Page 16 - Federation magazine: April / May 2017
P. 16
Sickness procedures
How to report sick will be an opportunity for: For calculation purposes, the period of
If you’re unwell and unable to come to work l Your supervisor to welcome you back. entitlement for sick pay is based on the
you should report sick to a supervisor as l You to talk to your supervisor about your cumulative sickness absence for the period
soon as possible on your first day of absence in the year prior to the first day of the
and before your normal start time. absence and anything else you want current period of sickness absence.
them to know. Extensions to sick pay
You should tell them: l For you both to discuss and agree what The regulations are mandatory but give the
l The reason for your absence. support the Force may provide. Chief Constable (delegated to the head of
l How long you expect to be off. Sickness on public holidays and rest days HR) a discretionary authority to extend pay
l Any urgent work, meetings or court There’s no entitlement to compensation, which may be exercised considering each
dates. either as time off, payment or another day in case on its merits. Although each case will
lieu, if you’re sick on a public holiday, a rest be considered individually, a case is likely to
In most cases, the Force will expect you day or a rest day in lieu. be given favourable consideration in the
to make contact, rather than a relative or Attendance at court during sickness following circumstances:
friend. absence l The officer’s incapacity is directly
keeping in touch If you’re absent from duty due to sickness,
While you’re off sick, you should keep in you will still be required to attend court. attributable to an injury or illness that
regular contact with your supervisor. Ideally, Sickness during annual leave was sustained or contracted in the
you should agree the next call or meeting If you become ill during annual leave, you execution of their duty.
each time you speak. should follow the normal sickness reporting l The Force Medical Officer advises that
visiting your GP procedures. You will need to get a Fit Note or the absence is related to a disability as
If you’re off for eight days or more you’ll equivalent proof of illness if you’re away defined by the Equality Act 2010 and the
need to visit your GP to get a Fit Note. The from home. chief officer considers that it would be a
Fit Note will explain if: Your absence will be treated as sickness reasonable adjustment to extend sick
l You’re not fit for any work and for how absence and the annual leave will be pay, to allow (further) reasonable
re-instated if your absence is covered by a adjustments to be made to enable the
long. Or, doctor’s Fit Note and you’ve followed officer to return to work.
l You may be fit for some work; in some sickness reporting procedures. l The officer is suffering from an illness,
Sometimes GPs may be reluctant to which may prove to be terminal or
cases coming back to work can help your provide a Fit Note for short periods of life-threatening.
recovery and help maintain your general absence. Or they may make a charge. You l The officer has been referred for
wellbeing. If you think there are aspects should explain to your GP that you’re on consideration of ‘permanent
of your work, even if it’s not your full role, annual leave and need to provide a Fit Note disablement’ as part of the ill-health
that you could be doing, you should talk so that your annual leave can be reinstated. retirement application process.
to your GP, and your manager, about it. Where your GP makes a charge for a Fit Each case is assessed entirely on its own
When you receive a Fit Note, you need to Note then, in these circumstances and merits and is personally reviewed by the
discuss the contents with your supervisor where you produce a receipt, the Force will head of HR before a decision is made. All
and send it to them soon as possible. If you reimburse this cost. cases where discretionary pay decisions are
become long-term sick your GP may decide Carrying over annual leave entitlement not made will be monitored and may be
to refer you to the National Fit for Work used due to sickness absence reviewed if the circumstances change.
Service in which case you should inform your If you’re off on long-term sick leave then Recuperative duties
manager. you’re permitted to carry forward up to one Whether it’s recommended by your GP on
visiting occupational health year’s accrued statutory holidays to the next your Fit Note or not, before you come back
While you’re off your supervisor may refer leave year. to work your supervisor should discuss
you to occupational health, the purpose of You should use this as soon as possible whether you need any temporary
this is to: but within 15 months of the end of the leave adjustments to help your recovery. They may
l Understand the impact your health has year. Carry forward of annual leave is based seek advice from occupational health.
on your ability to do your job. on statutory entitlements and not your Recuperative duties might include:
l Understand what further support can be contractual leave. Statutory leave is 28 days, l A phased return to work.
provided. including bank holidays. l A change to the hours or shifts that you
l Understand what adjustments could be Ill-health retirement work.
made to your role. You can ask to be considered for ill-health l A change to the duties you do or your
l Seek specific work-related advice that retirement at any time, if you meet the role.
your GP may not be able to give. eligible criteria. l Adaptations to your working
l Allow you to discuss your health with Officer’s sick pay environment, and/or
someone who understands the likely This is governed by Regulation 28 of the l Working from a different location.
impact of your ability to do your job. Police Regulations 2003. This provides for: You and your supervisor should explore
Return to Work Discussion l Full pay for the first six months’ all of the reasonable and possible options.
When you come back to work after any cumulative absence, then, Any changes will be agreed on a temporary
period of sickness, your supervisor should l Half pay up to 12 months of cumulative basis.
hold an informal Return to Work Discussion absence.
with you. This discussion is an important
part of supporting your return to work. This
16 federation April/May 2017 www.westmidspolfed.com
