Managing Absense

Gillian Dowling, Employment Technical Consultant at Croner, looks at how to manage sickness absence. Absence from work is a high cost to every business and in these recession hit times it is important to follow tried and tested management procedures to reduce sickness absence in your organisation.

Dealing with short-term absence

Short-term sickness absence, often referred to as intermittent sickness, is where an employee’s minor,
and usually unconnected, illnesses result in frequent periods of absence from work. Typical illnesses are colds and flu, whereas long-term absence tends to be for back pain and stress. Employers often find dealing with short-term absence the most difficult. They may realise that an employee is off sick a lot, but may not have the time or the management procedures in place to know exactly how much time has been taken off. If employers are going to consider taking disciplinary action against a member of staff for poor attendance, they need to have accurate records, including the dates and reasons given for the absence.

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