Sickness
Employees unable to work due to sickness must inform their nominated manager as quickly as possible. They should indicate the:
- first day of illness
- nature of the illness
- likely date of return to work
The director area or school’s own arrangements for sickness absence must be complied with at all times.
Entitlement to sick pay is as set out in the 2015 Pay and Reward Collective Agreement as:
| Length of service | Sick pay |
|---|---|
| During first year of service | One month's full pay After completing four months' service two months' half pay |
| During second year of service | Two months' full pay and two months' half pay |
| During third year of service | Three months' full pay and three months' half pay |
| During fourth year of service | Four months' full pay and four months' half pay |
| After five years | Five months' full pay and five months' half pay |
Managers have the discretion to extend the period of sick pay in exceptional cases. This is in line with the Extension to Sick Pay Process. HR will provide support to ensure all decisions on extensions to sick pay are fair and consistent.
‘Qualifying days’ for the Statutory Sick Pay Scheme are all seven days of the week.
Employees must notify their manager and complete the First Notification of Loss Form (formerly the PO3 form) if they consider their illness is:
- due to an accident at work
- a disease associated with their work
Further details are available on our intranet.
We will pay claims for sick pay entitlement provided that:
- notification is made at the earliest possible time to the person we identify for this purpose
- further notification is made
- we receive a doctor’s statement no later than the eighth calendar day of absence
- subsequent doctor’s statements are submitted as necessary
- the employee must, before returning to work, send us a final statement as to fitness to resume duties if:
- the doctor’s statement covers a period exceeding fourteen days or
- more than one statement is necessary
- on return to work, the employee signs a statement detailing the reasons for all absences up to and including seven days
If we require a medical examination of an employee, they will be examined by our nominated medical practitioner. This will be subject to the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988, where applicable.
We will meet any costs associated with the examination of an employee. Where it is necessary to obtain a second medical opinion, it should be provided by an independent medical referee.
For an employee to qualify for sick pay, we may require a doctor’s statement. We will reimburse the employee the cost on the provision of a receipt.
If an employee falls sick whilst on annual leave, they shall be regarded as being on sick leave from the date of a doctor’s statement.
If an employee is receiving sick pay under the scheme, sick pay will continue if a public or extra statutory holiday falls during such sickness absence. We do not give a substitute public or extra statutory holiday.
Widows and married women exercising their right to be exempted from the payment of full rate national insurance contributions are deemed insured in their own right for all national insurance benefits.
An employee off work due to an accident is not entitled to sick pay if damages may be receivable from a third party. We may advance the allowance, provided the employee agrees to refund the amount from any damages awarded.