Managing Attendance Policy

Transcription

1 Managing Attendance Policy Procedure Reference Number: Procedure Owner: Joanne Jones, Interim Head of Employee Relations and Operational Business Partnering Procedure Review Date: November 2015 At the time of ratifying this procedure, the author is satisfied that this document complied with relevant legislation and Force requirements. Sign and date J Brownsword, February 2010 (Author(s)) V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 1

2 Procedure Index ELECTRONIC NAVIGATION: - move the cursor over the page number in the index or blue underlined text until a hand appears. Click the left mouse button once and it will jump to the specified part of the document. 1. Procedure Aim Guidance... 3 Scope 3 Attendance Targets 3 Sickness Reporting Process 4 Part Day Absences 5 Pay During Sickness Absence 5 Extensions to Pay During Sickness Absence 6 Pension Contributions During Sickness Absence 7 Sickness Absence Due to Formal Performance, Misconduct or Complaint Procedures 8 Disability Related Sickness Absence 8 Sickness Absence During Maternity Leave 8 Absence due to IVF Treatment 9 Absence due to Cosmetic Surgery 9 Attending Appointments 9 Sickness and Annual Leave 10 Sickness and Bank Holidays 10 Sickness and Training Courses 10 Returning to Work 10 Recuperative and Restricted Duties 11 Ill Health Dismissals / Retirements 11 Rewarding Good Attendance 12 Available Support 12 Links to other Force Procedures Appeals General Appeals 13 Extension to Pay Appeals Responsibilities Review V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 2

3 1. Procedure Aim NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 1.1 Cheshire Constabulary has a high expectation of its workforce and we recognise that staff are our most valuable asset. In order to achieve these expectations the Managing Attendance procedure is aimed at ensuring all staff are able to attend work and are properly supported and valued by caring managers so that Cheshire Constabulary has minimal levels of sickness absence and has a workforce that is performing to optimum level. Throughout the procedure staff can expect to be treated fairly and be supported by the constabulary in a manner appropriate to their own circumstances. 1.2 The Force has performance targets in respect of attendance. This target is reviewed annually. The adherence to these targets is closely monitored throughout the Force by the HR, ACPO and those in line management positions. It is important that all staff play their role in the management of attendance. 1.3 Managers have a responsibility for the management of the performance of their staff. Attendance at work is a vital to person s ability to perform in their role. The practical application of this procedure is outlined in the Managing Attendance Procedure. 1.4 All staff are encouraged to make themselves familiar with the procedure. Everyone who works for the constabulary has a personal responsibility to maintain their health and fitness and to attend work on a regular and reliable basis. 2. Guidance Click Here to Return to Index 2.1 Scope This policy applies to all serving Police Officers and Police Staff (hereinafter referred to as staff ) The management of attendance is complex in that a number of topics impact upon its success. In order to provide managers and staff with efficient and usable support information a number of guidance documents have been developed which are available on the Force intranet. 2.2 Attendance Targets Attendance records play an important part in the management of attendance. These records will be used both for reporting purposes within the Force and to external bodies e.g. Home Office The Force has set targets in respect of attendance which are reviewed annually. It is expected that for all staff there will be no more than 9 working days lost and/or 4 occasions/periods of absence per rolling 12 month period. In addition to this, the Force recognises long term sickness as one period of absence which is in excess of 28 days i.e. from the 29 th day This target is to be pro rata for employees who work part time over a shorter working period e.g. 3 days/shifts. Those who work part time but the same number of days as a full time employee will be assessed against the full target. Staff who work compressed hours V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 3

