Sickness Absence Management Meeting Guidance Notes for Managers (Stage Two)

This guidance has been produced to give managers a step by step template to follow at the Stage Two Sickness Absence Management meeting.

Attendees:

• Manager to thank all parties for attending and ask meeting attendees to complete introductions.
• Remind all parties that electronic, audio or video recording by any device of the hearing will not be permitted.

Where the nominated notetaker at meetings and/or hearings associated with the process feels it is necessary to make an audio recording in order to support with the preparation of the notes, the requirement to make the recording will be clarified with all present at the start of the meeting.

If the employee was unaccompanied, state that the meeting proceeded without representation.

Reason for Meeting:

• To review (employee’s name) current health situation.
• To discuss the absences since the Stage One Meeting held on (insert date).
• To discuss (employee’s name) absences in the last 12 rolling months.
• To identify if there are any further support mechanisms that could be put in place to help reduce the absences.
• To look at the options available in line with the Sickness Absence Management Policy Procedures.

Absences from Work:

Discuss absences from work and how these absences have reached the trigger points. The absences that we were reviewing were:

• Start Date
• End Date
• Reason
• Total Working Days

Discussion to explore if there was any associated reason’s linked to the absences, for example, absence caused by a disability or personal, family or work related problems.

Discuss any return to work interviews, relevant supervision notes, reasonable adjustment request forms, and any previous Occupational Health (OH) advice.

Explain that management are concerned about the number of absences and that we want to ensure that we are supporting employee as much as possible to help them improve their attendance.

Current Health Situation:

• General discussion around how the employee is feeling.
• The nature of employee’s ill health and any progress or improvements.
• If long term absence is there a likely return to work date.
• Discuss any recent Occupational Health reports (if applicable).
• Employee is asked to provide an explanation as to why attendance has not improved since the last Stage One Meeting.

Support Available:

• Discuss any support we can offer in order to assist in returning to work or improve level of attendance.
• Reference to OH reports.
• If still absent from work, could we accommodate employee returning to work in a different capacity until you are fully fit to resume normal duties.
• Discuss any reasonable adjustments for the employee if needed. Refer to the Disabled Employees section of the policy if the adjustment is for an employee with a disability.
• Discuss referring to OH for advice on fitness to undertake duties, any reasonable adjustments or advice on ongoing health. Where applicable, arrange follow up meeting on receipt of OH advice.
• Discuss whether redeployment should be considered (with OH advice).
• Pay status, that is to say when reduce to half/nil sick pay. Discuss option of taking annual leave during absence.
• If recommended by OH consideration for those in the Local Government Pension Scheme to be assessed for ill health retirement.

Sickness Absence Management Procedure:

Explain that the employee’s absences will continue to be monitored and set a review period of (X) months, ending on (insert date).

Should the employee have any absences during the review period, this will be discussed at the end of the review.

Ensure the employee understands we are continuing to support them as much as possible in order to help them improve their attendance. If there are any further adjustments/support which the employee feel may be of benefit ask them to discuss with you.

If at the end of the review period, the employees attendance has improved they will enter a 12 months "live" period (commencing at the end of the review period) during which the employee is required to sustain the improvement. Should they have further absences during this "live" period and the absences, on a rolling 12 months basis, cause them to hit the Council’s trigger points once again, a decision could be made to proceed to a Stage Three Hearing.

Make the employee aware that a possible outcome of a Stage Three Hearing could be dismissal.

If Redeployment has been recommended by OH discuss the following:

Redeployment

As you remain unfit due to your underlying medical condition to return to your post of (Job Title) we discussed looking for redeployment opportunities, as recommended by OH.

HR will advise on any suitable vacancies that may be available and we may need to seek further advice and guidance from OH and Health and Safety on suitability for any identified roles.

Ensure the employee has a copy of the Sickness Absence Management Policy and Procedure.

A letter will be sent to confirm the outcome of the meeting Stage Two Outcome Letter.

Ill Health Retirement

If OH have identified that the employee may be eligible for Ill health Retirement, explain to the employee that in line with the Local Government Pension Fund Regulations, before determining whether or not a member of the LGPS is entitled to a Tier One, Tier Two or Tier Three ill health pension, the Council must obtain a medical certificate from an Independent Registered Medical Practitioner (IRMP) who has not previously advised on, or given an opinion on, or otherwise been involved in the case and who has been authorised by the Pension Fund administering authority.

Therefore, advise the employee that authorisation will be sought to proceed and that they will be required to give consent to the application of Ill health Retirement, before the Council can proceed.

The employee must also be informed that their case will now be escalated to a Stage Three Case Review Hearing, where a final determination regarding their employment and Ill Health Retirement would be made.

Final Reminders:

Remind them of the Council's free and confidential Employee Assistance Programme, which is available to you. Give them a card and leaflet and signpost them to the page on the intranet.

Ask if any meeting attendees have any questions?

Thank all parties for attending the meeting