Dealing with employees who are absent due to ill health presents many challenges. What are your obligations under the Equality Act 2010? Can you bring in temporary cover? What do you need to pay the employee? What happens with their holiday entitlement? When might you be able to instigate dismissal proceedings? What are the risks? What can you do if an employee is signed off with stress during disciplinary proceedings? What should you do when they want to return to work?
These are just some of the questions which you may face when you have employees who are off sick. Our lawyers help businesses to understand their obligations and prevent problems arising. When problems do arise, we know that in some situations you need help fast. Our experience allows us to understand your issue quickly and to provide a practical solution.
Our aim is to help you to avoid problems arising in the first place but if they do, we will be on hand to help you resolve them as swiftly and discretely as possible.
How Fox & Partners can help…
- we provide and review sickness absence policies to reduce the risk of issues arising in the first place
- we train managers and other employees on managing absence
- we give advice on when absence is a capability or disciplinary issue, for example, a series of persistent short-term absences may be dealt with as misconduct
- we can guide you through an absence management process step-by-step
- we will always be mindful of obligations under the Equality Act and help you to avoid allegations of unlawful discrimination
- we can instruct medical experts and advise on your legal obligations relating to the information you receive
- we provide help with phased returns to work and obligations to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act.
Please call us on 020 7618 2400