Return to work interviews

[Jayfin]

My office is lax on doing return to work interviews mine have ranged from 2days to 13 days after I've returned to work because on rm return to work forms they clearly state they should be done within 3hours or at best by the end of your first working day on your return . Is rm breaking any rules in this area

[Himaggen]

It depends upon what constitutes an interview, as far as I'm aware, simply asking you verbally, "are you okay" or similar on the shop floor upholds their side of the deal. I disagree with this but the best way to ensure that it doesn't happen is to say no, which should prompt a proper documented in confidence meeting.

[Jayfin]

I mean , when you've been off sick rm managers require you have a one to one interview stating the reasons why you were off . It clearly states on there paperwork this must be done within 3 hours or by the end of your first day on returning to work . Mine and many of my colleagues return to work interviews range from 2 to 13 days after returning to work , are rm breaking any rules here because as I've pointed out it states they must be done by the end of your first working day on returning to work

[Himaggen]

When you are aware that you will be absent you must inform the Manager, this is when you tell them the reason why you are off. The Back to Work should be aimed at checking that you are able to perform your duties well enough as a consequence of your recent absenteeism.

I would surmise that if asked on return if you are okay now and you answer yes, then they have prevented the need to take you to one side and go through the question and answer process. They could also state that it is reasonable to assume that because you have returned to work, that in itself is an admission that you feel that you are capable of performing your duties.

If a BTW interview didn't take place and there were issues which prevented you from working in your usual capacity, you were the only person with that knowledge and should have mentioned it both to your IR/H&S Rep and your Manager. Whilst your Employer may have failed to follow procedure it doesn't preclude you from informing them of your capability, unless you can show that you were not given any opportunity to make that declaration.

[Jayfin]

Why on rm paperwork Does it state a return to work interview as to be conduced on the day you return to work ,wether youve come back or not they should be doing the paperwork as and when it states . You may have come back with an illness thatswhat the return to work is about doing ittwo weeks Atreus no help to the employee

[Jayfin]

Surely if rm expect there employees to follow procedures and if you don't you they can take you down the conduct , surely a return to work interview should be done on the day as clearly it says on there own paper work not 2weeks later . It seems to me they can bend the rules when they want to , two weeks on from an illness you r going to feel better so it makes the questions at that point farcical

[Himaggen]

It begs the question, "why are you returning to work if you are 'not better'?"

If you have a medical condition your doctor will provide you with a 'fit note'. This note will show your capabilities to your Manager who will then attempt to find work for you within the extents of that capability. If work cannot be found for you within those capabilities then you will stay at home 'sick' until suitable work can be found.

That system is put in place to protect both yourself and your Employer. It is your responsibility to keep your Manager informed of your illness/condition at the earliest opportunity before and during your absence. If you told your Manager that you'd be okay to return to work, but would be unlikely to be able to complete an entire duty, then a return to work plan could have been formulated. If you just returned, didn't get a Back to Work interview and went out delivering mail in your usual capacity without informing someone, then you've inferred that you were well enough to do so.

I'm certainly not absolving your Employer of any blame, but if you are thinking of using it in an appeal, bear in mind that you had control over your own welfare which you also failed to exercise.

[Jayfin]

Back to work interviews can be used for and against rm , its documenting how your feeling do you require atos healthcare etc . My point is two weeks on from returning to work you will be feeling better , and I don't take your point about if you wasn't well enough to come back to work. Workers come back to work wether there feeling well or not because of rm attendance procedure which employees have to abide by , on returning to work after an absence it's down to rm to do a reform to work interview on the day you return not days or weeks later as stated on there own paperwork . If they can do it anytime why put it on there in the first place . It's on there because that's the time frame they should be dealing with , two weeks on is a joke . When your up for dismissal all your return to work are looked at andbelieve me there looking for anything that may give them good reason to dismisss you , surely it's not a true record if a return to work interview is done two weeks late

[Himaggen]

I agree that most people should be 'better' two weeks after return to work, therefore at your Back to Work Interview did you tell them that you were 'better'?

If you were better two weeks later then you'll find it difficult to prove that your dismissal later down the line was due to a condition which was better after two weeks, (unless you had a relapse, it was documented that you told them about it and it was ignored.

[Jayfin]

You still haven't answered my question why is it on rm return to work forms that they must do a return to work interview on the day you return , not When they get round to it , as I said they use return to work forms against you in disciplinary matters but surely if they ve put it on their forms they must abide my that time frame .in my opinion surely it makes them worthless two weeks later

[keithposty]

the return to work interview is an important part of the attendance procedure

if a staff member has bee on the sick for a while with an acute or chronic condition,

ATOS needs to be notified prior to the return to do a back to work assessment

I AM NOT TALKING OF COUGHS AND DELLY BELLY

i am talking surgery for example

[fishtank]

The return to work interview is "outside formal procedure".

[keithposty]

The return to work interview is "outside formal procedure".

not in my office fishtank

may i ask, have you and definitive links in the library on this subject, LTB, ETC ETC

many thanks

[fishtank]

Attendance Agreement.
3. RETURN TO WORK DISCUSSIONS
When someone returns to work from absence the line manager must aim as soon
as possible to speak privately and out of earshot of others with the person in a
non-threatening and supportive way outside formal procedures with the following
objectives:
· to acknowledge the employee's return and show it is valued
· for the employee to air any concerns
· to see if any help is needed and provide direction to encourage regular
attendance
· to ensure absence is appropriately certified
Absences due to sickness are assumed to be genuine.
A return to work discussion will take place but employees will not be required to
disclose information of a personal or sensitive nature if they choose not to do so.
A diary note that a return to work discussion has taken place will be kept in
addition to the confirmation on the self-certification form.

The main reason it's outside formal procedures is to protect members.
You have no right to representation at a RTW,if it was part of the formal attendance procedure managers could make up what they like and pressure members to sign it without a union rep there to protect them.
The union is supposedly renegotiating the attendance agreement at the moment,one of the aims is to secure the right to representation at a RTW,along with the right to appeal at stages 1&2,this will probably bring it "inside formal procedures".

[keithposty]

thanks for the heads up fishtank

we have had back to work interviews unofficial for the last 18 months since i managed to use the non return interviews to get a member off a stage 3

shame different areas have different mandates