Absence from Work

We all need to attend medical (or similar) appointments from time to time and we think it’s important to support our colleagues in getting the treatment and support they need. As always, we need to balance this support with business requirements. Therefore, all colleagues (full and part-time) should try to arrange appointments for outside of their working hours or, if this isn’t possible, then at times which will cause the least amount of absence and disruption to our co-op.

To help colleagues access medical support, we’re pleased to offer Smart Health. Via Smart Health, you can access a range of health and wellbeing support, including a 24/7 virtual GP service – available to you, your partner/spouse and any dependents under the age of 21. They also offer a ‘second opinion’ service which may help you to understand a recent diagnosis, or if it’s perhaps taking a long time to get a diagnosis or to access support via your GP or other medical professional/s. Signing up is easy - just go to your app store and download ‘Smart Health’ app. Further details about Smart Health (including the scheme code you’ll need to register) are available from the People Team (hrservices@eastofengland.coop) or via Your Benefits Gateway.

What’s important to know about any time off I need for medical appointments?

We understand that sometimes appointments may fall within your working hours and that this is unavoidable (i.e. some hospital appointments). Furthermore, some appointments may be urgent in their nature. Our priority will always be to support you in getting the medical support you need.

That said, many others, including GP, dental and other non-urgent appointments, are usually offered with more flexibility. Therefore, and with the further option to utilise the 24/7 Virtual GP service offered by our co-op via Smart Health, we would normally expect requests for time off work for medical appointments to be the ‘exception’.

• You should give your manager as much notice as possible of the appointment. They may ask to see evidence of the appointment (like a booking card, text message or letter).
• We’ll always do our best to accommodate your absence from work to enable you to attend your appointment, but we’ll let you know if we can’t for any reason. In this instance, and dependent on the circumstances, your manager may signpost you to Smart Health’s 24/7 Virtual GP.
• Any absence (and paid support, if applicable) will be reasonable taking account of the circumstances (e.g. nature of the appointment, travel time, etc.). You may be required to attend work prior to and / or after your appointment.
• Any paid support (if applicable) will be based on your normal basic pay.
• If you’re unwell or require some time to recover further to a medical appointment (including IVF), this associated absence will be treated as sickness (see 'Sickness Absence and Pay' below).
• We appreciate that the reasons for your medical appointment may be sensitive. We’d encourage you to discuss your situation, in confidence, with your line manager. This will help to ensure they can support you appropriately moving forward. You can contact the People Team for further advice or support, if you can’t speak with your line manager for any reason.

Will I be paid if I’m absent from work because of a medical appointment?

Again, our expectation is that colleagues make every effort to schedule medical appointments for outside of their normal working hours. If you are unable to do so, the following arrangements will apply:

• Hospital appointment – Paid leave will usually be offered
• Other medical appointment (e.g. GP, dentist, optician) – Given these can normally be arranged for a day and time of your choosing (including via the 24/7 Virtual GP service offered by Smart Health), paid leave may only be offered in exceptional or emergency circumstances at your manager’s discretion.

I need to attend medical appointments on a regular basis. What should I do?

If you need to attend appointments more regularly for any reason, your line manager will discuss the situation with you to agree how this can best be managed moving forward. This might include unpaid leave arrangements or looking at some changes to your normal working hours and or working pattern. 

We’re proud of our colleagues who serve as reservists in the Armed Forces. We’ll always do our best to support them in balancing these commitments alongside their role within our co-op.

What reservists does this policy refer to?

We’re referring to colleagues who are members of (but not limited to):

• The Army Reserve.
• Royal Marines Reserve.
• Royal Air Force Reserve.
• Royal Naval Reserve.

If you’re not sure whether your role counts as a reservist under this policy, please contact the People Team.

How much time off work can I take for reservist-related training / activities?

Before becoming a reservist, you should speak with your line manager to consider how this commitment could be accommodated alongside your job role and responsibilities.

We’re happy to agree reasonable time off work to allow you to undertake training or other activities related to your reservist role, subject to operational requirements. Your line manager may ask for evidence of your need to take time off.

Will absence due to reservist-related training / activities be paid?

This will normally be unpaid. You may wish to speak with your line manager about other options such as taking any outstanding holiday or TOIL, or whether you can reschedule your working hours, for example.

What happens if I’m mobilised for active / full-time service?

In this case, specific arrangements will apply regarding the protection of your employment. You should let us know as soon as possible if you’re ‘called up’ so we can talk to you further about this. 

From time to time, there are factors outside of our control which impact our ability to travel into work, such as bad weather, traffic jams or other disruption. Whilst your attendance is important, we never expect you to put your personal safety at risk in attempting to get to work.

