Sickness Absence - Useful Processing Information
Full information on the University sickness policies can be found on the following links:
Sickness absence: Occupational Health: Human Resources: º£½ÇÉçÇø
Sickness entitlement can be found within the terms and conditions pages for each contract type
Sickness absence – guidance for Managers
The following information is intended as an overview of some key points. Managers should familiarise themselves with the full sickness entitlement and policy documents on the links above.
Any queries should be directed your Assistant HR Business Partner for your area Via HRAssociate@sussex.ac.uk.
It is the responsibility of a line manager to ensure that sickness absence is recorded and that relevant documentation is provided to the Payroll team in a timely way.
ALL staff (including faculty) in your school/unit should record their sickness absence via MyView.
If an employee is off sick (short term and new absences)
- Please see the guide to recording sickness absence on MyView
- Sickness absence should be recorded as a continuous block by editing the 'To' date on MyView until you return to work. Full details can be found on the guide
- Absences between one and seven days do not require any documentation but must be declared via MyView. The MyView declaration replaces the old personal self-certificate. Line Managers can enter the absence into MyView on the employees behalf
- All sickness of more than seven days will require a fit note, doctors letter, or hospital letter evidencing the reason for absence.
- Statutory sick pay cannot be processed without proof of sickness
- Fit notes can be provided by the Employee by attaching them to their absence declaration in Myview, by forwarding to their Line Manager, or directly to their HRBP or Payroll contact
- Sickness absence entitlement will be calculated on a rolling year basis, deducting any previously taken full or half paid days from contractual entitlement
- Paid sickness entitlement is based on the contractual entitlement which applies at the beginning of a period of sickness. Service based entitlements will not increase during a period of sickness absence
If an employee off sick (long term absences)
- If an employee has been off unwell for four consecutive weeks, the Manager should contact their HR Business Partner/ Assistant HR Business Partner and Payroll contact to make them aware of the absence
- For staff with less than 3 months service the Manager should inform HR after absences of two consecutive weeks
- The HR Business Partner/ Assistant HR Business Partner will discuss with the Manager and provide assistance and advice where necessary
- Payroll will calculate sickness entitlement end dates which will be provided to the Assistant HR Business Partner. The Assistant HR Business Partner will inform the Manager and Employee of these dates in writing
- All sickness must still be recorded on MyView by the staff member or line manager
Return to work and phased return
- MyView must be updated with the correct date when an employee returns to work; failure to do so will cause incorrect payment calculations, which may result in an over or under payment for the employee.
- It may be appropriate to arrange for staff to return on a phased basis in line with medical recommendations, increasing their hours over a period to return to their normal contract
- Managers should discuss any intention to implement a phased return with their HR Business Partner/ Assistant HR Business Partner to ensure necessary considerations can be made e.g Occupational Health referral
- Payroll cannot discuss details of a phased return or provide advice on appropriate practice, however they must be notified of the working pattern during the phased return so that they can update MyView.
- All phased returns will be paid in line with remaining sickness entitlement, calculated from the first day of sickness
- When an employee is on phased return and is in half pay, their pay will be calculated to ensure they receive at least half pay. Where the phased return hours exceed half of a normal working week an adjustment will be made so they receive payment for actual hours worked
- Employees in a phased return who have no occupational entitlement will be paid for hours worked
- Entitlement will be recalculated for any subsequent absence so it is important for Managers to inform Payroll if an employee on a phased return has any sickness during their phased return
Exceptional circumstances – extension to occupational entitlement
- In exceptional circumstances it may be possible to extend sick pay entitlement for a defined period, Managers should contact their HR Business Partner/ Assistant HR Business Partner if they wish to discuss this further