SICKNESS, INJURY AND SICK PAY
Scope
The company rules in this Policy apply to all employees who have over 24 month’s service. Those employees with less than 24 month’s service may be subject to an abbreviated procedure.
Process for Sickness Absence
3.1 You are expected to be available to work during your normal working hours. You must make every effort to attend work. If you are not fit to work you must follow this policy.
3.2 There is a different procedure depending on your shift start time:
3.2.1 If you are not fit to work on a day when you are on one of the early shifts (7.30, 8 or 8.30am start) you must check the rota and text/WhatsApp the senior who is on the 7.30 shift between 6-6.30am. This will give that senior time to ask another member of staff to come in early to cover. Please be considerate to the management team and do not message on Sundays or late in the evening. Please keep messages brief and telephone the nursery later during the day with additional information, as per 3.2.3.
3.2.2 If you are not fit to work on a day when you are on a later shift (9, 9.30, 10am start) you must telephone the nursery at 7.20am.
3.2.3 When you telephone nursery you should not leave an answerphone message or a message with a colleague. You must state the reason for your absence and the date on which you expect to return to work, if you are able to determine that.
3.3 On any days you are absent you must call the nursery manager before 3pm to confirm if you will be fit to work the next day so that cover can be arranged. If you are not sure that you will be fit to work, you must state that so that cover can be arranged, because this is always more difficult to organise if you phone in sick again the following day, having said you will be working.
3.4 On your return to work you must complete an Absence Self-Certification / Return to Work Form (which is available from your manager) explaining the reason for your absence. You will have a Return to Work interview with your nursery manager.
3.5 If your absence lasts for 8 or more consecutive calendar days then you must:
3.5.1 Provide a Statement of Fitness for Work (Fit Note) from your Medical Practitioner stating that you are not fit to work. This form must be sent to Head Office immediately.
3.5.2 If your Fit Note says you may be able to return to work then you must contact the Company to discuss whether it is appropriate for you to return to work and if so, under what arrangements.
3.5.3 If you cannot return to work when your Fit Note expires, you must obtain another Fit Note from your Medical Practitioner and send it to Head Office immediately. Fit Notes are required to cover the total period of your absence.
3.5.4 You must telephone your manager at least 24 hours before you return to work so that arrangements can be made for your return.
3.5.5 If your last Fit Note does not specify a date on which you can resume your duties before you return you must supply the Company with evidence confirming that you are fit to return to work.
3.6 Statutory sick pay (SSP) is paid from the first full day of absence due to illness.
3.7 Sick leave and holiday are not interchangeable. Please see FAQs below.
3.8 It may be useful to keep in contact with the nursery/manager during a long absence. A welfare meeting can be arranged to talk through any issues or concerns, review medical paperwork and complete a Wellbeing Support document or Wellness Action Plan.
Bradford Score
3.9 The Bradford Score is a method used by the Company to monitor and measure patterns of sickness absence among employees. It places particular emphasis on the frequency and number of short-term absences, recognising that frequent, unplanned absences can be more disruptive to operations than occasional longer-term sickness. The Bradford Score is calculated using a formula that combines the number of spells of absence (recorded as Sick Leave or Sick Note on WhosOff) and the total number of days lost over a set period, typically 12 months. By monitoring absence in this way, we aim to identify any issues at an early stage, ensure fair and consistent management of absence, and provide appropriate support to employees where needed. This policy sets out how the Bradford Score is used within the Company and the support available to staff in managing their attendance.
3.10 Sickness related to pregnancy will be recorded separately and will not be used to count towards any Bradford Score figures. Disability-related absences and any other protected absences (e.g. maternity, paternity, or adoption leave) will not be counted towards the Bradford Score for sick pay eligibility.
How is it calculated?
3.12 The total number of days absence in the last 12 months is multiplied by the square of the number of times leave has been taken. Note that the last 12 months means a rolling 12 months and is not related to the leave year.
Examples
A has been ill twice. Once for 2 days and once for 10 days.
