Managing Sickness Absence Dr Karen Nightingale

2. Managing Sickness Absence Dr Karen Nightingale

3. Who would it be in your company?

21. Source: all tables and graphs from 2015 CIPD survey

22. Any questions?

23. The Legal Angle Managing Sickness Absence …law & practice Nigel Crebbin Employment Partner Taylors Solicitors

24. Managing Sickness Absence Creates both legal and HR issues Persistent short term absence Long term absence Equality Act 2010 Practical issues and guidance

25. Where do we start? (1) Each case turns on its own facts Lynock V Cereal Packaging Limited 1998 Starting point for employer sympathy understanding compassion

26. Where do we start? (2) Importance of documents Need a written absence management procedure contract of employment staff handbook This procedure must be fair and also applied fairly over a reasonable period of time Whilst having a procedure, always be aware that every set of facts is different & so be prepared to show some flexibility Starting point is always obtaining information nature, extent, likely cause and expected duration

27. Absence Recording (1) Short term absence Not usual to seek professional medical opinion Monitoring absence The Bradford Factor is a simple formula to help you manage short term sick absences and determine when these have become excessive The calculation for the Bradford Factor (B) is Number of Occasions Sick (S) x Number of Occasions Sick (S) x Total Number of Days Absent (D): B = S² x D

28. Absence Recording (2) Example John has been off work for 10 days in total this year, but has accumulated this in 7 days worth of single days off and 1 period of 3 days off Score = 8 x 8 x 10 =640 Compare with: Jim has had one period off of 10 days Score = 1 x 1 x 10 = 10 Highlights employees with a high level of intermittent absence

29. Absence Recording (3) What use is this? Procedure should contain “triggers” If a score is reached, this triggers some action Again, need to have some flexibility absence could be disability related Will not be discovered without a proper investigation, which should always start with a return to work interview that is recorded in writing

30. Return to Work Interview Formal meeting Explore: the affect of the absence on colleagues & on the business is the level of absence likely to continue? are there any changes that can be made to reduce absence? is there an underlying condition causing the absence? is a formal warning appropriate? hold a formal hearing and clearly document the expected improvement and the consequences of not improving forms part of a process which, ultimately, may lead to dismissal

31. Long Term Absence (1) Written absence management procedure setting out the steps Investigation Medical evidence and consent Make decisions based upon the most up to date information Meeting to discuss: are you likely to be able to return to work? likely date? is employee disabled? are reasonable adjustments to role possible? are there any alternative roles? other options e.g. ill health retirement logistics regarding return e.g. phased, supervised

32. Long Term Absence (2) No prospect of a successful return within the foreseeable future No amendments to the job role that would make a difference No alternative role available that can be undertaken Then hold formal meeting to consider dismissal Always advise in advance of right to be accompanied Always advise in advance & in writing that a possible consequence of the meeting may be the termination of employment Don’t forget the right to appeal Need up to date detailed medical information

33. Equality Act 2010 (1) Disability discrimination Definition: a mental or physical condition that condition has a substantial effect on employee’s ability to carry out day to day activities the effect is or is likely to be long term Uncapped compensation & no length of service requirement

34. Equality Act 2010 (2) Direct discrimination Unfavourable treatment because of something arising from a disability Indirect discrimination Failure to comply with duty to make reasonable adjustments Harassment relating to disability Victimisation Asking pre-employment health questions other than for a prescribed reason Knowledge of disability is required, or alternatively a reasonable employer ought to have been aware of the disability

35. Equality Act 2010 (3) Exercise caution re mental health issues Hidden disguised conditions Underlying conditions Stress, anxiety and depression Have to discount treatment or other coping strategies Assess effect cumulatively on day to day activities

36. Example (1) Employee had diabetes and needed insulin injection and food when appropriate to control the condition Blood sugar levels needed frequent monitoring Condition was known to employer Manager put the employee on poor performance plan, discouraging him from leaving desk to conduct tests Employee suffered a hypoglycaemic attack as a result of his reluctance to test himself at his desk Employee who had diabetes and who was not given a suitable place to carry out test and who was discouraged from doing so away from his desk had been subjected to discrimination British Telecommunications v Pousson 2005