What should I do if I can’t get into work?

If you can’t get into work due to bad weather, traffic jams or other disruption, you should let your line manager know at the earliest opportunity. You should agree together how you’ll keep in touch (and how regularly), depending on the circumstances. For example, if it's likely that you'll be delayed getting into work due to travel disruption, you should regularly update your line manager about any traffic updates and when you think you’ll arrive. Make sure you do this safely (i.e. not using your mobile phone whilst driving).

However, if the disruption is likely to significantly impact your ability to get to your normal place of work, your line manager may ask you to attend another of our stores, branches or offices which is closer to you instead, to either undertake your normal duties there or to otherwise assist your colleagues at that location. If you don’t feel this will be possible, you’ll need to explain the reasons for this to your line manager. 

I can get into work but I had some meetings planned off-site. What should I do?

Particularly in the event of bad weather conditions, all non-essential meetings, journeys and other duties should be postponed until conditions improve.

What happens if I miss time at work for these reasons?

You'll be able to take the time off work as unpaid leave or, with your line manager's agreement, use any outstanding TOIL or holiday. You might be able to agree with your line manager the opportunity to make up the hours missed at another time in the same pay period instead, depending on operational requirements.

What should I do if I'm delayed whilst on holiday?

If you're delayed whilst on holiday for reasons outside of your control, you should contact your line manager to let them know and continue to keep them regularly updated. You'll be given the opportunity to take the additional time off work as unpaid leave or to use any available holiday entitlement. However, you should of course make every effort to return home and to work at the earliest opportunity.

Our co-op recognises and values our colleagues who have an unpaid caring role and the contribution they make to the health and wellbeing of the people they care for. We want to support those who are providing unpaid care to a dependent; whilst we know caring roles can be rewarding, we equally recognise that balancing that these responsibilities alongside work can be challenging too.

A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to a dependent with a long-term health need. A dependent is a spouse, civil partner, child, parent, usually someone living in your household or someone else who would reasonably rely on you. You’ll normally be considered a carer if that person relies on you to provide or arrange care in relation to their long-term health need/s, including for mental or physical illness or injury (which requires, or is likely to require, care for three months or more), a disability or for reasons connected to old age.

What support is available for carers working at our co-op?

Caring is an individual role – what support one colleague needs will likely be different to another. Our overall aim is to create a work environment where colleagues have regular, open discussion with their manager, so they can explore together what support they feel they need.

As part of, or in addition to these discussions, the following signposts to specific policies or resources may also be useful:

• Flexible working describes a range of employment options designed to help colleagues manage and enjoy work, as well as their lives (and responsibilities) away from it. It’s a broad term and can cover lots of different scenarios, but it typically means working arrangements which are different to those which currently exist (including different working hours or pattern, for example). You can learn more about flexible working in our policy which can be accessed here.
• Wellness Action Plans (which can be accessed via Zellis ESS) can be a useful way to think about how to support your wellbeing, including what support you need from your manager.
• (Coming soon) We’ve created a specially-curated Carers Support folder in our colleague app, The Loop. This contains signposts to local and national charities and support services (including GroceryAid and Carers UK), alongside links to these two specially-curated animations produced by Suffolk Mind:
  • What is a carer?
  • How carers can meet their Emotional Needs

If you’ve got any questions, concerns or need any additional support, please speak with your line manager in the first instance or contact the Colleague Relations Team.

I need some time away from work to support my caring role.

If you need some time away from work to arrange or provide care, you are entitled to request up to one working week of unpaid Carers Leave in any 12 month period. This can be taken as individual whole or half days, or in one single ‘block’. How you request to take the leave is up to you and the nature of the care you are providing. 

You don’t need to provide any evidence of your caring role to request Carers Leave and it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been working with us; you’re entitled to request this leave from your first day of service at our co-op.

If you need to request Carers Leave, please speak to your manager and also submit your request in Dayforce, giving twice as much notice as the absence you’re requesting (i.e., if you’re requesting 2 days’ Carers Leave, you’ll need to give 4 days’ notice) or three days, whichever is greater. That said, we do understand there may be circumstances which mean you’re unable to provide this amount of notice and your manager will still endeavour to review these.

We’ll always try to agree to requests for time off work for your caring responsibilities and will only turn down a request if it’s going to cause problems for the business - so talk to your manager to discuss your request as early as you can.

I need a longer period of absence from work.