4 will also be assessed against the full target. Assessments are carried out using working days lost in all cases The adherence to these targets is closely monitored throughout the Force by ACPO to first Line Manager. Line Managers will offer any necessary support that the individual may need to aid their return to work however it is important that all staff play their role in the management of attendance Individual Support Plans and Attendance Review Meetings will be mandatorily implemented where an employee s attendance exceeds the Force target in respect of days lost and/or number of occasions. The purpose of the Individual Support Plan s is to ensure regular discussions are taking place to discuss the individual s progress in improving their attendance, what support they have considered/used and is still available to them. Where an employee s attendance does not improve over the set period of time of the Individual Support Plan then consideration may be given for more formal action. For more information on ISP s please see the Managing Attendance procedure /guidance Consideration is given to individual attendance records for most opportunities that staff can apply for within the Force which are as follows: Promotions and selection processes, including specialist posts, for all police officers and police staff Requests for paid discretionary leave other than compassionate/special and dependency leave Applications for Business Interests Applications for extensions to service before retirement Requests for career breaks Eligibility for Force funded medical intervention Competency Related Threshold Payments (CTRP) Requests for flexible working including part time working 30 Plus Scheme Flexible Retirement Scheme Essential Mileage claim The Force Attendance Criteria Sheet see appendix 13 in the Managing Attendance procedure should be completed for such applications. For more information on sickness and disability please see section 9 of the Managing Attendance guidance document Failure to remain within the Force attendance targets may exclude staff from successful applications to the above. When reviewing the attendance records for this purpose, line managers should be mindful of the following: Disability Related absences - under the Equality Act 2010, it may be necessary in some cases that disability related absences will be allowed extra tolerance against the Force target, which will be considered as a reasonable adjustment. All cases should be assessed individually. See section 2.8 for more information on sickness absence and disability. One off illnesses i.e. conditions that cannot be expected to reoccur such as appendectomy may be excluded. V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 4

5 The Chief Constable is satisfied that the officer or member of staff incapacity is directly attributable to an injury or illness that was sustained or contracted in the execution of his/her duty; or The officer or member of staff is suffering from an illness which is determined by the Force Medical Adviser to be terminal or is immediately life threatening 2.3 Sickness Reporting Process Full Information in respect of what is expected of staff and managers in relation to sickness reporting i.e. when an individual cannot attend work due to sickness, are detailed in appendix 1 (for staff) and appendix 2 (for line managers) which can be found in the managers guidance document which is embedded on page 15 of this document. If a member of staff fails to adhere to the reporting process, this may result in formal action being taken Part day absences - If an employee falls ill during working time and it is the first occasion within 12 months, this absence will not be recorded as sickness absence. If the absence continues into the next expected day at work the period of absence is recorded from that day. For the next 3 such absences, the individual must have worked at least half their expected hours for that day/shift otherwise it will be recorded as sickness for that day. However, where an employee develops a pattern of behaviour and reaches 4 part day/shift absences in a 12 month rolling period which remain unrecorded as sickness absence, due to above, any future such absence will be recorded as a full day/shift sickness absence. If they are unfit for work on the next day they are expected in work the following procedure applies. 2.4 Pay During Sickness Absence The pay and benefits package for both police officers and police staff includes provision for up to six months full pay and a further six months half pay during periods of sickness absence. These are outlined below Police Officers - The Secretary of State s determination of sick pay under regulation 28 of the Police Regulations 2003 provides that a member of a police force who is absent on sick leave shall be entitled to full pay for six months in any one year period. Thereafter, the member becomes entitled to half pay for six months in any one year period Police Staff - The Police Staff Council Handbook of conditions of service for Police Staff states that during periods of absence from work due to sickness, disease or disablement, staff should be entitled to sick pay in accordance with the table below: Length of Continuous Service During 1st year of service During 2nd year of service During 3rd year of service During 4 th and 5 th year of service After 5 years service Amount of Sick Pay 1 months' full pay and (after completing 4 months service) 2 months' half pay 2 months' full pay and 2 months' half pay 4 months' full pay and 4 months' half pay 5 months' full pay and 5 months' half pay 6 months' full pay and 6 months' half pay V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 5

