Policy on Sickness Absence Management and Supporting Employees

Following the recent training events that included a session on Sickness Absence Management, I would like to bring to your attention that we have now completed the work on Section 10 Part 1 Appendices. Following the feedback from the recent training sessions we have completed the work on the diagrammatic summaries and reviewed the forms taking into account the training sessions and developments such as the new HR/Payroll system. There may be a need to look at these forms again later in the year but we will keep Heads informed of any further changes. The following have now been included in the Schools Personnel Handbook, Section 10 Part 1 Appendices:-

Appendix C1: Summary Table - Managing Staff Short Term Absence

Appendix C2: Summary Table - Managing Staff Long Term Absence

Appendix C3: Forms/Records Used in Sickness Absence

Headteachers are advised to recommend Section 10 Part 1A as a School Policy to be adopted by the Governors and ensure that all your staff are aware of the policy. We will be drawing Clerks to Governors attention to the policy via Governor Support Services for future inclusion on Governors Agenda. This new part of the handbook has been subject to extensive consultation with the JCC County Secretaries Group of the Teachers JCC and also with Unison.

The policy is important because it:-

sets the ethos within which sickness absence is managed

puts in place a policy that is up-to-date and used by most progressive organisations

deals with the management of the policy and good practice

deals with the administrative arrangements.

Our advice is that these new arrangements should commence in schools from 1st October 2006.

Should you have any queries on this policy, please contact your Schools HR Consultant who will deal with management issues or your Integrated Employee Support Officer who deals with administrative arrangements. You can also email Ray Philpott, Senior HR Consultant (Policy).