We understand that whilst we offer Carers Leave and Flexible Working, you may find yourself in a position because of your caring responsibilities where you need, or would otherwise benefit from, an extended period of absence from work. Extended Carers Leave (ECL) is designed to provide colleagues with a single period of unpaid leave from work for up to 12 months.

ECL gives you the security of knowing that you can return to work, to the same or a similar role, at the end of your period of leave. We will do our best to support your return to work into your original role, but this may not always be possible (we will talk to you if any changes are necessary). 

During a period of ECL, you remain an employee of the East of England Co-op but will not be eligible for salary/wages or any other contractual benefits (unless specified). However, you will maintain continuity of service and will continue to be bound by other terms and conditions of your employment. Here are some other key points to be aware of:

• You will continue to accrue statutory holiday. We will treat part of your ECL as holiday, equivalent to the amount of holiday you have accrued during that period.
• You won’t be eligible for statutory or company sick pay during a period of ECL.
• You won’t be permitted to undertake any paid employment with us, or another employer.
• You’ll retain your colleague discount card (and any partner card, if applicable) and your access to Your Benefits Gateway. Generally speaking, you will not be eligible to participate in any benefit schemes which are linked to earnings (e.g. SmartTech, Cycle to Work, etc.).
• If you are a member of the Royal London Stakeholder Pension Scheme, no employer or employee contributions will be administered into your plan during your period of ECL.
• Any period of ECL will be inclusive of the one week Carers Leave outlined earlier in this policy.

To request a period of ECL, go to Zellis ESS > My Working Arrangements > Extended Carers Leave Request. Your request will usually be considered by your line manager, who will be able to talk to you more about other arrangements surrounding ECL. We know it’s not always possible, but a minimum of four weeks’ notice is required for any request.

We will deal with ECL requests as quickly as possible and keep you updated regarding progress. We will endeavour to support requests for ECL, but this won’t always be possible due to operational or other business requirements; if this is the case, we will let you know, but will still seek to work with you to identify alternative support and adjustments which may help.

Please also be aware that if you have already had a period of ECL, you are not eligible to request any further periods of ECL for 12 months after returning to work.

We understand that situations, such as a terminal-illness diagnosis or the death of someone you’re close to, can be really upsetting and distressing. We also recognise that where you’re especially close to the person (including where they’re a dependent), there can often be a lot of things to practically consider and arrange too.

We recognise that these are very personal experiences and what support one person needs will be different to someone else. Therefore, we seek to offer a Compassionate Leave and Support policy which provides clarity about what’s available, but which also promotes the importance of open and honest dialogue between a colleague and their line manager in agreeing what’s appropriate in the individual circumstances.

We recognise that the nature of relationships vary, so you’ll note that we don’t define our policy based on them. However, if you have experienced pregnancy loss or the death of a baby or child, please review our Pregnancy or Baby Loss or Child Bereavement policies below instead.

If I need some time away from work, what is available?

We’ll always look to do the right thing and endeavour to support unpaid leave from work in the event that someone you care about is terminally-ill or has died (including to attend a funeral). It may be possible to look at alternative arrangements too, such as taking holiday or rearranging your working hours instead.

Where you are especially close to the person who is terminally-ill or who has died, your manager may instead agree a period of paid leave (based on your normal basic pay) from work at their discretion. The amount of paid compassionate leave agreed will be based on the individual circumstances - alongside your relationship to the person, considering things like if you’re involved in managing their personal affairs, if you need to travel, religious practices, etc. but, as a general guide, the amount of paid leave will normally range from 1 day up to 10 calendar days (two working weeks), inclusive of any time off for the funeral. This is just a guide - some people will need more time away from work than others. Your manager may also agree for you to use this flexibly, i.e. it doesn’t need to be taken as a single ‘block’ of leave and may be taken at a different time in the first year following the bereavement.

What other support is available, including on a return to work?

A colleague support pack is available on request from the People Team, your line manager or via The Loop. This includes some practical information, useful contact details and signposting to specialist support services. It also includes a link to an animation produced by Suffolk Mind as part of our partnership with them, which considers bereavement and grief – you can also watch this by clicking here.

When thinking about your return to work, it’s helpful to think about what support you may need. For example, is there any information you would like your manager to share with your colleagues in advance? Is there anything specific about your job role and responsibilities which might be especially challenging? Wellness Action Plans (which can be accessed via Zellis ESS) can be a useful way to think about how to support your wellbeing, including what support you need from your manager.

If you are a manager supporting someone returning to work following a bereavement, please check the ‘Manager Guidance : Supporting bereaved colleagues’ available via Metro. This includes the following links to further animations produced by Suffolk Mind:

• How to support bereaved colleagues - Animation for managers
• How to support someone who is bereaved - Animation for colleagues, family and loved ones

What if I need a longer period of absence from work?