6 The PSC handbook provides further guidance in respect of definitions in respect of ''full pay'' and ''half pay.'' For both police officers and police staff, at the start of each new period of sickness absence, full and half pay entitlements are reduced by the number of days full and half pay received in the twelve months immediately preceding the first day of absence. This is commonly known as the 'rolling calendar.' When calculating this time, all periods of sickness absence are added together on the basis of seven days per week for all staff, including part time workers A police officer will continue to receive rent and housing allowances in full when a transfer to half pay or out of pay takes place For police staff, full pay includes all the guaranteed earnings that would be paid during a period of normal working e.g. weekend enhancements, shift allowance, but excluding any payments not made on a regular basis Full Pay shall be an amount which, when added to Statutory Sick pay or any short term incapacity benefit receivable will secure the equivalent of normal pay Half pay shall be an amount equal to half normal earnings plus an amount equivalent to Statutory Sick pay or any short or long term incapacity benefit receivable, so long as the total sum does not exceed normal pay Staff who receive shift allowances or weekend enhancements in addition to basic pay will continue to receive the allowance for the period of their sick pay entitlement Those in receipt of an essential vehicle user allowance will continue to receive the allowance for the first three months of sickness absence. Following this, the allowance will be suspended/withdrawn on the 1st day of the fourth month of continuous absence and will be restored when the employee returns to work Competence Related Threshold Payment (CRTP) should be reviewed regularly throughout the period of sickness absence and any withdrawal arrangements will be agreed outside of this procedure Please note, all references to pay throughout this procedure relates to gross pay and payment will be subject to submission of a fit/sick note for absences which are more than 8 days Extensions to Pay During Sickness Absence The Chief Constable has discretion in appropriate circumstances to extend the pay of a police officer or member of police staff who would otherwise be on half pay or out of pay as a result of sickness absence. The Force has adopted PNB Circular 05/1 to determine such circumstances. It is acknowledged that the sick pay entitlements for police officers and police staff after 5 years service is a generous scheme and decision are taken in the light of this The criteria used for making decisions relating to extensions of pay duringsickness absence is the same for both police officers and police staff. Full information of all V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 6

7 relevant circumstances and all available reports and guidance from the Force Medical Advisor will be taken into account when decisions are made Wherever possible, a decision should be made in sufficient good time prior to the ending of full or half pay in order to keep the individual fully informed An extension to sick pay may, following consideration of an individual case, be considered appropriate in the circumstances outlined below: The Chief Constable is satisfied that the officer or member of staff incapacity is directly attributable to an injury or illness that was sustained or contracted in the execution of his/her duty; or The officer or member of staff is suffering from an illness which is determined by the Force Medical Adviser to be terminal or is immediately life threatening; or The police officer is being considered in accordance with the PNB Joint Guidance on Improving the Management of Ill Health and the Assistant Chief Officer, with delegated authority from the Police and Crime Commissioner, has referred the issue of whether the officer is permanently disabled as an operational police officer to a selected medical practitioner. There is no automatic right to extension of pay purely based on the referral but in some circumstances it may be considered appropriate: or The member of police staff has been referred to the independent doctor for a decision in relation to release of pension due to ill health. There is no automatic right to extension of pay purely based on the referral but in some circumstances it may be considered appropriate: or The Force Medical Adviser advises that the absence is related to a disability as defined by the DDA (a physical or medical impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on the ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities) and the chief officer considers that it would be a reasonable adjustment to extend sick pay, generally speaking to allow (further) reasonable adjustments to be made to enable the individual to return to work. This would likely be applied where the individual s GP and the Force Medical Adviser agree that the individual is fit to return to work and the force needs time to put in place reasonable adjustments. The protection of the DDA does not mean that automatic pay protection will occur on the expiry of sick pay entitlement The Chief Constable may decide not to exercise the discretion to extend full or half pay where: There is evidence of default or neglect on the employee s part; or The employee s actions may be delaying the process of recovery; or The employee is unreasonably failing to co-operate with a rehabilitation programme, or with an adjustment to facilitate return to duty within a reasonable timeframe, or to comply with requests to attend medical examinations or to supply medical information; or The employee is actively engaged in a business interest during the period of absence. The employee s absence is due to a sporting injury The criteria identified in paragraphs and above are neither exclusive nor exhaustive. Individual circumstances will be considered in each case V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 7

