LRD guides and handbook December 2018

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

Introduction

Introduction [pages 5-6] (755 words)

The context for negotiations and representation over sickness absence and sick pay has moved on since the last LRD guide was published in 2015. ...
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Chapter 1

1. Background to sickness absence [ch 1: page 7] (144 words)

Central government policy is an important influence on the management of sickness absence. It controls the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) scheme, other ...
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Focus on absence [ch 1: page 7] (201 words)

‘Improving lives’ [ch 1: pages 7-8] (217 words)

Potential gains [ch 1: pages 8-9] (435 words)

Employers and managers [ch 1: page 9] (119 words)

Patterns of absence [ch 1: pages 9-10] (192 words)

General absence levels [ch 1: pages 10-11] (412 words)

Variations in sickness absence [ch 1: page 11] (314 words)

Public/private sector [ch 1: page 12] (331 words)

Workplace size [ch 1: page 12] (83 words)

Hours of work [ch 1: page 13] (173 words)

Occupation and technological change [ch 1: page 13] (194 words)

Causes of sickness absence [ch 1: pages 13-14] (236 words)

Minor illnesses [ch 1: pages 14-15] (259 words)

Musculoskeletal disorders [ch 1: page 15] (246 words)

Mental ill health [ch 1: pages 15-16] (478 words)

Work-related mental health problems [ch 1: pages 16-18] (617 words)

Specific health conditions [ch 1: page 18] (81 words)

Drugs and alcohol [ch 1: page 18] (157 words)

Obesity [ch 1: page 18] (109 words)

Migraine [ch 1: pages 18-19] (286 words)

‘Spectrum’ conditions [ch 1: page 19] (89 words)

Presenteeism [ch 1: pages 19-21] (650 words)

Leavism [ch 1: page 21] (165 words)

The union effect [ch 1: pages 21-22] (318 words)

Claims and agreements [ch 1: page 22] (286 words)

Chapter 2

2. Absence management [ch 2: page 23] (151 words)

Every employer must have some system for managing employee sickness absence, one that at least provides for sick pay to be paid in line with the ...
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General legal framework [ch 2: page 23] (294 words)

Sickness absence policy [ch 2: page 24] (290 words)

What counts as sickness absence? [ch 2: pages 24-25] (383 words)

NHS absence management policy [ch 2: pages 25-26] (513 words)

Who the absence policy applies to [ch 2: page 27] (109 words)

Principles [ch 2: pages 27-28] (392 words)

Management [ch 2: page 28] (227 words)

Employees [ch 2: page 28] (67 words)

Procedures [ch 2: pages 28-29] (553 words)

Notifying sickness absence [ch 2: pages 30-31] (416 words)

Method of notification [ch 2: page 31] (169 words)

Becoming ill at work [ch 2: page 31] (42 words)

Accidents and work-related ill health [ch 2: pages 32-33] (434 words)

Employer responses to absence [ch 2: page 33] (56 words)

Certification of sickness absence [ch 2: page 33] (51 words)

Self-certification [ch 2: page 33] (118 words)

Keeping in touch [ch 2: pages 33-34] (437 words)

Short and long-term absence [ch 2: pages 34-35] (473 words)

Medical evidence [ch 2: page 35] (147 words)

Fit Notes [ch 2: page 36] (397 words)

Using the Fit Note [ch 2: pages 36-37] (203 words)

Reforming the Fit Note [ch 2: page 37] (200 words)

Fit for Work [ch 2: pages 37-38] (431 words)

Occupational Health Services [ch 2: pages 38-40] (860 words)

Return to work [ch 2: page 41] (418 words)

Trigger points [ch 2: pages 41-42] (940 words)

The Bradford Factors system [ch 2: page 44] (344 words)

Rehabilitation [ch 2: page 45] (76 words)

Access to Work [ch 2: page 45] (249 words)

Records and data [ch 2: pages 45-48] (1,152 words)

Data subject access [ch 2: pages 48-49] (420 words)

Surveillance [ch 2: pages 49-50] (278 words)

Terminal illness [ch 2: page 50] (257 words)

Chapter 3

3. Equality [ch 3: page 51] (202 words)

In addition to the general legal framework surrounding sickness absence management (see Chapter 2), equality law plays a very important role in ...
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Equality law [ch 3: pages 51-52] (462 words)

Age [ch 3: page 52] (64 words)

Age and absence [ch 3: pages 53-54] (829 words)

Disability [ch 3: pages 54-55] (362 words)

Definition of disability [ch 3: pages 55-56] (563 words)

Disability discrimination [ch 3: pages 56-57] (386 words)

Reasonable adjustments [ch 3: pages 57-58] (317 words)

When adjustments are needed [ch 3: pages 58-59] (591 words)

Adjusting sick pay [ch 3: page 59] (38 words)

Adjusting workloads and responsibilities [ch 3: pages 59-60] (456 words)

Adjusting absence management [ch 3: pages 60-61] (205 words)

Adjusting trigger points [ch 3: pages 61-62] (579 words)

Disability Confident scheme [ch 3: page 62] (61 words)

Gender reassignment [ch 3: pages 62-63] (269 words)

Pregnancy and maternity [ch 3: pages 63-64] (550 words)