We understand that you may not be ready to return to work when you initially thought you would. If this is the case, your manager will talk to you about any other options available, including a period of unpaid leave or holiday. In the event you are caring for someone who is terminally-ill for a longer period, please speak with your manager who will liaise with the People Team for further advice and guidance on how we can effectively support you.

Do I have access to any advice or support with funeral arrangements?

As part of our diverse family of businesses, we offer Funeral Services across the East of England - you can find your nearest branch and lots of other useful information and guidance on our website. If you are the person arranging the funeral and you choose for us to take care of your loved one, we are able to offer discounted arrangements which we hope will help to reduce some of the worry and concern you may be feeling:

• If it is an immediate family member who has died (i.e. spouse, civil partner, parent, sibling or child over the age of 18) our Professional Services fee will be reduced to £500.*
• If it is somebody else who has died a 10% discount will apply (to specific elements).

* Management approval of discount will be required before an estimate of charge is provided. Please note that this is not available to previous colleagues who have retained their discount card due to their length of service on leaving our co-op – they will instead be entitled to the 10% discount detailed above.

If it is a colleague who has died (whilst employed at our co-op), we will meet the costs of a standard funeral service conducted by us. Again, further information is available via your nearest East of England Co-op Funeral Services.

It’s been a few months since my bereavement, but I feel like I’m struggling more now.

The loss of someone close to you is an individual experience and is not a linear journey of ‘moving forward’. For example, Cruse (2023) acknowledge that it’s common for people to find the second year after a death to be just as painful than the first, if not more. Continue to speak to your manager about how you’re feeling and what support you may need. For example, we know dates like birthdays, anniversaries and religious festivals may be especially difficult and a time where you might need additional support, whether that means your team ‘just’ being aware or perhaps a day away from work in line with this policy or as unpaid leave or holiday.

What about the bereavement of a pet or service animal?

Pets and service animals are a big part of lives and often play an important role in helping us to meet our emotional need for connection, so their loss can be a difficult experience. Please speak with your manager about your loss and to go agree what support you may need. If you need some time away from work around the time of your loss, the general terms and principles of this policy will apply. At your manager’s discretion they may offer 1 day’s paid compassionate leave (based on your basic pay). The Blue Cross offer a range of advice as well as a dedicated Pet Bereavement Support Service which is available via phone, email or webchat – you can learn more via their website.

Welcoming a child to your family, whether through pregnancy or adoption, is really exciting. Equally, we appreciate that with it comes the need to plan financially for time away from work. We hope that our family leave and pay arrangement help colleagues to enjoy this special time.

Click the relevant link below to read our full family leave policies:

• Adoption
• Maternity
• Paternity
• Shared Parental Leave
• Surrogacy

Am I entitled to any other kind of parental leave?

Ordinary Parental Leave (OPL) enables parents to take a maximum of 18 weeks unpaid leave to care for their child (including an adopted child). This can be taken as blocks of 1-4 weeks each year up until the child’s 18th birthday. Parents of a child awarded disability living allowance are also entitled to 18 weeks unpaid leave, but the minimum ‘block’ in this case is 1 day (not 1 week). Please bear the following in mind too:

• To be eligible for OPL, you must have parental responsibility for the child and have at least 1 year’s service at the date you wish to take it.
• The 18-week entitlement is per child.
• Your entitlement to OPL belongs to you and is not calculated per employer. For example, if you took 8 weeks OPL before you joined our co-op, you would have a maximum of 10 weeks left to use.
• Parents cannot combine or transfer their OPL entitlement.

How do I request Ordinary Parental Leave (OPL)?

You should submit your request for OPL to your line manager in writing, providing at least 28 days’ notice. As with any request for leave, we’ll do our very best to accommodate this. If we can’t for operational reasons, we’ll let you know that we need to delay it. We won’t delay a request for OPL if you’re a father / partner requesting to take this immediately after the birth / adoption of your child, or the delay would go beyond the child’s 18th birthday.

What happens during and on my return from Ordinary Parental Leave (OPL)?

Whilst on OPL the terms and conditions of your employment (e.g. pay and enhanced holiday accrual) are suspended, although statutory holiday accrual and non-contractual benefits (like your colleague discount) continue. After a continuous period of OPL which lasts 4 weeks or less, you have the right to return to the same job on the same terms and conditions of employment. If you take OPL immediately after another family leave type (e.g. maternity or adoption leave) then this should not impact your ability to return to the same job either. If, by mutual agreement, you take longer than 4 weeks OPL for any reason, you’ll normally return to the same job but, if this isn’t possible for any reason, you’ll be redeployed to a role with terms and conditions not less favourable than your original role. We’ll talk to you about this if this is the case.