Bradford score = 12 (total days) x 4 (2 occasions squared) = 48
B has been off sick 6 times, each of 2 days
Bradford score = 12 (total days) x 36 (6 occasions squared) = 432
In both the examples, the total is the same but the number of occasions on which it is taken means that B has a much higher score.
Why is this measure being used?
3.13 Frequent short-term absenteeism is difficult for the business to manage staffing and may indicate an underlying problem with sickness, stress or other difficulty (in or out of work) with being present at work. A high score represents a significant number of times off work which may need to be reviewed.
3.14 The Company is sympathetic to any health issues of its employees but this always has to be balanced against the business needs and any disruption that this is causing the Company. The Company requires you to fully assist it and co-operate with it by attending any meetings to discuss your ill-health and providing the Company with as much information as possible to enable the Company to cope with your absence and make any necessary arrangements required to assist you back to work. The Company expects you to keep in regular contact during any absence period and to discuss with your Medical Practitioner or GP any alternative duties/job roles you feel you could safely undertake despite your ill-health or any changes to your current job or work environment that you feel could be made to allow you to return to work.
Process
3.15 On the first Monday of each month the MD’s Assistant will check the Bradford Scores. The results are emailed confidentially to each nursery manager and Senior Management. Action will be taken as follows:
Score
Action
0-399
No Action.
400 and above
You will be invited to a meeting with your nursery manager to discuss your attendance. The aim of the meeting will be to establish whether there are any underlying reasons for the levels of absence and to see whether there are any steps which the Company can take to support you in helping your absence levels to improve. The ethos of the meeting is to gather information and offer support.
800 and above
Stage 1: You will be invited to an investigatory meeting. The meeting will usually be conducted by your nursery manager and the Managing Director and you will have a right to be accompanied by a fellow employee or a trade union official on the same basis as set out in the performance management procedure.
At the meeting, you will be asked to explain your level of absence. Where there is any indication that the absences are caused by an underlying medical condition then the matter may be dealt with under the procedure for Long Term Sickness Absence set out below. The Company may also seek medical evidence from either your doctor or an occupational health specialist in which case the meeting will be adjourned for a report to be obtained
Subject to any medical evidence, the manager(s) conducting this first-stage meeting may decide to issue a warning to you setting out the Company’s expectations regarding attendance and indicating the level of improvement needed. A review period will normally be set which may range from one month to 12 months depending on the circumstances.
1000
Stage 2: You will be invited to an investigatory meeting, as above, if you have not already had one.
If your score has gone above 1000 or your attendance has not improved to the extent required, you may at any stage in the review period be invited to attend a second-stage meeting to discuss the matter.
This meeting will again be conducted by the nursery manager and Managing Director and you will be entitled to be accompanied by a fellow employee or trade union official. This meeting may result in an extension of the review period or the issuing of a final written warning requiring your attendance to improve and setting out the level of improvement required over a specified period of up to one year.
Stage 4: If you do not meet this standard and there is no underlying condition where reasonable adjustments would assist you to attend then you may be dismissed. A final meeting will be convened which shall be conducted by a Senior Manager with appropriate authority to dismiss and will consider any representations made by you or on your behalf. You will once again have the right to be accompanied by a fellow employee or trade union official.
Any dismissal arising out of this meeting will be with notice.
There is a right of appeal against a decision to dismiss which must be exercised within one week of the decision being communicated
Long-term Sickness Absence
Purpose
3.16 Where you are absent for an extended period – or it is clear that your absence is likely to continue for some time – then the Company will want to investigate the prospects for your return and consider what actions can be taken to facilitate this. The extent to which the Company can continue to accommodate your absence will depend on a range of factors, including your role and the prevailing circumstances of the business.
3.17 The Company may seek medical advice as to your condition either from the appropriate professionals caring for you or from a specialist occupational health practitioner. The focus will be on ascertaining when you will be able to return to work and what steps the Company can take to facilitate this.
3.18 You are not obliged to consent to any medical reports or records being shared with the Company as part of this process. However, in the absence of medical evidence the Company will have to work on the basis of what information is available in reaching a decision.