37. Example (2) Claimant was bus driver who suffered from type 2 diabetes Controlled predominantly by avoiding sugary drinks Employment Tribunal found he was disabled On appeal, found that abstention from sugary drinks could not be constituted as having a substantial adverse effect on day to day activities The driver’s type 2 diabetes did not, of itself, amount to a disability; merely changing one’s diet is not considered a treatment Metroline Travel ltd v Stoute (2014)

38. Example (3) External OH advisers identified “stress related symptoms” but not disability Employer could not rely exclusively on the advice from OH to claim no knowledge of disability Have to form their own judgment Have to consider all relevant facts Simply could not rubber stamp the adviser’s view without question Gallop v Newport City Council (2014)

39. Example (4) D was employed by her employer for 11 years During last year of employment she had 128 days off with different reasons for her absence Suffered from a variety of health issues: hypertension, work related stress Refused to allow OH to contact her GP D was referred to OH Employer asks if there is a medical condition to explain her absence OH advises not disabled, but does not directly answer the question D dismissed for persistent short term absences ET dismissed claim holding that employer had neither actual nor constructive knowledge that employee was disabled – upheld on appeal Donelien v Liberata (2014)

40. Example (5) Employee absent with work related stress and depression Referred to consultant psychiatrist to identify steps to facilitate return to work Recommendation – employer pays for private psychiatric services, including CBT Employer failed to act on recommendations Did not engage with employee, who resigned and claimed constructive dismissal and discrimination EAT stated that provision of specific psychiatric support to help employee deal with the pressures of work was a reasonable adjustment Not payment of private medical fees in general Croft Vets Ltd v Butcher (2013)

41. Fit for Work Scheme Access at employer level to address sickness absence among employees Professional OH services through advice service, phone line and referral £500 per head per year tax break on medical treatments to help employee back to work Assessment made after referral Return to work plan coordinated Down side – delay and under resourced

42. Conclusions Healthy workers are the key objective Don’t let things drift, but deal with problems early Use HR and OH promptly Have a written procedure Have regular contact Keep notes Get a support and return to work plan agreed by all Continue to monitor Identify if on-going support required

43. Employment Law Update Peter Byrne Employment Partner Taylors Solicitors

44. Unfair Dismissal: monitoring employee’s use of the internet - Barbulescu v Romania • Barbulescu was an engineer using his employer’s business Yahoo Messenger to send personal messages • In breach of his employment contract • Employer discovered the use accidentally, but then dismissed him • Argued that evidence of personal messages infringed his right to privacy

45. Unfair Dismissal: monitoring employee’s use of the internet - Barbulescu v Romania • Article 8 was engaged – but court could look at the evidence in deciding whether the dismissal was fair • Precise content of personal messages not considered • Only relied on the fact that they were personal messages • Need for employers to verify employees completing professional tasks during working hours

46. Disability Discrimination – meaning of “day to day” activities - Banaszczyk v Booker • Claimant was a picker in a distribution centre • Had long term back condition • Required to lift items up to 25kg as part of his job • Tribunal originally found that this was not a “normal day to day activity” • EAT disagreed • Scope of day to day activities extends to work

47. Discrimination – instruction to speak English • Kelly v Covance Laboratories Limited • Russian born Claimant instructed not to speak Russian at work • Left her work station and spoke in Russian on her phone • Employer concerned she was an animal rights infiltrator • Company’s language policy operated in the context that managers needed to understand conversations for security purposes

48. Discrimination – instruction to speak English • Kelly v Covance Laboratories Limited • Tribunal found the policy was not applied for reasons of the Claimant’s race or national origin • Was in the context of her behaviour at work in this particular working environment • Therefore was not direct discrimination nor harassment • A comparator speaking any other language other than English would have been treated the same • No link to national origin - EAT

49. Discrimination – negative references and disability • Pnaiser v NHS England and Coventry City Council • Claimant commenced employment with Coventry NHS Trust • Line manager was Ms Tennant • Claimant had 2 disability related operations and had phased returns and worked from home for part of the time • Ms Tennant formed view that Claimant’s ability to carry out her duties was affected by her symptoms, but never raised this

50. Discrimination – negative references and disability • Pnaiser v NHS England and Coventry City Council • Claimant applied for new post on secondment and was supported by manager • Started secondment, but had disability related absence • Reorganisation led to her redundancy at her request and agreed reference was produced by Ms Tennant • Claimant applied for new job with NHS England and was given verbal offer and then written offer subject to satisfactory checks