Sickness Issues and SSP

4. Tracking Sickness Absences

You must have clear rules and show employees they are enforced.

4.1 Tell employees they (or someone else) must notify you by telephone that they are sick by, say, 10am on the first day.

4.2 Ask employees who are off sick for less than seven days to fill in a self-certificating form, giving the reason for their absence.

• Insist on a specific description - eg food poisoning, rather than upset stomach. One of the things you want to be able to track is whether it is the same as last time.
• You can design your own form, or use self-certification form SC2 from HMRC (). Form SC2 does not say that giving false information is a disciplinary offence and has no place for a supervisor to sign, which you may want to include.

4.3 Interview employees who have been off sick for a specified period of time (eg seven days) on their return.

• There may be things you can do to prevent a recurrence of the ailment. For example, providing better seating for an employee with back problems.
• Return-to-work interviews are the first line of defence against abuse of the system.

4.4 Ask for a doctor's certificate for periods of sickness of more than seven days.

Since April 2010 the new 'fit note' has replaced the 'sick note' issued by doctors and will indicates whether an individual is:

• Not fit for work.
• Maybe fit for work.