Taking some time away from work is really important. Whether we just need some time off to rest, or to enjoy a special occasion or event, taking regular holiday helps us to maintain a healthy work / life balance.

How much holiday do I get?

We’re pleased to offer our colleagues holiday entitlement which increases with service. Unless stated otherwise in your Contract of Employment, your annual entitlement is:

In addition to the above, you'll receive holiday entitlement equivalent to the number of Bank and Public Holidays in any holiday year (which runs from 1 April to 30 March). If you work part-time your holiday entitlement will be pro-rated based on your contractual working hours.

What if I haven’t worked a full year?

We accrue holiday as we work. So, in the holiday year your employment starts or ends, your holiday entitlement will be pro-rated based on the number of calendar days you’ve worked for us.

What holiday pay will I receive?

You will receive your normal basic pay. However, if you work additional hours or work hours that attract premium rates of pay, then your average earnings may be higher (as calculated over a 52-week period) and you'll receive a holiday supplement in addition to your normal basic pay for the period of holiday taken.

How do I view my holiday balance?

You can view your holiday balance (and the details of previously booked / taken holiday) in Dayforce.

How do I book holiday?

You can book holiday in Dayforce. Your line manager will always try to accommodate your request, but this is subject to operational requirements. Depending on the business area you work in, there may be certain times of the year where holiday may not be permitted or will be restricted. Your line manager will let you know more about this. You can see whether your request has been granted or denied in Dayforce. You should make your request as soon as possible and we’d advise waiting to hear whether your request has been approved before making any plans.

Is there a maximum amount of holiday I can take at one time?

We know some colleagues may have exceptional plans (like the ‘trip of a lifetime’) which mean they’d like an extended period of absence from work. Holiday requests of 3 weeks or more should initially be submitted in Zellis Employee Self Service (Your Working Arrangements > Extended Holiday Request) and will require approval from a Regional Leader (or equivalent).

Do I get Bank / Public Holidays off?

Depending on what area of the business you work in, you may be required to take holiday if a Bank or Public Holiday falls on a normal working day for you and you’re not required to work. If you’re required to work, you’ll be able to take the holiday at another time as agreed with your line manager.

I’m not normally required to work on Public / Bank Holidays. Can I request to work and take the holiday at a different time which is better for me?

We want to help our colleagues make the most of their holiday entitlement and to use this in a way which benefits them. If you’d like to work during a public / bank holiday (where you’d normally not be required to do so), have a chat with your line manager to request this. As long as you can still effectively perform your role, we’ll do our best to accommodate your request. If supported, your bank holiday entitlement will remain available for you to request to take at another time.

For clarity, if you do not request to work during a public / bank holiday or if your request for alternative arrangements cannot be accommodated, normal arrangements will apply (i.e. you will not be required to work and your absence will be processed as holiday).

Can I take religious holidays off?

We’ll try to support requests for time off work to observe religious holidays (whether a Bank or Public Holiday or not). Please see Religious Observance.

Can I carry-over unused holiday into the next holiday year?

Colleagues are responsible for planning and booking their holidays. We want you to take your holiday in a way which benefits you, so regularly check your balance and make sure you’re periodically making requests for time off. You should use your annual holiday entitlement within the current holiday year. If there are specific reasons as to why this is not possible, then you will need to make a request to your line manager for agreement to carry over up to 1 week of holiday (based on your weekly contracted hours).  Any unused holiday which is not authorised to be carried over will be lost and no equivalent payment will be made in lieu. The exception to this may be in the case of long-term absence from work, as explained below.

What happens to my holiday if I’m absent from work for an extended period?

You’ll continue to accrue holiday during periods of long-term absence, like sickness or family leave. Whilst every attempt must be made to take holiday in the current holiday year, if this is not possible due to long-term absence, you can carry over up to 4 weeks’ unused holiday entitlement into the next holiday year (unless otherwise agreed). This holiday must be used within 18 months from the date it is carried over or it will be lost.

If you exhaust your sick pay entitlement during a long-term absence from work, and are not in receipt of any other payment from the business, you can request payment of any holiday accrued to date. This request must be made in writing to the People Team.

Do you make colleagues take holiday at any particular times?

