Practical Employment Law: Absence NEW

Case Study 1

Imagine one of your employees has just been signed off sick for three months due to injury. Your managing director wants the employee to be dismissed, yet the member of staff claims that other employees have been treated more favourably in previous circumstances. As an HR professional you are faced with the task of advising the employee’s line manager: 

• Is the employee entitled to statutory sick pay? 
• Does your company’s policy treat all employees fairly? 
• Would your advice be different if the injury was the result of an accident at work? 
• Can you contact the employee?

This interactive case study will provide you with the know how on how to deal with long term staff absence for medical related issues. You will hear key advice on all the need to know areas of statutory sick pay, equal treatment policies and dismissal and be able to apply the law effectively in your organisation.

Coffee break

Case Study 2

What would you do if you had a member of staff who, despite previous good performance, has been absent from work on a short and long term basis over the last few months. The employee's line manager is finding the situation increasingly difficult to manage and cannot run the business effectively with these constant interruptions.

• How would you advise the manager?
• What are the legal issues involved?
• Can you legally dismiss the member of staff?

This interactive case study allows delegates to consider both the legal and management issues which arise when dealing with long term and persistent intermittent short term absence. Learn how to manage staff relations and advise colleagues on this sensitive area.

Case study 3

Imagine a member of staff has been on sick leave for the last three months. They have been medically diagnosed with stress and anxiety and have already received a first written warning for an incident with a line manager.

• How would you handle this tricky situation?
• Could the employee be disciplined?
• How could you go about arranging a return to work interview?

This interactive case study will cover the HR issues presented when employee absence leads to disciplinary proceedings. The case study also allows delegates to consider the best ways of encouraging staff back to work following absence due to stress and anxiety - and teaches you how to manage within the law in this sensitive area.

End of workshop