Fertility [ch 3: pages 64-65] (291 words)

Maternity suspension [ch 3: page 65] (349 words)

Race [ch 3: page 66] (211 words)

Sex [ch 3: page 66] (241 words)

Menopause [ch 3: pages 67-68] (511 words)

Menstruation [ch 3: page 68] (80 words)

Sexual orientation [ch 3: page 68] (164 words)

Domestic violence and partner abuse [ch 3: pages 69-70] (477 words)

Part-time and fixed-term workers [ch 3: page 70] (194 words)

Casual and zero hours work [ch 3: pages 70-71] (457 words)

Agency workers and contractors [ch 3: pages 71-72] (384 words)

Self-employment [ch 3: pages 72-73] (328 words)

Bogus self-employment and sick pay [ch 3: pages 73-74] (690 words)

Flexible working [ch 3: pages 74-75] (481 words)

Dependants and family emergencies [ch 3: pages 75-76] (328 words)

Holidays and sickness absence [ch 3: page 76] (147 words)

Accrual [ch 3: page 76] (46 words)

Rescheduling leave [ch 3: pages 76-77] (152 words)

Leave or sickness absence? [ch 3: page 77] (88 words)

Carry-forward to another holiday year [ch 3: pages 77-78] (540 words)

How far can leave be carried forward [ch 3: pages 78-79] (440 words)

Health and recruitment [ch 3: page 79] (214 words)

TUPE and sickness absence [ch 3: pages 79-80] (121 words)

Chapter 4

4. Wellbeing [ch 4: pages 81-82] (558 words)

For some employers, the issue of sickness absence is now being considered in a wider framework of employee wellbeing. In response to the 2011 ...
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Raising standards [ch 4: pages 82-83] (705 words)

Negotiating wellbeing [ch 4: page 84] (289 words)

Chapter 5

5. Statutory Sick Pay [ch 5: page 85] (240 words)

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) provides a framework for the way that employers manage sickness absence (see Chapter 2) but it is primarily designed to ...
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How much SSP is worth [ch 5: page 85] (161 words)

Qualifying for SSP [ch 5: pages 85-87] (591 words)

When SSP is payable [ch 5: page 87] (138 words)

Workforce groups [ch 5: page 87] (66 words)

Agricultural workers [ch 5: pages 87-88] (265 words)

Casual, zero hours and agency workers [ch 5: page 88] (161 words)

Educational term-time workers [ch 5: page 88] (100 words)

Mariners [ch 5: page 88] (22 words)

More than one job [ch 5: page 89] (477 words)

Working outside the UK [ch 5: page 90] (41 words)

Disputes over Statutory Sick Pay [ch 5: page 90] (150 words)

Employment and Support Allowance [ch 5: pages 90-91] (274 words)

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit [ch 5: page 91] (157 words)

The future for Statutory Sick Pay [ch 5: page 91] (292 words)

Chapter 6

6. Occupational Sick Pay [ch 6: pages 92-93] (757 words)

The gap between SSP and normal earnings is often filled by an occupational sick pay scheme (OSP), otherwise known as contractual sick pay or company ...
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Contractual sick pay [ch 6: page 94] (182 words)

Changing contractual entitlement [ch 6: page 95] (235 words)

Better sick pay [ch 6: page 95] (272 words)

Statutory sick pay and occupational sick pay [ch 6: pages 95-96] (408 words)

Negotiating sick pay [ch 6: pages 96-97] (366 words)

Linking pay negotiations to sickness absence [ch 6: page 97] (250 words)

Duration of occupational sick pay [ch 6: page 98] (304 words)

Level of occupational sick pay [ch 6: pages 98-99] (543 words)

Work-related sickness absence and infectious conditions [ch 6: pages 99-100] (511 words)

Pay during a phased return to work [ch 6: pages 100-101] (180 words)

Extended occupational sick pay [ch 6: page 101] (155 words)

Medical appointments [ch 6: page 101] (79 words)

Attendance incentives [ch 6: page 101] (81 words)

Chapter 7

7. Capability and dismissal [ch 7: page 102] (291 words)

Most employers will have their own procedures for managing sickness absence including circumstances under which the possibility of dismissal can ...
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Capability [ch 7: pages 102-103] (397 words)

Focusing on the circumstances [ch 7: pages 103-104] (292 words)

Fair process [ch 7: pages 104-105] (256 words)

Independent decision-making [ch 7: page 105] (197 words)

Acas Code of Practice [ch 7: pages 105-106] (217 words)

Status of the Code and Guidance [ch 7: page 106] (147 words)

Using the Acas Code [ch 7: page 106] (252 words)

Elements of good practice [ch 7: pages 107-108] (529 words)

Protected conversations [ch 7: page 108] (90 words)

Penalties that stop short of dismissal [ch 7: page 108] (209 words)

Frustration of contract [ch 7: page 109] (137 words)

Selection for redundancy [ch 7: page 109] (80 words)

Appeal [ch 7: page 109] (181 words)

Unfair dismissal [ch 7: pages 109-110] (395 words)

Constructive dismissal [ch 7: pages 110-111] (333 words)

Collective response [ch 7: page 111] (239 words)

Further information

Further information (138 words)

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