Sickness and absence policy

Key features

England & Wales
Scotland

- Length:6 pages (700 words)
- Available in:
Microsoft Word DOCX
Apple Pages
RTF

If the document isn’t right for your circumstances for any reason, just tell us and we’ll refund you in full immediately.

We avoid legal terminology unless necessary. Plain English makes our documents easy to understand, easy to edit and more likely to be accepted.

You don’t need legal knowledge to use our documents. We explain what to edit and how in the guidance notes included at the end of the document.

Email us with questions about editing your document. Use our Lawyer Assist service if you’d like our legal team to check your document will do as you intend.

Our documents comply with the latest relevant law. Our lawyers regularly review how new law affects each document in our library.
About this policy
Unplanned employee absence can be a significant cost for a business. This document covers leave for sickness and for other emergency situations.
While employment law gives employees certain rights to leave in some circumstances (notably sickness), they also have obligations to their employers. There are also situations where employees do not have rights to automatic leave (such as a boiler breaking down at home), but where a conscientious employer will want to help and motivate staff by giving additional rights.
A policy document such as this one should make employees aware of their rights and obligations. Although it can't prevent employees abusing their rights, it should clarify the rules, so that if an employee steps too far out of line your business can take appropriate, fair, action. It acts as both a reference point for employees and managers when unplanned leave is taken and can help support an employer in dispute over leave.
This sickness and absence policy can be adapted for a business with any number of employees and in any industry.
Application and features
- Publicises your compliance with legal obligations of the Employment Rights Act and statutory sick pay legislation
- Helps set boundaries within which staff can work efficiently and effectively
- Helps ensure staff understand the business policy
- Helps to protect you from claims that you have been unfair
- Provides both you and your employees with an easy reference as to sickness and absence procedures
Contents
- Outline of company policy
- Notification procedure
- Entitlement to sick pay depending on period of continuing employment
- Forfeiture of entitlement to sick pay
- Necessary steps an employee must take if they are absent
- Certification requirements
- Prolonged or persistent absence
- Return to work interview
- Conduct during sickness absence
- Sickness during annual leave
- Other absence

Recent reviews
Choose the level of support you need
Document only
Comprehensive template covering legal and practical points
Detailed guidance notes explaining how to edit each paragraph
Up to date with latest law our lawyers regularly review how new relevant law affects each document in our library
Written in plain English avoiding legal terminology unless necessary. plain English makes our documents easy to understand, easy to edit and more likely to be accepted
Support from our legal team email us with questions about editing your document
Money back guarantee that if the document isn't right
Lawyer Assist
Comprehensive template covering legal and practical points
Detailed guidance notes explaining how to edit each paragraph
Unlimited email support - ask our legal team any question related to completing the document
- Review of your edited document by our legal team including:
- understanding your requirements
- checking that your document will achieve your goal
- reporting on whether your changes comply with the law
- answering your questions about how to word a new clause or achieve an outcome
- checking that your use of defined terms is correct and consistent
- correcting spelling mistakes
- reformatting the document ready to sign
Standard
- Documents included10
(average document price £37) - Lawyer Assist Service included
(average price £196) - Discount on further Lawyer Assist30%
- Discount on Bespoke Drafting
- Telephone support
- Priority email support
Professional
- Documents included25
(average document price £37) - Lawyer Assist Service included
(average price £196) - Discount on further Lawyer Assist40%
- Discount on Bespoke Drafting10%
- Telephone support
- Priority email support
Professional Plus
- Documents included25
(average document price £37) - Lawyer Assist Service included2
(average price £196) - Discount on further Lawyer Assist40%
- Discount on Bespoke Drafting10%
- Telephone support
- Priority email support
All rights reserved