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Original poster

Absence trigger-What would happen at your work?

36 replies

cherrypiepie · 18/12/2021 08:46

This has been praying on my mind!

I've had three periods of absence in 12 months- would these constitute and absence trigger at your work and legally can they?

Feb- Covid (three weeks as I got a chest infection)
June- miscarriage (week off as had surgery),
December -Ankle injury (had a day off and went back to work on crutches had been given a sick note for three weeks)

Nothing has happened yet and don't think it will now- just intrigued as it's not been explained to me. I don't want to ask. Work are lovely and very reasonable

OP posts:

PhilCornwall1 · 18/12/2021 08:55

@cherrypiepie

This has been praying on my mind!

I've had three periods of absence in 12 months- would these constitute and absence trigger at your work and legally can they?

Nothing has happened yet and don't think it will now- just intrigued as it's not been explained to me. I don't want to ask. Work are lovely and very reasonable

3 periods should trigger it where I work.

I've had a member of my team hit the threshold to trigger it, but I've told HR it won't be, due to the reasons they have been off.

I'd be taking one look at your reasons and not would not allow the process to start.

FlipperSkipper · 18/12/2021 08:59

The miscarriage shouldn’t count as it’s pregnancy related.

happytoday73 · 18/12/2021 09:03

Off topic... You went back when you had a sick note? Many companies won't allow it as not covered insurance wise..

My company would for 3 absences but wouldn't count miscarriage..... But with obvious reasons like yours it'd just be a chat and nothing to worry about...

Interested in this thread?

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Employment advice

anniegun · 18/12/2021 09:06

In a reasonable company they would look at the reasons and nothing would happen. Triggers are there to alert HR/managers that they ought to take a look. That is very differed to taking action

vdbfamily · 18/12/2021 09:14

I am in NHS. Triggers are 3 in 6 months/ 5 in 12 months.
If triggered we start with an informal 1-1 meeting looking at reasons and if we can do anything to support you. Ask about OCC Health referral or referral to HELP counselling. The absences you had were unrelated. Covid would not count anyway in NHS as is often caught at work.
I don't think you should worry at all.

Original poster

cherrypiepie · 18/12/2021 09:19

Thanks everyone that's all reassuring. I knew about the miscarriage being pregnancy related they shouldn't wasn't sure about covid.

As for the sick note- I had a risk assessment. I wanted to go back - I'm a secondary teacher and really like my job. Could get lifts there and back so worked ok, sat in my classroom in a pair of trackies for two weeks with my leg up. Employer was happy as a million off with covid and students generally happy to have me back too (I think).

OP posts:

Cornettoninja · 18/12/2021 09:20

I triggered the NHS one once when I worked there and it was fine. It was due to an ongoing issue that I had surgery for in the end. I explained the reasons for the absences, what I had in place to try and resolve it and that was that.

IIRC any further absences would have triggered another meeting but once the reasons were discussed and assurances at attempts of resolution confirmed, it stopped it going to the next level iyswim. It really isn’t anything to worry about if your reasons are genuine, it’s more to identify those showing a pattern of absence or those who might need other adjustments put in place. Well it should be if your HR are doing it properly.

Original poster

cherrypiepie · 18/12/2021 09:24

Interesting that covid don't count in NHS - that makes sense (I have no excuse as I caught it during January /February lockdown on a trip to big Tesco) lots of staff catching at work now but impossible to say where they caught it.

OP posts:

helpadvicewhateverneeded · 18/12/2021 09:29

In my workplace it would trigger an investigation but pregnancy and covid is excluded so would be a no further action type of thing.

This year, we've been much more relaxed with sickness and I'd hope that one long term effect of the pandemic is less severe absence management across the board.

WayneBruce · 18/12/2021 09:40

Covid and miscarriage would be excluded at my place too. Your absence wouldnt even get raised at this point.

NavigatingAdolescence · 18/12/2021 09:42

Govt guidance states Covid should not be counted and miscarriage shouldn’t as pregnancy related.

ememem84 · 18/12/2021 09:46

Yes it would trigger it where I work. However. If you had sick notes then in my work nothing would be done. The sick note when you went back in though - it could have invalidated insurance

I’m my place it’s more likely to trigger and something happen if it was the same total days but spread o et the tear. Ie in two day periods.