8 2.5.7 Details of the appeals process for sick pay extensions can be found in section 3 of this policy. 2.6 Pension Contributions during Sickness Absence Police Officer - If a Police Officer s sickness absence enters into a period of unpaid leave then they will stop accruing any further pensionable service during that unpaid absence unless they pay pension contributions. As a contributing member of the Police Pension Scheme, prior to this period of unpaid sickness absence or upon their return to work, they may have the opportunity to elect to pay additional contributions to ensure that this period of unpaid leave counts towards the total pensionable service. This is for a period of unpaid sickness absence which is no more than 6 months in duration, and for a maximum aggregated 12 month period across all periods of unpaid sickness absence throughout their police service. If an employee wishes to pay additional contributions for this reason they should contact the MFSS HR team Police Staff All police staff who are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme will continue to pay pension contributions during any paid period of sickness absence. If you enter into a period of half or no pay then you will not be required to make any contributions nor pay back any retrospective contributions as your membership benefits are protected during this period. 2.7 Sickness Absence Due to Formal Performance, Misconduct or Complaint Procedures Staff who are absent due to performance /misconduct/complaint procedures will be given two opportunities to attend investigation meetings and/or hearings. If the employee is not able to attend the second opportunity the process will continue in their absence on the second date Where an employee is absent from work due to sickness and there is a need to consider suspension from duty, or the employee is under suspension and subsequently reports sick, they will be recorded as being absent due to sickness and not suspended. This situation will be kept under regular review. 2.8 Disability Related Sickness Absence The majority of disabled people do not require any more time away from work than other staff. Although impairment may impact on a person s day to day activities, it does not necessarily impact on their general health. Under the Equality Act 2010 there is a need to recognise that staff with disabilities may need time away from work either to receive treatment for their disability or be absent from work due to their disability There are 2 types of absence to consider: Disability related leave is where an employee is allowed time off during working hours for therapy, hospital appointments, rehabilitation, assessment or treatment. It is reasonable that an employee be allowed this type of leave as it is part of managing their disability and play an important part in keeping them fit for their role. Disability related leave can be considered a reasonable adjustment. However, this does not mean that every appointment will be allowed. The Force will consider reasonableness in relation to each individual case. Disability related leave should be planned in advance and taken by V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 8

9 agreement of the line manager. This type of leave should not be taken to cover sickness absence whether or not the absence is directly related to the person disability. Disability related absence and non disability related absence - There will be occasions when an employee with a disability needs to take sickness absence. Each period of absence will have a uniqueness which will need to be considered when deciding as to what is reasonable to record as disability related absence. Both disability and non disability related absence can be counted for inclusion for consideration within a variety of Force procedures and benefits. 2.9 Sickness Absence During Maternity leave If during the 4 weeks prior to the expected week of childbirth (EWC), the employee is absent from work due to a pregnancy related reason then the maternity leave will commence from the fourth week and not the date previously agreed to start the maternity leave If after the first two weeks of the baby being born, the employee is unwell during their maternity leave then they can opt to end their maternity leave early and commence sickness absence. In such circumstances, the individual would transfer over to be paid sick pay in line with this policy and their maternity pay would end. Any one who opts for this should note that once their maternity leave has been voluntarily ended for this reason then it cannot be restarted Absence due to IVF Treatment The Constabulary acknowledges the emotional pressure of undergoing IVF treatment and understands the potential anxiety and distress, which individuals may suffer when going through such treatment. It is the Constabulary s intention to ensure that staff are fully supported when undergoing this procedure All staff may be granted up to a total of 5 days paid leave (i.e. up to 37 hours for Police Staff or 40 hours for Police Officers) in a calendar year for the purpose of receiving fertility treatment. (Pro rata for part time staff) It is recognised that staff who are undergoing IVF or other fertility treatment may suffer a range of side affects after the treatment has taken place. In these circumstances any additional absence will be recorded in line with the Management of Attendance Procedure as sickness absence Line managers will maintain strictest confidentiality and will respect the dignity of the individual at all times during any treatment Absence due to Cosmetic Surgery Cosmetic surgery is considered to be voluntary and therefore should be undertaken in the employee s own time unless it is certified by a medical practitioner to be essential due to medical reasons. Complications arising out of cosmetic surgery will be recorded as sickness absence and the time lost will be included in the individual s record and not V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 9