It’s really important that you take time away from work for your own wellbeing. Therefore, we reserve the right to make you take holiday, if you’ve not already made plans with your line manager to do so. Some parts of the business may operate specific guidelines to enable the effective planning of holidays throughout the year. There might also be other circumstances which will require you to take holiday, such as a shutdown or downturn in work. In any event, we’ll let you know the dates you’re required to take holiday and you’ll be given notice equivalent to twice the period of holiday (for example, if you’re required to take one week’s holiday, we’ll give you at least two weeks’ notice).

We recognise that undergoing IVF treatment can be both physically and emotionally challenging enough, without financial worries. Therefore, we offer women receiving IVF treatment paid time off to attend up to eight appointments where these fall within their normal working hours. We offer this level of support for each treatment cycle, up to a maximum of two cycles. If it is your partner who is receiving IVF treatment, but you are medically required to attend an appointment yourself, this will be treated as a ‘normal’ medical appointment (as above). We understand you may wish to attend other appointments to support your partner too though, so have a chat with your line manager to see if they can operationally support your unpaid leave from work in these circumstances. We also offer paid leave in the sad event that your fertility treatment is unsuccessful, from the point of embryo transfer (see 'Pregnancy and Baby Loss' below).

The Fertility Network recognise that over 3.5 million people in the UK go through some kind of fertility challenge. Check out their website for the details of their online resources and to see if there's a local support group near you.

Any one of us (with a few exceptions) may be called upon to serve on a jury. We appreciate that if you’ve never done this before, you‘ll probably have some questions about how this works alongside your job with us. 

How do I tell you I’ve received a jury summons?

Please let your line manager know as soon as possible. Usually jury service will last for 2 weeks (10 working days). If you’re told at court that it’s likely to last longer, you should update your line manager immediately so they can seek further advice and guidance from their line manager (e.g. Regional Leader or equivalent).

I’ve got a big project on at work. Can I refuse to do jury service?

If you feel that jury service will have a detrimental impact on your work, you can speak to the appropriate court officer about having your summons deferred. If appropriate, we can provide supporting evidence.

How will I be paid?

The good news is that you can claim loss of earnings from the court. However, the amount you can claim is capped and, as courts only normally operate Monday to Friday, you can only apply for loss of earnings in respect of any hours you were scheduled to work during their operating hours. Once you’ve received your loss of earnings claim form from the court, please send this on to the People Team for completion. If the daily amount you can claim from the court is less than your daily net pay with us, we will make up the shortfall in pay. In this instance, you’ll need to send us your proof of payment from the court too. If you only normally work evenings and / or weekends your line manager should seek further advice from the People Team on your working arrangements during jury service.

We understand that the death of a baby or child is devastating. We want to support you, so we seek to offer a Parental Bereavement Leave and Support policy which provides clarity about what’s available, but which also promotes the importance of open and honest dialogue between a colleague and their line manager in agreeing what’s appropriate in the individual circumstances.

Time away from work

If you have day-to-day parental responsibility for a child under 18 who dies, we will give you up to four weeks’ paid leave from work (based on basic pay), inclusive of any time off for the funeral. This includes biological, adoptive and foster parents, those who had their baby via a surrogate and partners of a biological parent. This also extends to parents whose baby is born stillborn after the 24^th week of pregnancy (if you have experienced pregnancy loss before this, please review our Pregnancy and Baby Loss policy below instead).

This is just a guide, and you can also agree with your manager to use this leave flexibly. For example, it doesn’t need to be taken as a single ‘block’ of leave, but it must be taken within 56 weeks of your child’s death or stillbirth. If you are on family leave (e.g. maternity, paternity or adoption leave), the parental bereavement leave can start after that has finished.

Thinking about returning to work

We understand that you may not be ready to return to work when you initially thought you would. If this is the case, your manager will talk to you about any other options available.

When you are ready to start thinking about your return to work, consider what support you feel may help. For example, is there any information you would like your manager to share with your colleagues in advance? Is there anything specific about your job role and responsibilities which might be especially challenging? Wellness Action Plans (which can be accessed via Zellis ESS) can be a useful way to think about how to support your wellbeing, including what support you need from your manager.

We understand your grief will not be a linear journey and that the support you need may change, so continue to talk to your manager about how you’re feeling and what you need. For example, we know dates like birthdays, anniversaries and religious festivals may be especially difficult and a time where you might need additional support, whether that means your team ‘just’ being aware or perhaps a day away from work in line with this policy or as unpaid leave or holiday.

Funeral arrangements

As part of our diverse family of businesses, we offer Funeral Services across the East of England - you can find your nearest branch and lots of other useful information and guidance on our website. If you choose for us to take care of your baby or child, please know that we do not charge any professional services fees in these circumstances - your local branch will be able to explain more.

