Receiving a stage after being off sick but conduct code not followed

Post by **hewittinspain** » 28 May 2018, 20:46

Ive been off on berevement leave due to a close family member passing away. Ive been back to work 2 weeks and have not had a welcome back meeting,just a quick chat and have NOT filled in an absence declatation form although 2 days ago I was taken into the office for meeting to potentially give me a stage 1. As far as im aware the managers procedure has not been followed because in the RM code it states I should have a welcome back meeting within 24hrs (or close to) so I think I should make sure the manager puts these in his notes before I sign for the stage warning. Whats people's thoughts?

Creditshampoo · Post by **Creditshampoo** » 28 May 2018, 20:56

hewittinspain wrote:Ive been off on berevement leave due to a close family member passing away. Ive been back to work 2 weeks and have not had a welcome back meeting although 2 days ago I was taken into the office for meeting to potentially give me a stage 1. As far as im aware the managers procedure has not been followed because in the RM code it states I should have a welcome back meeting within 24hrs (or close to) so I think I should make sure the manager puts these in his notes before I sign for the stage warning. Whats people's thoughts?

1. You’re either on sick leave or beverement leave (special leave)

2. You can insist it’s put in the notes. If you feel hard done by when the stage is issued grievance it, keep going until you can contact ACAS but no longer than 3 months less 1 day of the decision.

number one · Post by **number one** » 28 May 2018, 20:59

hewittinspain wrote:Ive been off on berevement leave due to a close family member passing away. Ive been back to work 2 weeks and have not had a welcome back meeting although 2 days ago I was taken into the office for meeting to potentially give me a stage 1. As far as im aware the managers procedure has not been followed because in the RM code it states I should have a welcome back meeting within 24hrs (or close to) so I think I should make sure the manager puts these in his notes before I sign for the stage warning. Whats people's thoughts?

Compassionate leave is not sickness (unless you went of with stress)
Not having a welcome back meeting is not grounds not to issue a stage. It doesn’t even have to be a meeting it could be something as informal as “are you ok, welcome back” etc

Post by **hewittinspain** » 28 May 2018, 21:09

number one wrote:
hewittinspain wrote:Ive been off on berevement leave due to a close family member passing away. Ive been back to work 2 weeks and have not had a welcome back meeting although 2 days ago I was taken into the office for meeting to potentially give me a stage 1. As far as im aware the managers procedure has not been followed because in the RM code it states I should have a welcome back meeting within 24hrs (or close to) so I think I should make sure the manager puts these in his notes before I sign for the stage warning. Whats people's thoughts?
Compassionate leave is not sickness (unless you went of with stress)
Not having a welcome back meeting is not grounds not to issue a stage. It doesn’t even have to be a meeting it could be something as informal as “are you ok, welcome back” etc

I thought I had to fill in a form which asks questions like "could this sickness reacur" etc? I thought this had to be done? So a quick chat from the Dom on return is all they need to do? I had 4 days off a few years back and he asked me a series of set questions which I had to reply to, Ive not had that this time!

Post by **postiewhite** » 29 May 2018, 09:42

number one wrote:
hewittinspain wrote:Ive been off on berevement leave due to a close family member passing away. Ive been back to work 2 weeks and have not had a welcome back meeting although 2 days ago I was taken into the office for meeting to potentially give me a stage 1. As far as im aware the managers procedure has not been followed because in the RM code it states I should have a welcome back meeting within 24hrs (or close to) so I think I should make sure the manager puts these in his notes before I sign for the stage warning. Whats people's thoughts?
Compassionate leave is not sickness (unless you went of with stress)
Not having a welcome back meeting is not grounds not to issue a stage. It doesn’t even have to be a meeting it could be something as informal as “are you ok, welcome back” etc

I think he has to fill in a return to work though and it looks like that may not have been done

Danelectro · Post by **Danelectro** » 29 May 2018, 15:42

The meeting to decide if a stage 1 will be issued should have made in writing giving 36 hours notice.
In the letter it also informs you that you can arrange a rep or colleague to sit in the meeting.The letter should also inform you can also request to change the time of the meeting if you have a valid reason.

Post by **postiewhite** » 29 May 2018, 18:16

Danelectro wrote:The meeting to decide if a stage 1 will be issued should have made in writing giving 36 hours notice.
In the letter it also informs you that you can arrange a rep or colleague to sit in the meeting.The letter should also inform you can also request to change the time of the meeting if you have a valid reason.

I think what he's saying is that he thinks the procedure building upto the stage meeting wasnt followed correctly. I don't think its enough that managers have a quick chat on return, I think they need to conduct a proper return to work which wasn't done. I might be wrong on that though but when ive had time off in the past ive had to answer a series of questions and then sign it with the Dom which is a return to work form.

rehabron · Post by **rehabron** » 31 May 2018, 07:10

hewittinspain wrote:Ive been off on berevement leave due to a close family member passing away. Ive been back to work 2 weeks and have not had a welcome back meeting,just a quick chat and have NOT filled in an absence declatation form although 2 days ago I was taken into the office for meeting to potentially give me a stage 1. As far as im aware the managers procedure has not been followed because in the RM code it states I should have a welcome back meeting within 24hrs (or close to) so I think I should make sure the manager puts these in his notes before I sign for the stage warning. Whats people's thoughts?

Can we first establish the amount of days you were off on berevement leave and if this was taken as unpaid special leave or a standard sick absence.
If taken as an absence other than special leave you have either been off for 13 days or there are previous absences to be accounted for to trigger a stage1 review.
You should have received in writing an invitation to attend this review meeting giving 3 days notice.
You should have also received a copy of your absence history that the manager will be refering to at the stage1 review meeting.
You should have been informed of your right to accompanyment at this meeting.
As already pointed out the fact that no welcome back meeting took place would have no bearing on a stage1 being issued.
The welcome back meeting is to determine if you have no underlying health problems and that you are fit to continue your work on your return.
You have had the meeting received the notes and returned unattested or with ammendments and you can at this time mention the fact that you have not received a welcome back meeting,
It is the pertinent points that need to be proceduraly accurate and if you feel that this is not the case then you can refuse to sign and challenge at a future date.