FOI Request - Sickness Absence response

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/7 ... 1.pdf.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I would therefore be grateful if you could provide the procedure management are required
to follow in respect of the following:
1. Keeping in contact with employee
2. Management interview requests and established guidelines for these interviews;
3. How management should approach an employee who has been diagnosed with a
mental health condition
4. If management have any authority to any time disregard medical opinion of
employee's GP or occupational health adviser
5. Who within Royal Mail is responsible for ensuring all procedures and guidelines in
respect of the above are adhered to?”

In response to points one and two of your request, Royal Mail Group has a contact strategy
with employees who are absent due to illness. On the first day of absence the employee
must contact the manager. A discussion should take place regarding the absence and what
support can be offered to the employee. If the absence is likely to be more than one day
an agreement should be made regarding the amount and nature of the contact during the
first week of absence. If the absence continues for more than seven days regular contact
should be maintained between the employee and manager.

If the employee is absent for longer than two weeks, the manager and employee have the
opportunity to request a meeting. The purpose of this meeting would be to discuss the
return to work plan, identify any ongoing issues or barriers to the return to work and
options available to the employee.

In response to the third point of your request, a line manager should refer the employee to
our occupational health service as soon as possible if a mental health condition is identified.
Royal Mail Group also offers a confidential independent advisory service to all employees to
discuss any issues they are experiencing.

In response to point four of your request, the line manager is responsible for the
workplace, his team and their health and safety. Advice from GP’s and Occupational Health
is highly important when making decisions regarding sick absence cases. Their advice
always informs the final decisions which are made by our management team.

Finally in point five of your request you asked who within Royal Mail is responsible for
ensuring all procedures and guidelines are adhered to. I can advise the line management
team manage the Royal Mail Group absence and attendance procedures. Where an
individual feels that their direct line manager is treating them unfairly, they can raise the
issue either informal y, or formal y as a grievance, with their second line manager. The
second line manager has an obligation to investigate the issues raised and, where
appropriate, take corrective action.

[General Mannerheim]

What a crock of shite.

[POSTMAN]

Which should be read in conjunction with...

I am writing in response to your email on the 15/02/2011. We have considered your request under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. In your email you requested the following:

“….could you please provide the number of frontline managers in delivery and processing within Royal Mail Letters who have had medical training to a level that they can ascertain the health of an employee and give advice as to what work the employee can safely do within the business group as apposed to a doctors certificate.”

I can confirm that we do not hold information of the description specified in your request. Employee health services are managed by an external provider on behalf of Royal Mail.

I'm sorry that we can not be more helpful but the information you have requested is not held.

[Pat Ostman]

What a crock of shite.

[Pat Ostman]

Which should be read in conjunction with...

I am writing in response to your email on the 15/02/2011. We have considered your request under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. In your email you requested the following:

“….could you please provide the number of frontline managers in delivery and processing within Royal Mail Letters who have had medical training to a level that they can ascertain the health of an employee and give advice as to what work the employee can safely do within the business group as apposed to a doctors certificate.”

I can confirm that we do not hold information of the description specified in your request. Employee health services are managed by an external provider on behalf of Royal Mail.

I'm sorry that we can not be more helpful but the information you have requested is not held.

Thought all our managers were Doctors?

[Cheetah]

This,
Kate Fearn
Information Rights Officer
Company Secretary’s Office
is obviously part of the RM Senior management, and her response is obviously Rm's policy on absence, but was this policy constructed in conjunction with the union ? and is there a seperate governing body who oversea the way employers treat their absentees and set some kind of guidelines for all employers to adhere to.
I just can't see how RM treat it's employees is legal, telling people they must stay at home whilst off sick etc,etc, but that's just how I feel, there must be some kind of legislation covering this subject.....

[Cheetah]

Seems like I'm wrong, just found this on the CAB site http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/you ... e_off_sick" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;