On average nearly one million UK workers were off sick from their employment for more than one month between 2010 and 2013.[i] Furthermore, it is estimated that sick days are costing UK employers about £29 billion a year as British workers take up to four times as many days off than rival economies, according to research from accountancy firm PwC[ii].
Against this backdrop, the Government has launched a new Fit for Work Service to combat this costly problem. It is hoped that the Fit for Work Service will help employees who have been on sickness absence for 4 weeks to return to work and support employers to better manage sickness absence among their workforce.The Government claim that the service is predicted to save employers £70 million a year and cut the time people spend off work by 20%.
However dealing with sickness absence continues to be a legal minefield for employers even in circumstances that the new Fit for Work Service supports employers managing longer term sickness absence.
Ashton KCJ’s employment team will explain how to get to grips with ill health absence of all kinds as well as how to get the best out of the new Government service at Norfolk Chamber HR Forum on 17 June at Dunston Hall.Issues that employers need to be aware of and effectively manage include:-
– monitoring absence of all kinds and recording it properly to get the best result
– considering whether or not the absence is genuine and issues of misconduct and malingering
– awareness of conditions which constitute a “disability” within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010
– pregnancy-related sickness absence
– mental health and stress absence
– differing strategies for dealing with long term or chronic sickness versus persistent short term absences
– the impact of ill health on entitlements under permanent health insurance (PHI) and pension schemes
– dealing with the medical and occupational health profession in a language your business can understand
Further details of Fit for work are available here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fit-for-work-guidance-for-emp…
To book a place for our HR Forum please visit:https://www.norfolkchamber.co.uk/events/chamber-event/hr-forum-fit-work
[i] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/a-million-workers-off-sick-for-more-t…
[ii] https://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hro/news/1077757/sick-leave-costs-uk-employe…
