Decision details

The Secretary to the Employer’s Side submitted a report on the Absence Management Policy which had been updated to reflect changes in legislation in terms of the Equality Act 2010 and best practice.  The policy was linked with a number of the Council’s health and safety and human resource policies and provided a definition of absence, disability absence and HR’s responsibilities in managing attendance including recording absence. 

The Secretary to the Employer’s Side explained the new sickness absence trigger points, the detail of which was set out in the report now submitted.

Councillor J Ranger expressed concern regarding the need to report sickness by 10am if an employee fell ill whilst on holiday.  He commented that this might be extremely difficult to achieve in terms of time zone differences and suggested that reporting a sickness on the first day was a more reasonable approach.  This was supported. 

Councillor Ranger referred to paragraph 16.4 (fourth bullet point) stating that this should read “third meeting” rather than “second” and queried why a Final Written Warning would be necessary if the employee was progressing.  The Secretary to the Employer’s Side acknowledged that there might be progress, but that the Final Written Warning would be kept on the file and may be used as a future “trigger”.

Councillor J Ranger suggested that in relation to the “Director Checklist for Termination” that the name “SERCO” be deleted from the 6^th bullet point on the grounds that this may change.  This was supported.

The Panel supported the report, as now amended.

RECOMMENDED – that the Policy, as set out in Essential Reference Paper “B” of the report submitted,  and now amended, be approved.