Of course we want you to be at work as planned, but from time to time, we all get sick. We try to find a balance between the needs of our co-op, along with the genuine needs of colleagues to take time off work when they’re unwell. We’ll always do our best to support you during periods of sickness absence.
I’m too unwell to attend work. How do I report my absence?
Please ring your line manager, where reasonably possible, at least 1 hour before you’re due to be in work. Let them know why you can’t work and how long you think you’ll be absent. Leaving messages with colleagues or sending text messages / emails instead of making a phone call isn’t acceptable. If your line manager isn’t available for any reason, you should leave a message requesting a call back. Please be aware that knowingly providing false information about your absence, or failing to properly report your absence from work, could lead to disciplinary action being taken against you.
What contact should I have with my line manager whilst I’m absent from work?
You should maintain regular contact during your absence to keep them updated on your health and wellbeing, and the likely duration of your absence. Your line manager will agree with you the frequency of this contact (dependent on the circumstances of your absence, this could be daily). Again, this contact should be by telephone (or in-person, where appropriate). Text messages and emails will not normally be appropriate.
Do I need to get a fit note?
If you’re absent for more than 7 calendar days, you’ll need to obtain a ‘fit note’ from a registered healthcare professional. It’s your responsibility to provide these to your line manager on a timely basis. If you don’t provide a fit note, or this is submitted late without any satisfactory explanation, we reserve the right to withhold or delay sick pay. Your absence may also be considered unauthorised and disciplinary action may be taken.
Will you need any other information about my absence?
Sometimes we’ll need further medical evidence or advice about your absence from work. This might mean requesting a report from your GP or, for guidance which is more specific to your job role, we may refer you for an occupational health assessment. If we’d like to do this, we’ll speak to you and explain the reasons why. You don’t have to consent to this, but you should be aware that we can only make decisions regarding your absence and / or ongoing capability for work based on the information available to us. We’ll pay all costs incurred with obtaining further medical information, including reasonable travel expenses.
What happens if my absence is longer-term?
Any colleague that is absent from the workplace due to ill health is classed as long-term sick if they have been absent for 28 days. Our priority is to support you through this time via regular contact, with the aim to facilitate a return to work. As part of this support, your line manager will keep in regular contact with you, which could be in person, in writing or by telephone and the amount and type of contact will be agreed with you. The aim of this contact is to keep you up to date of any changes at work, prevents you from feeling isolated, and provides you the opportunity to raise any concerns, including pay queries. These conversations will allow us to identify any support we may be able to offer which could include (or be informed by) the following;
- Obtaining a GP Report
- Referring you to Occupational Health
- Wellness Action Plan (please note that Wellness Action Plans also meet the requirements of a Health Risk Assessment by identifying needs and agreeing measures to reduce identified risks)
- Signposting to GroceryAid and / or other local and national support services, e.g. charities
When such contact is made your manager will provide a summary of the discussion on an Absence Review or Absence Update form, which you can access via Zellis Employee Self Service. We will endeavour to make changes to assist with a return to work which can include making reasonable adjustments to your workplace, such as changing your role, location, contractual hours/working pattern, providing equipment, additional training, or agreeing a phased return to work. If after exploring all possibilities, you are not likely to return to work in the foreseeable future, we may have to consider your overall capability to perform your role. For further information please see Capability - Health/Medical.
What happens if I’m on holiday but I’m sick?
If this would’ve normally prevented you from attending work, you should let your manager know on the first day you are unwell, following the normal absence reporting procedure outlined in this policy. Your holiday may be given back to you to use at a future date instead, but this is at your line manager’s discretion. You may also be asked to provide a fit note to cover the period you are unwell. You won’t get holiday back if you’re unwell on a Bank or Public Holiday which you weren’t scheduled to work anyway.
Do you offer company sick pay?
We offer company sick pay and hope this reassures our colleagues about the support available should they find themselves unwell and unable to attend work. Unless stated otherwise in your Contract of Employment, the terms of your company sick pay arrangements are as follows:
Completed years of service
|
Annual company sick pay entitlement
|
Less than 1 year
|
0 weeks
|
1 year
|
1 week
|
2 years
|
2 weeks
|
3 years
|
4 weeks
|
4 years
|
6 weeks
|
5 years
|
9 weeks
|
6 years
|
13 weeks
|
7 years
|
18 weeks
|
8 years
|
22 weeks
|
9 years
|
26 weeks
|
10 years or more
|
30 weeks
|
There are a few other things about company sick pay you should know:
- Entitlement increases on the anniversary of your start date, but it's only applied on the anniversary of the first day you were off sick with us. If you’re off work due to sickness on this anniversary, your new entitlement won’t apply until you return to work.
- If you exhaust your company sick pay entitlement, you’ll need to have been actively back in work for a full 13 weeks before any future entitlement is payable (these weeks don’t necessarily need to be consecutive).
- Company sick pay (and SSP, as below) may be payable as part of a phased return to work arrangement, i.e. for contractual hours not worked.
- Please be aware that we reserve the right to terminate your employment (e.g. on health grounds), even if you haven’t used all your sick pay entitlement.
- Company sick pay is not normally payable if you're absent due to elective or cosmetic surgery or treatment, unless medically advised due to underlying health issues, for example.
How is sick pay administered?
Unless stated otherwise in your Contract of Employment, the first day of any sickness absence will be unpaid. Thereafter, and if you’re entitled to company sick pay, you will receive full pay from the second day of your sickness absence. This will be inclusive of any entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). Company sick pay will show as Occupational Sick Pay (OSP) on your payslip. If you’re not entitled to company sick pay (either because you don’t qualify or you’ve exhausted your entitlement), we will calculate your entitlement to SSP. This rate of pay, as well as how this is calculated and the eligibility criteria, is set by the Government. Gov.uk provides further information about this. If you’re not entitled to SSP, or you exhaust your entitlement, we will provide you with a SSP1 form which you can use to apply for any other types of financial support which you may be entitled to (e.g. Employment Support Allowance).
How is sick pay calculated?
Company sick pay is based on your normal basic pay and will include any payment for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), where appropriate. You will continue to receive any fixed payments or allowances for the duration of the company sick pay entitlement. Where you're eligible for SSP only, this will be paid at the fixed rate set by the Government. This is currently £109.40 (23/24 tax year).
Please note: If you receive sick pay from us in relation to sickness or injury caused by a third party for which you later receive payment relating to damages / loss of earnings then this will be repayable to us (up to an amount not exceeding the sickness payments made to you by us).
What happens when I return to work?
Your manager will hold a return to work meeting with you which will be recorded on Zellis Manager Self Service (you’ll be able to view this in Zellis Employee Self Service). This meeting will consider the circumstances of your absence, as well as any ongoing support you may need to stay well and maintain a regular attendance at work in the future. If your GP, or occupational health, have made recommendations regarding your return to work (for example, a phased return or adjustments to your normal job role), these will be considered as part of this return to work meeting. We’ll always do our best to accommodate these, also taking into account the operational requirements of our business.
As above, company and statutory sick pay may be payable as part of a phased return to work arrangement, subject to entitlement and eligibility. If there is not any sick pay due, any hours not worked will be administered as unpaid leave or you may instead request to use accrued and outstanding holiday.