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POLICY AND PROCEDURE ON INCAPACITY LEAVE AND ILL-HEALTH RETIREMENT (PILIR) DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES (DCS) PILIR REPORT. CDC Human Resources TMI Mokoena. 11 March 2015. OVERVIEW.
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POLICY AND PROCEDURE ON INCAPACITY LEAVE AND ILL-HEALTH RETIREMENT (PILIR)DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES (DCS)PILIR REPORT CDC Human Resources TMI Mokoena 11 March 2015
OVERVIEW • Management of incapacity leaves and ill-health retirement cases are dealt with in terms of the Policy and Procedure on incapacity leave and ill-health retirement (PILIR). • PILIR policy makes provision for the appointment of the Health Risk Manager to assess incapacity leave and ill-health retirement applications and make recommendations to the Department of Correctional Services, following the receipt of the latter the decision to approve or decline will be considered and applied by the delegated manager. • The latter policy becomes applicable once employees has exhaust their 36 days sick leave in a three year cycle. • The presentation will therefore illustrate the progress made in terms of the management of incapacity leave and ill-health retirement within the Department of Correctional Services. This presentation will also highlight the significant submission trends which have been noted in terms of temporary incapacity leave (TIL) and ill health retirement (IHR) applications that have been received and dealt with.
DISCUSSIONS • The Department of Correctional Services resumed the implementation of PILIR in July 2003 and to date this process is still enforced. • However, this process was halted in January 2013 up to 31 October 2013 due to the court interdict that prevented any appointment of the Health Risk Manager by any of the National and Provincial Departments. • The halting of the latter process created the stockpile cases which could not be handled and as a result the decision to approve or decline these cases could not be taken. The Stockpile are outlined in detail as follows: • Stockpile Long Term Incapacity Leave cases • Stockpile Short Term Incapacity Leave Cases • ILL - Health Retirement
DISCUSSIONS Cont. • The total stockpile cases as illustrated on slide 1 – 2 above is 1 721 with the short term applications (0 - 29 days) being the highest as it amounts to 1378 in comparison to the long term applications ( from 29 days and higher) which is 343. • In terms of ill-health retirement applications as outlined on slide 3 the total of 32 applications were received. The break down of applications is per regions and from the total applications received it can be deduced that regions with highest applications are Eastern Cape; Free State and Northern Cape and Kwa Zulu Natal. • The Department of Public Service Administration (DPSA) has appointed the Metropolitan Health Risk Manager (PTY) Ltd as the Health Risk Manager for processing of the Stockpile cases for all National Department and Provincial Departments. The Department is currently in the processing of signing the Service Level Agreement with this company. • Two meetings were already held in this regard with human resource managers. The processing of the latter cases will be resumed in due course as all the stockpile applications have been handed over to Metropolitan Health Risk Manager.
DISCUSSIONS Cont. • It is also presented that the Department appointed the Alexander Forbes Health Risk Manager from 1 November 2013 up to December 2018 to assess and provide recommendations on all cases of temporary incapacity leave and ill-health retirement for the Department of Correctional Services. • Since the latter appointment the cases of incapacity leave and ill-health retirement that were dealt with are outlined as follows: National statistics of Short Term Incapacity Leave and Long Term Incapacity Leave
DISCUSSIONS Cont. National statistics of ILL Heath Retirement (IHR) • Below is the detailed breakdown per Region (Slide 9 – Slide 11)
DISCUSSIONS Cont. In the analysis of the above of slide 9 and 10, the following trends were observed that: • The coastal regions are the highest in reporting of incapacity leave in comparison with the inlands regions. • In terms of gender it was noted that males are the most officials applying for incapacity leave in comparison with the females and this could be related to the fact that the Department of Correctional Services has the highest number of males than females. • The most common age that report for incapacity leaves range from 40-49 this could be due to the fact that at this age the most chronic conditions like high blood pressure and sugar diabetic start to emerge in most officials. • The most common conditions that reported upon are the psychiatric conditions followed by respiratory conditions and musculoskeletal systems and disorders. The nature of the work environment could be the contributory factor that leads to the highest number of officials reporting sick due to psychiatric conditions.
DISCUSSIONS Cont. • The trends observed on the ill-health retirement signify a decline in applying for ill-health retirement as many officials are opting to resign than the latter. The stricter methods used deter them from opting for this option. • Respiratory conditions are of short term and could be caused by multiple conditions that relate to change of environment and cross infection within the work place and on the road to work as many officials use public transport. • It was also noted that officials tend to use the same doctors especially for psychiatric illnesses and when applying for ill-health retirement.
PILIR VALUE ADDED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES • PILIR introduced a total paradigm shift in the management of incapacity leave in the department; as a result of PILIR training; it was demonstrable empowerment of supervisors and other line managers in the effective management of incapacity leave, ill health retirement and sick leave in general. • Numerous management areas at DCS observed and reported a positive mindset/attitude change amongst most of their members with regard to utilization of their sick leave benefits. • The department has also made a positive difference in the affected employees’ lives where they truly needed additional incapacity leave in order to recover from genuine major injuries/illnesses. • PILIR contributed towards improvement of affected employee’s vocational potential to the degree that they could remain or return to productive work. • PILIR implementation has gone some way in contributing towards occupational bonding making members to view DCS as a caring employer
PILIR VALUE ADDED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES Cont. • As a result of PILIR implementation, DCS has become acutely aware of the key drivers of incapacity leave and ill-health retirements in its own work environment • Decrease on the extent and costs of unjustified sick related to absence from work. • Declined IHR applications resulted in a positive contribution towards skills retention for DCS. • Ultimately, as a result of PILIR implementation, DCS has more officials with positive attitude and behavioral change to utilization of sick leave benefits thereby improving service delivery • Improved key skills retention of officials that would have been lost if PILIR was not introduced. • PILIR led to better understanding of DCS employees’ health risk profile. • Significant operational costs savings on human capital related costs also observed.
