The Cause of Leave and Sickness Could be Work Related

Sometimes the cause of Leave and sickness or leave is work related.  This includes back pain, stress, upper limb disorders, occupational dermatitis, work related noise and hearing loss, occupational asthma, and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

In some instances the cause or exacerbation of work related illness can be adjusted quickly and cost effectively.  This may include adding a couple of extra breaks, changing working positions, using different equipment, adjusting company hygiene protocols,  or altering the employee’s working hours.  Reasonable adjustments are not only required by the Equality Act 2010 but may help employees return to work more quickly.

Understanding Absence Patterns Can Help Reduce Absentee Rates

Accurate understanding of absenteeism patterns can help you to understand the scale of the issue.  Individuals with a high rate of sickness or unexplained absence may have issues that can be addressed so that their attendance and productivity improves.  If they are unable to work, companies will be able to support them with what they need until they can return.  Plans can be made for staff replacements with more advanced notice, which is a more cost effective option.

Occasionally the issues are serious instances of harassment or bullying that need to be addressed swiftly.  These are things that can be investigated only by understanding absence patterns.  If an employee needs to be dismissed for any reason, having a system of record keeping that employees and employers have access to will support the company legally, by revealing objective documentation of the absences.

Absence Records Enable Accurate Sick Pay To Be Awarded

If an employee is absent from work for seven or more consecutive days a ‘Fit note’ (or doctor’s certificate) needs to be obtained.  In some cases employees are eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).  This can be awarded for up to 28 days of a period of sickness.

Recording employee leave and sickness helps companies keep track of the number of days employees have been absent and award the appropriate amount of sick pay, when necessary.  This is one of the reasons it helps to have a reliable system of monitoring absence.