10 excluded for the purposes of application for benefits e.g. CRTP, Business Interests, Career breaks etc Attending Appointments Where practicable, all staff will be expected to arrange doctors, dentist and optician appointments within their own time. Where an employee is required to attend a hospital, specialist or emergency doctor/dentist appointment during their normal working hours, time off will be given to attend the appointment If an employee is in work and is required to attend an appointment at the Occupational Health Unit then time will be given to attend the appointment. If the employee is not in work due to sickness they will be expected to attend in their own time. No recompense will be given for the time. Where an employee is on a rest day and is required to attend the Occupational Health Unit they will be recompensed for the time in hours. There is no entitlement to additional pay for attendance in these circumstances When attending Occupational Health Appointments, the Area/Department may decide to provide the means of travel, where practicable, when they are satisfied that the employee has no transport of their own or are unable to use either their own or public transport. However if an Area/Department does not provide the means of travel, staff attending may claim additional costs incurred, either: a) The additional cost of public transport, e.g. actual cost less normal home to place of duty cost when otherwise working, or b) If using their own transport, excess mileage at the appropriate rate less home to place of duty mileage Travel expenses will not be paid for any appointments funded under the Fast Track Funding Scheme Sickness and Annual Leave Where an employee falls sick whilst on annual leave they will be recorded as sick from the date identified in a medical certificate, provided the certificate is produced as soon as reasonably practicable. A medical certificate is required for any illness where a person notifies sickness absence during annual leave. It is not possible for an employee to selfcertificate their illness whilst on annual leave The days of annual leave not taken will be restored to the employee's entitlement. Line managers need to amend the system accordingly. For details of how to do this, please see the DMS guide An individual who is absent due to sickness and who intends to take a holiday away from home must contact their line manager to gain approval prior to booking Annual leave will continue to accrue during periods of sickness absence and this accrued leave should be taken upon their return to work. The maximum carry-forward of annual leave from one leave year to the next (5 days) does not apply in cases of sickness absence. V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 10

11 If an individual leaves the organisation then they will be paid any outstanding leave and other certified time off (CTO) owed to them as per the leavers process Sickness and Bank Holidays Staff will not be entitled to a day off in lieu where they are rostered for work and then fall sick on or over a bank holiday unless the absence is covered by a medical certificate. There is no entitlement to additional pay even when a medical certificate is provided. Where the bank holiday would have been a rest day but the employee has been requested to work on the bank holiday and then the employee is sick on the bank holiday, the day in lieu to compensate for the lost bank holiday will still apply provided a medical certificate is produced Sickness and Training Courses If an employee reports sick, then they cannot attend training courses or other work related activities unless it is agreed by the Occupational Health Adviser or GP that they are fit to do so. If it is agreed that they can attend then this should form part of a recuperative plan to return to work. See below for more information on recuperative duties Returning to Work The Force encourages individuals to return to work as soon as possible to ensure that it has the necessary resources to deliver its objectives. To ensure individuals are fit to return to work and to establish whether there are any necessary reasonable adjustments required some or all of the following may be carried out: Return to work interview (compulsory for all individuals) Occupational Health referral Risk Assessment Reasonable adjustments are alterations that could be made that would enable an individual who is disabled to continue to carry out their duties without being at a disadvantage compared to others. Examples may be reduced hours/days, nonmanual/operational duties, working from home Managers should familiarise themselves with such methods. Further on Recuperative and Restricted Duties can be found in section 2.16 however more detailed, practical guidance can be found in the Managing Attendance procedure Moderated Duties (Recuperative and Restricted) Recuperative duties can be described as a situation where an individual returns to work, following a period of sickness, on a recuperative duties plan agreed between them self and their line manager taking into account the recommendations of the Occupational Health Advisor. In most cases the individual will be expected to achieve a full return to their normal duties and to full hours within a period of 28 days Restricted duties for Police Officers applies to officers who are unable to carry out full operational duties due to a medical condition. This can be on a permanent i.e. by SMP has certified that they are permanently disabled or on a temporary basis. V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 11

