Your Responsibility
It is a contractual requirement to notify the University of your
sickness absence on the first day this occurs. You must also
certify your sickness absence with either a Self Certificate, as
soon as you return to work, or a Doctors Fit Note as soon as this
is received. If you do not do this, your absence will be classed as
unauthorised and you will not be paid for the period of absence.
Self Certification Forms and Doctors Fit Notes should be given to
your School/Department Absence Administrator.
First Day of Sickness Absence
Sickness Absence
Your Guide
If you are unable to attend work due to ill-health, you should notify
your Line Manager, or the designated person in your
School/Department, as soon as possible on the first working day
of your absence by telephone. If circumstances are such that
you are unable to telephone, a relative or friend may call on your
behalf.
When telephoning, please let us know:
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the reason for your absence
the first day you became unfit (including weekends and
holidays)
when you expect to be able to return to work
any work commitments affected by your absence.
During your period of Sickness Absence
Human Resources
 do maintain regular contact with the University
 do follow medical/occupational health advice
 do allow contact from the University to support your return
to work or enable cover to be planned
 don’t engage in any other paid employment or take part in
any activity that may aggravate your condition.
Returning to Work
When fit to return to work, you should:
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notify your Line Manager
if issued with a Doctor’s Fit Note advising restricted duties,
advise your Line Manager who will contact Occupational
Health on 01642 342213 for advice on how to plan your
return
meet with your Line Manager on your first day back at
work for an update on activity missed and discuss any
issues that may have contributed to your illness and any
Occupational Health advice.
Phased Return to Work
If medical/occupational health advice is that you should have a
phased return, the details will be agreed with your Line Manager
and this will normally be put in place, for a 4 week period for
reduced days/hours, or up to two months for restricted duties.
You will remain on your full salary during this period.
If you require ongoing treatment (e.g. physiotherapy) to assist
your recovery, you will be allowed reasonable time off work
(normally up to half a day per week). You should complete a
Leave of Absence Form to cover these occasions.
You will not be asked to undertake any additional duties, or work
overtime, during your rehabilitation period.
What happens if you have a lot of Short-Term
Sickness Absence
Short term sickness absence is considered to be excessive if you
have had:
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6 separate episodes in any 6 month period, or 10 or more
days in a rolling 6 month period
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12 separate episodes in any 12 month period, or 20 or
more days in any rolling 12 month period.
In the event of the above you will be referred to Occupational
Health for advice and you may be asked to attend a formal
sickness absence review meeting with your Line Manager to
establish the reasons for the absences and to allow you to reestablish a normal working pattern.
Following this meeting you may be issued with a First Formal
Sickness Absence Caution and your future attendance will be
monitored.
If you then hit a second sickness absence trigger, then you will be
invited to attend a second formal sickness absence review
meeting with your School Manager or Deputy/Assistant
Dean/Director with HR in attendance. Following this meeting you
may be issued with a Second Formal Sickness Absence Caution
which will warn that any further failure to improve attendance
within a six month period will necessitate the case being referred
to a hearing with an independent senior manager and the Director
of HR.
Should this occur, a hearing will be arranged and you can be
accompanied by a TU Representative or a friend from the
University. The panel will consider the information available and
allow you to give a response. A possible outcome of the hearing
may be a decision to recommend your dismissal on the grounds
of medical incapacity. Other possible outcomes include
consideration for redeployment or reduced hours. If the decision
is to recommend dismissal, your case will be referred to the ViceChancellor for a final decision. You would have a right of appeal
against any decision to dismiss.
Mitigating Circumstances
There are mitigating circumstances allowances for sickness
absence which will not count towards absence triggers and
details of these can be found in the University’s Sickness
Absence Management Policy. A copy of the policy can be found
in the University’s Regulation Repository:
https://unity2.tees.ac.uk/Departments/USEC/UniversityRegulatio
ns/default.aspx
Dual Track Mitigation
This will apply if you suffer from a chronic medical condition which
is identified at a Return to Work Meeting or a formal Absence
Review Meeting. A chronic condition is a condition which
requires ongoing treatment for a prolonged period of time, e.g.
asthma, diabetes, and which may generate sufficiently high levels
of sickness absence to trigger a management referral. If it is
suspected that you are suffering from an illness that is chronic,
and may result in an ongoing sickness absence problem, then
Occupational Health will advise whether dual track absence
recording may be put into place. Occupational Health may ask
permission to contact your GP or Consultant for a medical report.
Upon receipt of all medical information, Occupational Health will
determine if you are suffering from a condition which makes you
eligible for dual track absence recording whereby any absences
relating to that condition will be recorded separately with separate
trigger points.
What happens if you have Long-Term Sickness
Absence
For continuous absence of 4 weeks or more, you will be referred
to Occupational Health and your Line Manager will then arrange
to meet with you at an agreed location, together with an HR
Representative. During the meeting we will try to establish:
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the likely duration of your absence
what problems you may be experiencing
any Occupational Health advice
what support/assistance the University can offer
an indication of when you may be able to return to work.
If you are not ready to return to work contact timescales will be
agreed with you and advice will be sought from Occupational
Health and HR.
If, having considered all options, you are unable to return to work,
then it may be necessary to consider termination of your
employment on the grounds of your medical incapacity. In this
event you will be invited to attend a hearing as above.
If you have any queries concerning the above, please contact
your designated HR Manager.
Andy Burtenshaw
Ext. 2204
Lynn Percy
Ext. 2202
Sylvia Tevlin
Ext. 2215
Tim Wren
Ext. 2214
Sickness Absence Flowchart
Sick – Unable to attend work
Long Term Absences
(of 4 weeks or more)
Notify Line Manager /
designated person in School /
Department and give:
Reason
First day of illness
Expected date of return
Referral to Occupational Health
Notify Line Manager on return
to work
Meeting with Line Manager and
HR
Agree return to work
Contact frequency agreed
If Phased return to work –
follow procedure
Return to Work and meet with
Line Manager for catch up
If unable to return to work
Attend hearing with
Independent Manager and
Director of HR
Outcome – Continue
Employment
Phased Return to work
Short Term Absences
Agree with Occupational Health
Off sick on several
occasions
Meet with Line Manager to
discuss and action
Hit trigger point for
excessive short term
sickness absences
Return to Work
Referral to Occupational
Health
Outcome – Recommendation
to dismiss due to medical
incapacity
Attend formal sickness
absence review meeting
Continued short term absences
May receive 1st formal
sickness absence caution
Hit 2nd trigger point
Absences reduce, no
further action
Outcome – Appeal not upheld
Attend 2nd formal sickness
absence review meeting
Absences monitored as
normal
Employment with University
ends
May receive 2nd formal
sickness absence caution
No improvement
Outcome – Recommendation
to Dismiss (Follow Process)
Absences reduce, no further
action
Attend hearing with
independent Manager
and Director of HR
Outcome - Redeployment
Refer to VC for final decision
May appeal against dismissal
Outcome – Appeal
upheld - Continue
Employment
Absences monitored as normal
Outcome – Reduction in hours