OVER ALL PILIR IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES • In cases of declined applications, where the official does not have adequate capped leave, leave without pay is granted, which in turn creates challenges of managing staff debts and in some cases it creates pension under contribution in both the employer and employee contribution. • The department encountered some labour disputes from disgruntled officials, in cases of declined PILIR applications • High turnover rate of personnel to attend PILIR cases thereby creates continuity challenges in PILIR implementation. • Staffing and office infrastructural challenges in PILIR designated offices in rural management areas. • Inadequate professional capacity within DCS for other integrated employee health and wellness programme elements (namely EAP, HIV & AIDS, and HEALTH PROMOTION etc.)
OVER ALL PILIR IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES Cont. • Inadequate integration of PILIR with the other integrated employee health and wellness programme elements • Not enough SMS members were trained on PILIR across all departmental regions • Delays in the sending of TIL applications by some management areas to HRM, resulting in processing of old applications. • Ingenuity by some officials who would bypass PILIR by declaring their injuries as IOD. • Difficulty in securing second opinion specialist appointments in the more rural management areas, this sometimes negatively affects adherence to turn around times by Human Resource Management
OVER ALL PILIR IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES Cont. • Delays in the communication of applications decisions by management areas to applicants, especially for declined applications • Some employees report negative experiences with managers when applications are declined • Officials having difficulties to consult due to exhausted medical aid benefits. • Delays in the communication of applications decisions by management areas to applicants, especially for declined applications causes disputes and disgruntlement among the officials. • Compliance to turn around time due to numerous challenges is still encountered in some cases both from the Department’s side and Health Risk Manager’s side. • Some officials are unable to pay for costly medical reports required to assess their applications as medical aid does not pay release of such reports.
PILIR MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Cont. • Facilitate monitoring and evaluation through regular meetings with the HRM and DPSA. • The Department has PILIR champion that ensure that there is a smooth running in the management of PILR nationally and that becomes a coordinating office between the Department and other stake holders within the National Departments and the Health Risk Manager. • Statistical analysis of the impact of PILIR which is done quarterly during the PILIR Steering Committee meetings to monitor trends and develop mitigating strategies. • Training was done in all regions and it is continually done as need arises. The Department will further form partnership with PALAMA to train DCS officials on PILIR. The briefing session was already done with the latter for their involvement in conducting of training in this regard. • PILIR including leave management in general was made a Key Responsibility Area for Regional Commissioners and on quarterly basis the latter release delegates to attend PILIR Steering Committee meetings with the aim of ensuring accountability and sharing of ideas to improve service delivery in this area of service delivery.
PILIR MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Cont. • Establishment of monitoring forums at regional and national level are in place to facilitate the monitoring and ensuring of compliance to PILIR policy. • Monitoring by National and Regional inspectors is in place as part of compliance enforcement. • Facilitate monitoring and evaluation through regular meetings with the Health Risk Manager. • In terms of clinical management, the significant percentage of psychiatric conditions as a cause of TIL applications points to the need for integration of the various wellness service providers such as the EAP; and chronic disease management programmed from medical aid scheme.
SERVICE TERMINATION AND PILIR MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Cont. • Conduct an audit of all service termination cases and PILIR applications, per Region, and escalate all those that have been outstanding of 3 months from the date of submission of all necessary documentation to the office of the Minister for intervention. A directive in this regard is being compiled; • In addition, all new cases not finalised within a stipulated, mandatory time frames shall also be escalated to the office of the Minister; • Convene monthly meetings with critical stakeholders such as the Public Service Commission, GEPF and service providers for purposes of, among others, discussing monthly status quo reports in respect service terminations and PILIR applications; • Enter into service level agreements with service providers and GEPF, outlining, among others, turnaround times; • Inclusion of service termination and handling of PILIR applications oversight into the performance agreement of Area Commissioners, Regional Commissioners and Branch Heads;
SERVICE TERMINATION AND PILIR MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Cont. • Decentralise handling of service termination and handling of PILIR applications to Management Area. Establishment of dedicated centres, at Management Area level, to manage these processes; • Establish contact centres at Management Area, Regional, and Ministry levels to handle service termination and ill-health application queries from ex-officials and affected family members; • Continuation with information sessions to empower officials with information on exit management and PILIR procedures; • Conduct random walk-in audits at centres established to handle service terminations and ill-health applications for purposes of providing oversight; and • Enforce Consequence Management against officials whose conduct in the processing of service terminations and PILIR applications amounts to misconduct.
CONCLUSION • The Department of Correctional Services can be rated as one of the Department that is striving at its level best to comply with the applicable legislations in managing of incapacity leave and ill-health retirement. • It is acknowledged that challenges do exist but the mitigation strategies that were put in place minimize the negative impact of challenges to both the Department and the employees. • It is also acknowledged that the absence of the Health Risk Manager created numerous challenges that will take some time to rectify but the Department aim to work with all stake holders to resolve whatever challenges encountered with the intention of reaching the amicable solution.
