Notifying your employer about sickness absence

[NightmareWalking]

Just a quick question: I thought I'd seen somewhere that your employer cannot legally insist that you telephone everyday you are absent through sickess as long as they are informed on the first day - but now I can't find this anywhere - does anyone know if this is correct?

Just to clarify - clearly letting them know each day you intend to be absent is good manners - I just want to know if the employer can be so proscriptive about the manner in which you let them know.

It will be in your contract of employment -

mine, for instance, clearly states that I must make contact on the first day of absence and then again on the 4th day - after that we either have to return to work within the week of first absence or obtain a doctor signed sickness certificate on the 7th day.

Thanks ByTheWay - contract is short, only 1 side of A4, and very basic - this is not contained, which is why I was wondering if there was a law covering it!

The law just doesn't get that specific, that type of thing is down to the business to manage. If there was a good reason why the person couldn't telephone and they had a good absence record and there was no reason to doubt the fact that they were sick, it's unlikely there would be a disciplinary about just that issue.

Similarly, if someone were signed off for a period of time, most employers would relax the phone every day rule.

But asking for phone contact rather than email/text is sensible of any employer, as it reduces casual unnecessary sickness absence, by putting a bit more of a hurdle in place. If someone is feeling slightly off colour and doesn't really feel like going in, but should, if all they have to do is send their manager a text, that's very tempting. If they actually have to pick up the phone and speak to someone and explain why they are not in, they are less likely to do it unless absolutely necessary.