Process
3.19 One or more meetings will be arranged with you to discuss your condition, the prospects for any return to work, and whether anything more can be done by the Company to help. You will be given reasonable written notice of the meeting and entitled to be accompanied at the meeting by a fellow employee or trade union official.
3.20 Every effort will be made to make suitable arrangements for the meeting to allow you to attend. Where you are simply too ill to take part in the process, however, the Company may proceed to dismissal in the absence of a meeting taking into account any representations made on your behalf.
3.21 Where it appears that you will be unable to return to work within a reasonable time frame then the Company may need to consider dismissal. Any dismissal will be with notice.
3.22 There is a right of appeal against a decision to dismiss which must be exercised within one week of the decision being communicated. You should submit your appeal in writing stating your full grounds of appeal.
Company Sick Pay Scheme
3.23 The scheme will be applicable to anyone who has worked for the Company for 3 years.
3.24 Each eligible full-time member of staff will be paid for up to 5 days of sick leave per year. This will be pro rata for part time staff.
3.25 Occupational sick pay will not be paid where notice of termination of employment has been given by either you or the Company. Any period of sickness absence which falls during your notice period will be paid at the applicable rate of SSP.
3.26 You will only be eligible for payment of occupational sick pay if you have a Bradford Score of less than 100 at the time of the sickness – should your score go over 100 then you will become ineligible – the Bradford Score is monitored monthly, so you may drop in and out of eligibility. If a period of sickness absence takes you over 100 after eligibility has been confirmed, you will be paid for that period of sickness absence (up to 5 days) but will then drop out of eligibility following this until your score goes back down under 100.
3.27 The MD’s Assistant runs a Bradford Score report at the start of every month. It is this data that will be used to determine eligibility for sickness paid in that month’s payroll.
3.28 Managers will continue to do Return to Work meetings and record the reasons for you being off sick and check your fitness to work. Senior management will monitor sick leave and reasons.
FAQs
For clarification of the above and how sick leave works the following FAQs have been prepared:
- I call in sick on Monday. Can I book the rest of the week off as holiday. No. If you have called in sick then you are on sick leave for the duration of the period of sickness. You will receive statutory sick pay or occupational sick pay, depending on your eligibility. If you wish to end your sick leave and use annual leave instead, you must inform us you are fit to return to work and request leave in the usual way. Annual leave cannot be taken while you are signed off sick, unless you specifically request this and the Company agrees.
- I call the nursery on Monday to say that I don’t feel well and I’d like to book the rest of the week off. Can I do this? No. You cannot take holiday at short notice without prior agreement. However, if you are unwell, you should report that you are sick in line with sickness absence procedures. If you wish to take annual leave instead of sick leave, you must make a formal request, and this must be authorised in advance.
- I come in to work at 7.30am and decide that I am too ill to work. I go home at 10am. What will I be paid?
You will be paid a half day. You will then move to sick leave and statutory sick pay (or occupational sick pay) will be paid as it becomes due.
- I come in to work at 7.30am and decide that I am too ill to work. I go home at 8am. What will I be paid?
You will be paid for the hours you have worked or be able to take that time back another day.
- I come in to work on Monday and feel under the weather. I think it might be wise if I took some time off. What can I do? In accordance with the Handbook, you may request leave. There is no rule about notice, although if it is inconvenient for the nursery then the leave request may be declined. Should you then decide not to attend work anyway, then you would go on to sick leave. Annual leave is subject to management approval and operational requirements. If you are not well enough to work, you should follow the sickness absence procedure and report your absence as sick leave.
- I come in to work on Monday and have seen a bargain holiday over the weekend, leaving Thursday for 2 weeks. Can I go on holiday? Maybe. You would need to put your request in immediately and this would be reviewed in the light of the need for agency staff / how busy the nursery was. It is quite likely that the request would be declined as we would have had insufficient time to plan cover. However, if the nursery was very quiet or there was no-one else off then we may approve such a request.
Victoria has qualified