Sickness protocol

[Barbel]

Can someone confirm if this is correct please. When you have been off sick and intend going back in, you have to call them first thing that morning and let them know you're going to be in instead of just turning up? Also somebody said if you ring in sick it's better to take the whole 5 days off rather than just 1 as it goes towards one absence and not 5 absences? I've never been off sick so not sure how it works, sounds a bit confusing to me.

[brazil1212]

Yes you do have to call to let them know you are returning and your absence is 1 but will be 5 days You will trigger a review 1 if you have 14 days or 4 absences in 12 months period

[97gaz]

I

[fishtank]

You don't have to contact them before you return to work but it's the decent thing to do to give them notice where possible so they aren't scrambling around trying to cover for sick absence they don't have to and yes I know decency is sadly lacking in a lot of managers but that doesn't mean we have to drag ourselves down to that level.

Also somebody said if you ring in sick it's better to take the whole 5 days off rather than just 1 as it goes towards one absence and not 5 absences?

Never listen to the office "somebody".
When you're ill you take off as long as you need to get better, no more, no less.

[swintontillidie]

Does anyone know when your sick absence is logged on your record? For the last three times I have been absent I have not received a return to work briefing.Im wondering if the sick is logged when the forms from return to work reach HR and therefore if I've not had a return to work the sickness won't be registered?

[fishtank]

Does anyone know when your sick absence is logged on your record?

Sorry but It's logged immediately on the PSP system.
As far as I'm aware the RTW forms are held in office and don't go back to HR although they may receive a copy but that's not really relevant, the minute you're absent the absence goes on the People Systems Portal.

[Barbel]

Thanks everyone.

[mozsupportsrovers]

So what about if your off sick on a Friday, what counts as the next 5 days? would that be the monday through to the following friday? sorry just a bit confused with it as never had time off and worry from hearing all these tales about stage 1 ect ect

cheers

[clashcityrocker]

If you go sick on Friday then 5 days off sick would be - Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday.

[Decky Boy]

So what about if your off sick on a Friday, what counts as the next 5 days? would that be the monday through to the following friday? sorry just a bit confused with it as never had time off and worry from hearing all these tales about stage 1 ect ect

cheers

Aye...Sundays and your Day Off are both counted in 14 day total It's time the Union sorted this scam ! ! !

[TrueBlueTerrier]

So what about if your off sick on a Friday, what counts as the next 5 days? would that be the monday through to the following friday? sorry just a bit confused with it as never had time off and worry from hearing all these tales about stage 1 ect ect

cheers

Aye...Sundays and your Day Off are both counted in 14 day total I

Only if you don't know the rules, don't follow them and the sunday is not the last or first day of your sickness.

[Barbel]

Gosh this is getting confusing now. So if you have one day off say on a Tuesday does that count as 5 days off? So really if you're going to have one day off sick you may as well take the whole week off because that's what you're going to get charged with any way?

Also if I had a day off sick back in September and I've had 3 days off this week, how many more days am I allowed off this year but I get issued with a stage one? Sorry for all the questions but I've never had it explained to me and I don't remember seeing it anywhere in the handbook either.

[BernardBresslaw]

You don't have to contact them before you return to work but it's the decent thing to do to give them notice where possible so they aren't scrambling around trying to cover for sick absence they don't have to and yes I know decency is sadly lacking in a lot of managers but that doesn't mean we have to drag ourselves down to that level.

Also somebody said if you ring in sick it's better to take the whole 5 days off rather than just 1 as it goes towards one absence and not 5 absences?

Never listen to the office "somebody".
When you're ill you take off as long as you need to get better, no more, no less.

The only proviso I would add, is if you are off with an injury, it is better to take too much time than not enough, as if you go back too soon, and have to then have time off again, it is, of course, two separate incidents. Always make sure you are fully recovered before returning to work.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Gosh this is getting confusing now. So if you have one day off say on a Tuesday does that count as 5 days off? So really if you're going to have one day off sick you may as well take the whole week off because that's what you're going to get charged with any way?

Also if I had a day off sick back in September and I've had 3 days off this week, how many more days am I allowed off this year but I get issued with a stage one? Sorry for all the questions but I've never had it explained to me and I don't remember seeing it anywhere in the handbook either.

In order of the questions as they were posed.

1. Yes Tuesday would be one day but if Wednesday was your day off I would ring in on Tuesday and say you think you'll only be unwell on Tuesday (only if true of course) otherwise they could count it as 2 days.

2. Its a little more complicated than set amount days or set periods, but it is still a good guide. To avoid a stage one you have 1 more sick period left and 9 days. A general rule of thumb is 14 days in total, and or 4 periods of sick leave will trigger a stage 1. Therefore 2 separate sick periods before september will trigger a stage even if only 1 day each. Also 10 more days in any combination including all 10 in one go, will also trigger the stage.

[fishtank]

Non-working or rest days and Public or Bank Holidays within a period of absence are reckoned as part of the absence when applying the sick pay limits. Pay for these days will be at sick and not ordinary rates. Such days occurring at the beginning or end of a period of absence will not be reckoned as part of the absence unless the employee was scheduled for duty on those days and did not attend.