12 Restricted duties for Police Staff are employed on a contract of employment in relation to a specific role. Restricted duties apply to members of Police Staff who are unable to carry out the full duties of their current role due to a long term medical condition Further details of dealing with restricted or recuperative duties can be found in the Managing Attendance procedure or discussing with Health and Safety, Occupational Health Departments Ill-Health Dismissals / Retirements Police Staff - A dismissal due to ill health is a dismissal under the Managing Performance Procedure for Police Staff. Before consideration is given to an ill health dismissal, consideration should be given, and opportunities exhausted, in respect of making reasonable adjustments due to disability as per the Equality Act 2010 and the search for alternative employment should be exhausted. The process requires the individual to be assessed by an Independent Medical Practitioner (IRMP) to establish whether their circumstances fit with the Local Government Pension Scheme requirements regarding release of pension due to ill health. Where an employee is not in the pension scheme there is no requirement to follow this process Police Officers - The Human Resources department will facilitate the Selected Medical Practitioner (SMP) process on behalf of the manager. In brief, the SMP process is used to determine whether an officer is disabled from being an operational police officer and whether the disability is permanent or not. Where the disability is of a permanent nature it is necessary to obtain a decision from the Police and Crime Commissioner in respect of A20 of the Police Pension Regulations Further details of the processes outlined above can be found in the Managing Attendance Procedure Rewarding Good Attendance There may be local arrangements for rewarding staff for full attendance e. g. letters of thanks. The use of these local arrangements are at the discretion of the Area Commander/Departmental Heads Available Support The Force has a number of options available to individuals which may assist with any issues in relation to sickness absence. These include the following: Occupational Health Employee Assistance Programme (CiC) Force Welfare Team Trade Unions / Staff Associations For further details on each of these, please read the Managing Attendance procedure or contact the MFSS HR team Links to other Force procedures V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 12

13 The Managing Attendance procedure has direct links to the following list of policies and procedures. The list is not exhaustive and will be added to when changes to policy and procedure occur. Managing Performance Procedure for Police Staff. Unsatisfactory Performance and Attendance Procedures for Police Officers Sickness Extensions to Pay Procedure Organisational Development Procedures Health, Safety and Welfare Policies Reducing and Managing Stress at Work Procedure Recruitment Selection and Promotion Policies Business Interests Procedure Appraisal Career Breaks Flexible Retirement Scheme Competency Related Threshold Payments (CRTP) current applications only. Flexible Working Procedure 30 Plus Scheme Leave Procedures The first two procedures listed are in relation to performance which can be used to assist managers and staff in the improvement of poor attendance. Consideration will be given to the use of these procedures where an employee s attendance: falls below the Force performance targets in respect of days lost where absence periods exceed 9 days or 4 occasions in a rolling 12 month period where one period of absence is in excess of 28 days where the requirements of the Managing Attendance Procedure is not being complied with. 3. Appeals Click Here to Return to Index 3.1 All staff have the right to appeal against decisions taken under this procedure. There are two types of appeals: 3.2 General appeals - Appeals should be lodged in writing to the Manager responsible for the decision within 10 days of any action/decisions taken. The appeal letter should state the reason for the appeal and include any further relevant information necessary for the decision making process. On receipt of notification of appeal the relevant Manager will re-consider the decision based on the information now provided. If the decision remains unchanged the case will be referred to the Head of Department/Area Commander. If new information is provided at this stage the appeal will be referred back to the responsible Manager. If the appeal provides no new information the Head of Department/Area Commander will review the case and will confirm the decision to the individual in writing. There is no further right of appeal. 3.3 Extensions to pay appeals - appeals should be lodged in writing to the Chief Constable within 10 calendar days of receipt of written notification of changes to pay. The letter V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 13

