16 January 2006

According to research published in the sixth annual CIPD absence survey, absence costs the UK economy £12 billion annually. This on average equates to a direct cost of £601 per employee. Over 80% of these absences are classified as short term absences, clearly the scale of the problem should not be underestimated.

In response to this, employers need to implement policies and initiatives to reduce the occurrence of absenteeism and equally assure themselves of the correct procedures and responses to this problem.

There should be a clear absence policy in place, which employees should be made aware of. Sickness absence should be monitored and trends, such as persistent absence on Fridays and Mondays, which indicate a pattern of unacceptable absence, need to be identified. Return to work interviews after the shortest of absences, restricting sick pay and line management involvement have all been proved to be effective in reducing short term absence. There are various motivational tools available, for example target related bonus payments, an additional days holiday entitlement and a type of attendance related prize can increase attendance.

Data collected by the Employment Law Advisory Service confirms that 88 % of employers would tackle unacceptable absences, if they were confident that such action would not result in expensive employment tribunal claims.

It is therefore important that HR professionals and line managers receive the correct training in absence and disciplinary policies to reassure them of what steps they can take. From the outset any dubious absence periods should be identified and thoroughly investigated. Remember to watch out for underlying medical conditions, which may be lurking, the symptoms of which are sporadic absenteeism. Ask the employee who is away frequently if there is any medical condition of which you should be made aware. It is in such circumstances that a medical report may be of great assistance. If there is an underlying condition, be aware of the implications of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

If no satisfactory explanation is available then this will be a conduct issue. Warnings, and even final written warnings, can be given without reference to the statutory dismissal and disciplinary procedures, however the statutory procedures must be followed as soon as a dismissal is contemplated. In every case, the employee should, as a minimum, have the opportunity to put their case forward and if necessary medical opinion should be sought. Existing company absence and disciplinary policies must be followed and any disciplinary measures taken must reflect the investigatory process and be within a band of reasonable responses available to the employer in the specific circumstances.