Admin and Finance Conference HR Briefing Managing Staff Absence

1. Admin and Finance ConferenceHR BriefingManaging Staff Absence Autumn 2013 Claire Bickers and Libby Wragg

2. What are we looking at today? • Why and when to refer – new guidance • GP fit notes – new guidance • Monitoring and reporting using SIMS • Disability Leave – what is it? • Cost of absence

3. New guidance – ten top tips • Refer promptly • Don’t have to be off work • Provide information as prompted • Track referral / tell employee • Follow up if anything unclear • Work with employee, act reasonably • Managers responsible for action • Re-refer if necessary • Seek advice from HR • Remember other sources of help – HML’s managers’ helpline https://www.schoolsurf.suffolkcc.gov.uk/docs/unrestricted/Human_Resources/Managing_Attendance_and_Absence/index.aspx

4. Fit Notes • After 7 calendar days – self certify before • Employee keeps original, school has copy • Fit for work (not necessarily whole job/full hours) – what’s reasonable? • See again at end of absence? • No need for fit note to return – risk assessment • GPs not OH specialists – don’t have job knowledge • Dates on a fit note are inclusive • Fit note is evidence for your sick pay procedures • The fit note is not binding on the employer – get OH advice, do risk assessment

5. Monitoring and Reporting • What do you hold at school? • How can you use the data to help manage absence? • Data Protection • Collate and review absence data on a regular basis with HT and HR to identify patterns, trends • Add absence on agenda for Personnel Committees • Use data to influence local absence policies and others

6. Using SIMS • Absence reporting in SIMS • How to do an absence report in SIMS • How to add Absence Reasons in SIMS • Absence reasons advised by HR for SIMS • For additional support on Absence reporting on SIMS please contact ithelpdesk@csduk.com

7. What is ‘disability leave’? • Not a good term – not an ‘entitlement’ • Appointments for rehabilitation, assessment or treatment of a disability = ‘disability leave’, e.g. • Pre- and post-admission appointments to hospital • Pre- and post-surgery physiotherapy appointments • The day of surgery • Occupational Health appointments • GP appointments • Recuperation after treatment = sick leave • Still reasonable to expect appointments to be out of working hours

8. Costs • Absence has a cost – either direct or indirect • Direct – cost of cover • Indirect – work not done / deadlines missed / work given to others • Impact on pupils’ learning and progress • Average daily cost for MPR3 = £170 • Average daily cost for UPR3 = £250 • Average for Grade 5 = £130

9. Further Info • FAQs & links to additional guidance • Schoolsurf Absence related information https://www.schoolsurf.suffolkcc.gov.uk/docs/unrestricted/Human_Resources/Managing_Attendance_and_Absence/index.aspx • Your named HR Caseworker or the Duty Caseworker on 01473 265440 • Any Questions ?

10. 3rd Annual HR briefings Monday 2 December West Suffolk House Bury St Edmunds (1.30 – 5.00pm) Thursday 5 December Halesworth Skills Centre (1.00 – 4.30pm) (max 30) Tuesday 10 December Endeavour House (9.30 – 1.00pm / 1.30 – 5.00pm) Friday 13 December West Suffolk House Bury St Edmunds (9.00 – 12.30pm) • DBS (formerly CRB) checks – what’s changed and what hasn’t, and wider safer recruitment processes, including references • Ten top tips for occupational health referrals and recording absence relating to disability • Changes to the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document in September 2013 – experiences and questions one term in • STPCD 2014 – what might it include? • Schools’ HR service improvements – update on policy and guidance review • What’s coming up? A round up of forthcoming employment law issues • http://apps.suffolk.gov.uk/eventbooking/VenueList.aspx?eventID=594