UK Employment Law\ Employee \ Absence from work
Workplace absence.
Workplace absence is, more often than not, something that you do not plan. You wake up one morning with the flu and decide you are too ill to go into work. Most employers will have their own guidelines about what you should do in such a circumstance.
What is absence?
- It is when you have been signed off by a doctor as well as uncertified cases where you are ill with something like a cold;
- Illnesses lasting anything from weeks to months;
- unauthorised time off work and continual late attendance.
There can be underlying reasons for not turning up for work. Often, it can be put down to sickness, but there could be other factors if the problem persists. For example:
- Problems with line managers, management style, or a fellow employee;
- Your performance might be under scrutiny and questions might be raised as to whether it is up to standard;
- You might be uncomfortable with work content;
- You might believe the work to be too stressful;
- There could also be a lack of motivation.
- The business’s internal culture could affect attendance. This could be because you do not feel that your efforts are recognised or that they are not treated fairly;
- There could be a problem with planning workloads leading to inefficiency and confusing instructions;
- You may feel that the management tolerate a certain amount of absenteeism;
- The office conditions might lead to illness. Your boss should check to make sure the workspace is not too hot, cold, noisy or that the equipment provided for tasks is up to specification. If it is not, it could hinder you from completing your workload to the expected standard and on time
Contact while absent
It is advisable to contact your line-manager as soon as you realise that you are too ill to work. This will enable him/her to arrange cover or re-organise the workload. Your line-manager may insist that you go to see a doctor and get a sickness note too.
Although, you may feel that being out of the workplace could cause problems, it is also worth considering how being ill at work can be detrimental too. The last thing an employer wants is a contagious illness spreading through a factory or office. There could also be health and safety concerns, depending on the nature of the business.
On the other hand, a company can suffer by having staff away. Therefore, your employer will realise the importance of spending out on occupational health experts, counsellors and health professionals.
Returning to work
You should maintain constant contact with your employer when you are ill, so that they can get an idea of when you are likely to return to work and when rotas and workloads can return to normal. Your line manager may ask you to attend a ‘back to work interview’ after your absence. This is intended to check your reasons for being away and to discuss any problems, directly or indirectly linked, that you may be encountering.
Sick Pay
Your employer will pay Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) so long as you earn not less than the lower limit for National Insurance (£95 per week). You are allowed to claim SSP for up to 28 weeks at £79.15 per week. This is the legal minimum – your employer is not allowed to pay any less by law. However, your terms of contract will also outline the amount of days/weeks that you will be given full pay if you are absent. After this, you may need to examine other benefits.
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