Sick pay help

[treetrunkthighs]

We have an employee who every year, without exception, takes his full allowance (10 days) of sick days.

Obviously I have no idea if he is sick or not but given the Friday/Monday/day before holiday nature of the days taken I'm inclined to think not.

What can we do about this that doesn't involve disciplinary action? We need him and he knows it.

I'd like to find a way to stop him doing it. Can we change his contract to 0 paid sick days (dh's preference)? Offer an incentive related to number of sick days not taken (mil's preference)?

Anyone any ideas?

Gosh, you sound like a great employer

Cheers.

Huh? There is an allowance fir sick days at your place?

What happens if someone has an illness that lasts more than ten days?

Statutory sick pay. Like most places.

MIL's preference might reap rewards more. Same as with kids, positive attention can often get the best results.

Have you ever spoken to him about your concerns?

If not, suggest you arrange informal meeting to do this. Present him with his attendance record. Tell him you have noticed a pattern of sick leave attached to weekends and annual leave. See what he has to say. He will probably say it is a coincidence! Ask him to tell you what has been wrong with him. Tell him you do not expect this pattern to continue and if it does you will have no choice but to manage it formally.

In every case of pattern absence I have managed, attendance has improved 100% once the employee knows s/he's been rumbled!

Yu cannot change his contract without consultation and he is entitled to statutory sick pay by law.

Why incentivise him for coming to work -he's paid to do that!

Thank you TheVisitor.

I suspect it would work. Do you happen to know if it's legal?

Employee incentives are legal, depending on what you're offering, and it doesn't have to be monetary incentives. Mind you, Mr Claypole does have a very good point.

Mr ClayPole - I know you are right and this is the way forward. I just need some back up for my corner vs mil and dh. Or alternatives. Rumbled might be the way to go after all.

Cross posts there.

She's talking of a bonus of an amount that decreases with every sick day taken. Doesn't feel right to me.

Change all contracts to be first 3 days un paid before sick pay start. Offer to pay those days by discresion.

Will stop the before Friday / holiday sickness as it'll be unpaid.

Or just drag him into an office and have it out with him - he may you need him which in that case I'd go around making sure that he wasn't so needed then he has less bargaining power.

Yes it's legal. Just because someone self certifies doesn't mean they are protected from an employer having legitimate concerns about absence ( especially if there is a pattern) We use what is known as "the Bradford Factor" Google it if you're interested it is away of scoring absence that takes into account frequency as well as days lost and if you get above a certain score you are called in for an informal chat.