Other support and resources

A colleague bereavement support pack is available on request from the People Team or your line manager. This includes some practical information, useful contact details and signposting to specialist support services. It also includes a link to an animation produced by Suffolk Mind as part of our partnership with them, which considers bereavement and grief – you can also watch this by clicking here.

If you are a manager supporting someone returning to work following a bereavement, please check the ‘Manager Guidance : Supporting bereaved colleagues’ available via Metro. This includes the following links to further animations produced by Suffolk Mind:

• How to support bereaved colleagues - Animation for managers

• How to support someone who is bereaved - Animation for colleagues, family and loved ones

We recognise that these resources relate to bereavement of all types and that you may require more specialist advice and support given the nature of your loss. Included in the support pack are the details for Child Bereavement UK who offer confidential support, guidance and information for individuals and families via their website, helpline, Live Chat or email. If you are struggling to find the right support for you, have a chat with your manager or the People Team – we’ll do our very best to identify the right service to put you in touch with.

What’s the difference between planned and unplanned absence?

Planned absence includes holiday and other absences from work which are agreed in advance. Absences due to the following reasons will normally be excluded from the ‘review levels’ outlined in our 'Unplanned Absence Management Procedure' below where they have been agreed with your line manager in advance and / or reported in accordance with the relevant policy:

• Accident at work (subject to circumstances).
• Hospital appointments (see 'Appointments (Medical)' above.
• Planned operation / treatment for a medical issue 
• Pregnancy-related.
• Bereavement (below).
• Special leave (e.g. Jury Service, time off for Public Duties, Trade Union Duties or Armed Forces and Special Police Reservists Duties - further details throughout this section).
• Urgent time off for dependents (as below, unless this exceeds reasonable levels).
• Due to an illness which is legally notifiable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR).
• Periods of planned absence as part of a phased return to work.

This list isn’t exhaustive and the circumstances surrounding any absence from work will be given due consideration as part of the 'Unplanned Absence Management Procedure' (below).

What if I’m absent from work, but have agreed with my manager to work later in the week instead?

If agreeable with your line manager, any missed working time, which is being made up at a later point, will be considered a planned absence and will not normally be considered as part of the 'Unplanned Absence Management Procedure' (below).

What if I need some time off work for reasons not listed in this section?

If you need time off work due to problems with family or at home, please speak with your line manager about options such as taking any outstanding holiday or TOIL, unpaid leave, or whether you can reschedule your working hours that week. Where such an option is used, this will not be considered an unplanned absence as alternative arrangements were made. That said, if such absence exceeds reasonable levels, this may be addressed under the 'Unplanned Absence Management Procedure' (below).

We understand that pregnancy and baby loss can be traumatic and distressing, and that it is a very personal experience. Therefore, our focus is on encouraging regular, open discussion between any colleague and their line manager, so they can explore together what support they feel they need.

If you experience pregnancy loss before the twenty-fourth week, you may need some time away from work. As part of our co-op’s support, we offer 1 week’s paid leave (based on normal basic pay). However, this is just a guide and line managers should show their discretion in authorising additional leave where appropriate. Paid leave may be offered to a colleague if they are the person who ‘physically’ experiences the pregnancy loss, or if they are the partner / the other expectant parent.

For the avoidance of doubt, our policy applies to miscarriage, ectopic and molar pregnancies, abortion / termination, and from the point of embryo transfer during fertility treatment. It also applies to colleagues who were expecting their baby via a surrogacy arrangement.

In the sad event a stillbirth or neonatal loss is suffered after 24 weeks of pregnancy, the colleague will maintain their rights to full Maternity / Paternity leave and pay. They would also be entitled to parental bereavement leave and support (as above).

We recognise that these situations are very distressing and colleagues may wish to access the confidential colleague support programme offered by GroceryAid, in addition to any support offered by their line manager and the People Team. GroceryAid can be contacted via their 24/7 helpline on 08088 021 122 or via their website. Their services are free and confidential. We've also put together some resources within HIVE, including the contact details of specialist charities and organisations and guidance on taking care of your mental health – search ‘Pregnancy and Baby Loss’. This also includes useful information for colleagues wanting to support someone else who has experienced pregnancy or baby loss.

We think it’s great when our colleagues play an active role in their communities. We’ll always do our best to support them in balancing these commitments alongside their work with us.

What is considered a ‘public duty’?

This includes colleagues who serve as a magistrate, a local councillor, a school governor, or who are a member of the following:

• Statutory tribunal (e.g. employment tribunal).
• Managing or governing body of any educational establishment.
• Health or Water authority.
• Environment Agency.
• Prison independent monitoring board.

