Sickness and Absence Policy

What is a sickness and absence policy?

A sickness absence policy template is an employer’s internal procedure that outlines circumstances and rules for providing employees with statutory and any other contractual paid sick leave. This policy helps to set a clear framework guiding both employees and employers regarding:

• their rights and obligations;
• eligibility criteria;
• rules for implementation of the policy in the workplace;
• rules for approval or denial of sick leave;
• return-to-work guidelines, etc.

A solid and well-written sickness policy UK template can help UK employers to implement an efficient system dealing with the allocation of paid sick leaves in case of short-term and long-term absences.

What is included in this sickness policy template​?

A typical sickness absence policy template must include certain mandatory elements, including:

Types of Sick Leave

A sickness absence policy template in the UK may cover the following types of leave:

Statutory Sick Pay. UK employers must offer their employees statutory sick pay (SSP), which is mandatory paid leave that is guaranteed by all employers. To be eligible for statutory sick leave, an employee should be unfit for work for four or more consecutive days. The applicable pay rates for the SSP are being determined annually in April by the UK government. All in all, UK employers cannot refuse to pay for that kind of leave or opt out from it.

Additional Paid Leave. Another type of paid sick leave is the one provided by the company. This is an additional paid sick leave some UK employers may offer their employees. Unlike the SSP that applies to all categories of employees, for additional paid sick leave the employer may establish their own eligibility. These criteria may include seniority of the role, duration of employment, and family circumstances.

Management of Long-Term Absence

This is a type of paid sick leave that is being granted to employees in case of a long-term absence caused by health or medical issues. A standard policy should be able to address the following:

• list of supporting documentation to be provided in case of the long-term absence;
• list of supporting measures the employer is ready to offer in case of the long-term absence;
• communication between the employer and the employee in the course of long-term absence;
• ground for termination of employment in case of a long-term absence.

Implementation of the Policy

The standard policy template should also address important information related to implementation, supervision and amendment of this policy. The document must include the following:

• full name, working hours, position and contact details of a person responsible for implementation of this policy;
• means of communication by which employees should be notified about the policy’s amendment;
• full name and contact details of a manager to whom an employee may file their complaint or appeal regarding application of this policy.

Return-to-Work Interview

This is one of the most important sections of every sickness absence policy template, as it allows employer to evaluate the employee’s fit to work upon the return from the long-term sick leave. This shall not be confused with an interview in the course of the recruitment procedure. The return-to-work interview helps employers:

• to update the employee about any changes in the organisation of the work process;
• to evaluate the employee’s readiness to work;
• to ensure that all necessary certificates and documentation are in place.

Why do UK employers need this sickness and absence policy template?

Many employers within the UK choose to implement a sickness policy within the organisation for the following reasons:

• to ensure the full compliance with the ACAS guidance on time off for sickness;
• to implement clear rules for application of sick leaves and entitlements for all employees;
• to ensure transparency;
• to define a clear list of employees’ rights with respect to sick leave entitlements;
• to outline reporting requirements and eligibility for sick leave.

This policy is often used in conjunction with disciplinary procedures and workplace code of conduct.

Employee Sick Leave Reporting Requirements

A solid sickness policy template UK should outline detailed reporting requirements employees should follow to inform about their sickness. Depending on the internal company’s organisation, a report can be made either to a specifically designated person or directly to an employee’s line manager or supervisor.

For implementation of an effective reporting system within the organisation, the following key components really matter:

• Means of Communication. The policy must outline if the employee must inform in person, by phone, by email or using any other means.
• Timeline. The standard sickness policy template should define the timeline within which notification shall be sent. For example, at least one hour before the start of the working day.
• Responsible Person. The reporting should be addressed to the person responsible for the management of the sick leaves within the organisation. Thus, the employee must check the internal company’s documents to find out that responsible person.

How to customise the template for your business?

To get a fully customisable policy template, follow a few easy steps below:

1. Click the “Create Document” button.
2. Answer simple questions in the form.
3. Select a template’s format – sickness policy template UK PDF or Word.
4. Make a payment.

The document is ready for instant download and implementation immediately after the purchase.