of Sickness Absence Procedures for Employees

At work, it is usual for employees to miss work due to injury or illness. Because of this, an employer must have a clear procedure for how to deal with employee absences. An established process allows an employee to properly declare their illness and provides a fair and consistent way to handle sick leave while allowing the employer to continue operating. When both the employer and employee know the process for reporting absence from work and the support needed for the absence will be provided, it will be easier to manage both the employee’s well-being and the employer’s business requirements.

Notifying the Company Regarding Absence

The first stage of any absence procedure is the call or notice to management of the absence. Employees must notify their line manager or human resources as soon as possible (preferably at the start of their working day) so the hiring company can arrange for a temporary employee to cover their workload and reduce disruption for the department.

Most companies will require their employee to outline their reason for absence and indicate an expected return date (if possible). A number of companies have their own methods of reporting, for example, by telephone, e-mail or in-house methods, which must be followed.

Clear and timely communication is essential at this point to avoid confusion and ensure sufficient documentation exists.

Submitting Medical Evidence

If you have a short-term illness, generally, there will be no requirement to submit any form of medical evidence; however, if your absence continues beyond the specified periods, there will be a requirement to furnish an acceptable medical certificate or letter from a physician.

The medical evidence will confirm to the employer that the employee is, in fact, sick and may also indicate an approximate period of time for recovery and/or potential limitations for the employee while returning to work.

If an employee is absent for an extended period of time, they may be required to provide ongoing updates about their medical condition to allow the employer to properly plan for their return to work or other assistance to ensure they return to work successfully.

Maintaining Contact While Out Sick

Establishing contact with the employee during an illness absence is critical to making the transition back into the workforce easier on both the employee and employer. Managers regularly reach out to their ill employees to provide support for recovery as well as to provide any necessary information about the employee’s return to work, whereas it is the ill employee’s responsibility to provide any updates regarding their illness or status.

When establishing contact with an employee while they are out sick, it is important for both parties to communicate respectfully and not to be invasive; meaning, it is not the employer’s intention to pressure an employee to return prior to the employee being ready. Effective communication between both the employer and employee keeps both parties up to date on the status of the partnership and minimises the likelihood of uncertainty.

Returning to Work

In many cases, a formal return-to-work meeting between an employee and their supervisor will be held prior to the employee returning to work. This is simply a conversation between both parties to identify whether or not the employee is able to perform their essential job functions.

At this time, the supervisor may want to discuss with the employee the reasons for the employee’s absence, their ongoing health concerns, and if any modifications need to be made to the employee’s job or workspace. This is also a good opportunity to discuss any other factors or conditions that may have contributed to the employee’s absence.

Having this meeting will help ease the employee’s return to work and give assurance to the employee that their employer is concerned about their welfare while out sick.

Modifications and Support for the Workplace

When an employee returns to work after an absence, sometimes they may need temporary modifications to their employment status. For example, an employee may have reduced hour requirements, lighter duty assignments, or flexible working arrangements based on the requirements of their health status.

Employers should work as cooperatively and as flexibly as possible with those employees who need these temporary modification requests. The flexibility shown by employers will support the employee in making a full recovery from an absence caused by a serious or long-term illness.

When employers provide their employees with appropriate support, this will assist them to achieve full recovery and will decrease the likelihood of the employee experiencing future absences due to the same medical issue.

Sickness absence procedures are meant to ensure that an employee’s illness is managed in a fair, consistent and caring way. Each step in the sickness absence procedure, from when an employee reports their absence until they return to work, is vital to ensuring that both the employee and company remain well supported and productive through all aspects of the employee’s illness. A clear, supportive sickness absence process will benefit all parties. The employee feels understood and supported by their employer and vice versa. Over time, having a structured and meaningful approach will create a healthier, more stable, and more productive work environment.