If you’re not sure whether your role counts as a public duty, please contact the People Team.

How much time off work can I take for public duties?

Before taking on public duties, you should speak with your line manager to consider how this potential commitment could be accommodated alongside your job role and responsibilities. Any absence agreed will be reasonable, considering your public duties along with the needs of our business. We won’t refuse you time off work, unless it will cause disruption to our co-op. Your line manager may ask for evidence of your need to take time off for public duties.

Will absence due to public duties be paid?

This will normally be unpaid. You may wish to speak with your line manager about other options such as taking any outstanding holiday or TOIL, or whether you can reschedule your working hours.

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:

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.

We’re proud of our partnerships with our recognised trade unions, Usdaw and GMB. Accredited representatives, including our workplace reps, play an important role for both their trade union and our co-op.

If you're an Usdaw or GMB representative, you'll be permitted reasonable time off during your working hours to attend meetings which affect Usdaw or GMB members within our co-op (e.g. pay negotiations), as well as to support and accompany colleagues in formal matters (like disciplinary and grievance matters). This time will be paid.

We’ll also support reasonable time off work for other reasons related to your union duties, such as training and other developmental events (e.g. attending a conference) under the terms of the relevant Facilities Agreement. 

We accept that we will all need time off work from time-to-time. However, unplanned absence can have a detrimental impact on our co-op and our ability to play a vital role in our communities. This procedure looks to identify ways we can support you in delivering a regular and reliable attendance at work, whilst setting out how our co-op will address ongoing or repeated occasions of unplanned absence.

Where there is no underlying disability (as determined by The Equality Act, 2010), unplanned absence from work will be managed as follows:

Any formal action will be held in accordance with our normal disciplinary procedures (see Managing Performance or Concerns at Work), including the right to be accompanied at the attendance hearing, as well as to appeal any sanction. If your absence/s from work otherwise exceed acceptable levels (for example, they fall just outside of the 26-week rolling period or you have two longer-term absences), we may still review this with you in line with this procedure.

What’s an informal counselling meeting?

The purpose of this meeting is to try and understand any underlying reasons for your frequent, unplanned absence from work and to consider any support you might need from us. Your line manager may check whether your absence is due to health, personal or family problems, or whether there are any work-related factors. As always, your line manager can only support you based on what they know, so please use this opportunity to fully explain the circumstances of your absences and any concerns you may have.

What is The Equality Act (2010) and how do I know if I’m covered by it?

This ultimately seeks to protect people from discrimination and to promote equal opportunities. There are different reasons why someone might be protected under The Equality Act. For example, your health issue may be considered a disability if it has an adverse effect on your ability to carry out your day-to-day duties and this effect is likely to be substantial and long-term (last for 12 months or more). We’ll consider together whether you’re covered by The Equality Act, but you can read more here Equality Act 2010: guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

What happens if my unplanned absences from work are linked to The Equality Act (2010)?

Your line manager should consider any reasonable adjustments or support which would help you in work and in delivering a regular and reliable attendance. One such adjustment may be agreeing to increase the absence management procedure ‘review levels’ outlined earlier in this section. Ongoing poor attendance in these circumstances may be addressed via our Capability – Health or medical policy (see Managing Performance or Concerns at Work).

Many of us have someone who relies on us in an emergency or urgent situation. In these circumstances, unpaid time off will be offered to help you to provide care and support (or to otherwise resolve the problem which has arisen).

Who is considered a dependent?

• Your spouse or partner.
• Your child (including an adopted or foster child, as well as a stepchild).
• Your parent (including in-laws or stepparents).
• Anyone else who would reasonably rely on you for assistance if they were ill or injured.

What kinds of situations would warrant urgent time off?

Here are some examples of what may be considered emergency situations warranting time off, but what is considered ‘urgent’ will vary from person to person, dependent on their circumstances:

• To help a dependent who has fallen ill or been injured or has given birth.
• The care arrangements in place for a dependent are unexpectedly disrupted.
• An unexpected incident involving a child during school hours / whilst on a school trip.

How should I let my manager know that I need urgent time off?

We’d ask you to follow the normal absence reporting guidance (see 'Sickness Absence and Pay' above), letting your line manager know no later than 1 hour before you’re due to be in work (or as soon as you can if this isn’t possible due to the emergency). You should let them know the circumstances of your absence (including your relationship with the dependent) and how long you think you’ll be off work. If your absence is longer than 3 days due to family sickness, you’ll be required to provide reasonable, supporting evidence. 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 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 in the future.