My assistant currently has had a day off sick every 3 weeks. Always a Monday. He says bad luck. But it’s a pattern. He has to provide a dr note now if it happens again. Which if genuine and not “Monday Club” then I’m sure he will go to dr and get.

ememem84 · 18/12/2021 09:47

@helpadvicewhateverneeded

In my workplace it would trigger an investigation but pregnancy and covid is excluded so would be a no further action type of thing.

This year, we've been much more relaxed with sickness and I'd hope that one long term effect of the pandemic is less severe absence management across the board.

Should have added this too. As a business our sick days have decreased as if we have a cold etc and can and want to we can wfh.

Luredbyapomegranate · 18/12/2021 09:49

Well you don't need to worry about it, because all these things are undeniably sickness. If you've provided details at the time, I don't think HR would even contact you, but if they do will just be a checkin.

HidingFromDD · 18/12/2021 10:00

It would trigger it but not in an escalating way iyswim. Would need a discussion in case it’s related and we need to look at reasonable adjustments, but these instances are all unrelated so would just be a file note. Although I’d agree that the pregnancy related one wouldn’t count, and the ankle would mean insurance invalidated unless we’d done a formal risk assessment, which would concentrate on how you would be evacuated in an emergency

ArblemarzipanTFruitcake · 18/12/2021 10:05

No, the miscarriage wouldn't count. Sorry for your loss, OP.

If absence management does trigger, the first stage is an informal chat aimed mostly at uncovering any underlying reasons for the absences and offering support. If they are all isolated illnesses which can be taken at face value, nothing else would happen at that stage.

alloalloallo · 18/12/2021 10:06

It would trigger a back to work type chat which I would undertake.

It’s really just a how are you, can we help in anyway, do we need to make any adjustments, how can we support you chat.

Nothing further would come of it

Toddlerteaplease · 18/12/2021 10:13

Covid would not trigger in my work. (NHS) I have triggers as I've had three MS flare ups. My manger just referred me to occupational health for a chat.

babasaclover · 18/12/2021 10:18

Do not give it a second thought I speak to somebody in computer programming, it will just be an automated response from a program you need a human to interpret and see sense but it all starts from the computer, Like auto generated because of the parameters set

babasaclover · 18/12/2021 10:18

PS sorry you've had such a rough year anyone of those things would be enough to deal with that all three is a nightmare

rookiemere · 18/12/2021 10:24

In our place ( large finance institution) covid related absences were removed from any monitoring, and pregnancy related absences have never been taken into account, so you would be fine OP.

EBearhug · 18/12/2021 10:27

It's 5 in 12 months with us (or used to be; I don't know if they have adjusted things for covid.) It means HR asks your line manager to have a chat in case anything is going on for which they need to make reasonable adjustments, or if you need extra support, or to work out if it's sign of disengagement that needs managing.

In my case it was just a mix of minor things, like an abscess needing antibiotics, a bad cold and so on, over a whole year, and I think my immune system was just a bit less efficient than usual. I don't think my manager was that impressed at having to have the chat, but he ticked a box with HR so all was well.

Shadedog · 18/12/2021 10:35

Ours (nhs) is 3 in 12 months, which triggers a manager intervention, and the forth in the next 6 months would trigger an HR intervention. Neither covid or pregnancy related “count” though.

BarbaraofSeville · 18/12/2021 10:44

Definitely nothing to worry about. Absence triggers are either for sorting something wrong in the workplace that's causing people illness, injury or stress, people with long term conditions who need adjustments or lead swingers with persistent 'bad backs', 'stress' or take to their beds at the slightest sniffle.

thatsallineed · 18/12/2021 10:47

I've never worked anywhere that had a 'trigger' point, but in your case, it is blindingly obvious that your absences were completely unavoidable. So even if it is escalated, then hopefully someone with common sense will take a look and decide that there's no further action to be taken.

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