14 should state the reason for the appeal and include any further relevant information necessary for the decision making process. On receipt of notification of appeal the Chief Constable will re-consider the decision based on the information now provided and will confirm the decision to the individual in writing. There is no further right of appeal. Click Here to Return to Index 4. Responsibilities 4.1 All Staff: should maintain their health, fitness and wellbeing as far as reasonably possible. should co-operate and comply with the Managing Attendance Procedure and supporting information both as an individual and where appropriate as a manager. 4.2 The Chief Officer Group: will determine the attendance policy, procedures and management arrangements. will make decisions on individual cases in respect of pay, retirements and dismissals, taking advice and making recommendations to the Police and Crime Commissioner as appropriate. will ensure all levels of management are properly supported in their handling of attendance. 4.3 Senior managers: need to ensure that attendance is effectively managed in their area or department. should lead by example and effectively manage the attendance of staff who report directly to them. should ensure managers are supported, trained and are capable in dealing with attendance management issues and that all staff follow Force policies and procedures as appropriate to their role Managers and supervisors: are responsible for the day-to day management of attendance of their staff. should ensure that the HR and Payroll departments have all the necessary information and documentation e.g. fit notes, Occupational Health referral forms so they can process them accordingly. should support and consider the welfare of staff who are absent due to sickness and addressing issues with staff whose level of attendance is unacceptable. should familiarise themselves with the Force policy and related supporting documents and ensure they are applied fairly, reasonably and consistently. should be mindful of the links between the Managing Attendance Procedure and other Force policies and procedures in relation to the support and the performance management of staff. 4.5 Retained Human Resources: V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 14

15 will develop and implement Force policy, procedure and best practice in relation to attendance management. will advise and support line managers on individual cases will provide the Chief Officer Group, the Police and Crime Commissioner and where necessary, any other parties, with management information and information/advice on issues affecting pay, attendance and related policies and procedures as appropriate. will manage the process in relation to sick pay extensions. Decisions should be made by the Head of Human Resources. 4.6 MFSS Human Resources & Payroll: Will process any sick pay entitlements and issue any letters in relation to reducing to half or nil pay. Provide Retained HR with details of any cases requiring review under the sick pay extensions process. Update the HR system with details of any fit notes. 4.7 Force Welfare Advisers: will assist in the management of attendance by supporting individuals and by helping to set realistic expectations in relation to a variety of outcomes of Force policies and procedures. will work closely with the Human Resources team to provide the best support for individuals who suffer illness, their line managers and to achieve the Force performance targets. 4.8 Occupational Health Unit: will assess an individual s fitness for work and assist them and their line manager to achieve a return to work as soon as it is reasonably practical following illness. 4.9 Staff Association and Trade Union Responsibilities: will support individuals and assist the Force in the fair application of this procedure to achieve optimum attendance and performance. Click Here to Return to Index 5. Managing Attendance Procedure guidance for managers.doc 6. Review 6.1This procedure will be subject to review 2 years from initial introduction and will give consideration to its effectiveness in the business area concerned. The review will be informed by: Force Attendance Statistics Changes within Force which impact upon attendance management Any changes in legislation V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 15

16 Challenges to the procedure Any identified inefficiencies in relation to implementation Impact on diversity and equality (High/Medium/Low on the Race Diversity Impact Assessment Template) Click Here to Return to Index Version Date Status Authorised /10/09 Published JBrownsword /02/10 Revised following Staff and Leadership Group on 28th January 2010 JBrownsword /04/10 Minor update J Brownsword /6/2013 Minor updates and restructure L. Phillips /11/2013 Phase 2 whole review and restructure L. Phillips /04/2014 Phase 3 review J. Matthews / L. Phillips /07/14 Minor Updates A Smyth /07/14 Minor Updates following H&S comments A Smyth V 2.5 Managing Attendance NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED 16