How should a manager deal with long term sickness return?

[user769084]

What is the process in most businesses for dealing with someone returning after a long term sickness?

Depends on the job - some people might need / prefer "light duties" to start with, if this is appropriate.

Graded, monitored, incremental return, timescale agreed by both parties.
Lots of support and review of progress.
Everything recorded.

Agree with FawnDrench and would also say it depends on the reason for the sickness, if it constitutes a disability, if reasonable adjustments need to be made.
Depends on company policy too.

I'd expect the manager to be taking advice from HR and OH (if the company has them) to make sure they do everything they should.

In my old place any absence over 4 weeks was a phased return- reduced hours and workload over a 2-4 week period

In my current place i was told this isnt always necessary and be lead by the requirements of the individual at the return to work
I also dont have much contact with people who are off sick whilst they are off and only contact once or twice if i need to know return dates etc

Is there anything you specifically want to know

Depends on reason off, job returning to, hours person works, length person was off for etc.

Meeting prior to return or on first day back. Phased return if recommended by gp/oh, although this is usually increasing hours over a few weeks. Likewise duties and responsibilities may be phased or adapted ie. no lifting if recovering from an op, reviewed at intervals. Reasonable adjustments such as equipment or part wfh/adjusted hours may be considered. If it is likely full role cannot be resumed oh may be involved in longer term review.

@Capital76

In my old place any absence over 4 weeks was a phased return- reduced hours and workload over a 2-4 week period

In my current place i was told this isnt always necessary and be lead by the requirements of the individual at the return to work
I also dont have much contact with people who are off sick whilst they are off and only contact once or twice if i need to know return dates etc

Is there anything you specifically want to know

When I was off sick a few years ago with a sickness bug (3 days) I had a return to work on the day I returned. I have been off work for 8 months with an illness that counts as a disability and haven't had a return to work. OH are involved so not sure if thats why I haven't had one.

I’m surprised at no return to work, even with OH involvement. Can you find your sickness policy and see what it says? If not, ask HR.

Depends entirely on why they were off and what their job is. Returning to a desk job after a hernia operation is easy, returning to a physical job after same is entirely different.

Completely depends on the nature of the work and illness, but if there is OH, then I would expect an OH review and a set of recommendations written up by OH for HR and the manager. There is no obligation for the company to follow the reco if the employee is deemed fit to work by their GP, but following them is usually done as it gives best chance of a successful return to work. Issues arise if the employee is no longer to able to do the work they were previously doing.

@MaggieFS

Completely depends on the nature of the work and illness, but if there is OH, then I would expect an OH review and a set of recommendations written up by OH for HR and the manager. There is no obligation for the company to follow the reco if the employee is deemed fit to work by their GP, but following them is usually done as it gives best chance of a successful return to work. Issues arise if the employee is no longer to able to do the work they were previously doing.

It's a quite a physical job and fast paced job. Cancer diagnosis and treatment is the illness. OH recommended a phased return for 6 weeks with a gradual increase of hours.

Sorry to hear about your illness but I hope you are doing well if you are discussing returning to work.

I'm unclear what is meant by "having a return to work"?

Is there a problem with what OH are proposing/ work not accepting?

@MaggieFS

Sorry to hear about your illness but I hope you are doing well if you are discussing returning to work.

I'm unclear what is meant by "having a return to work"?

Is there a problem with what OH are proposing/ work not accepting?

My work place does a return to work meeting after an absence but I haven't had one with this illness, maybe because OH are involved.

I don't have a problem with what OH suggested, it was done on month 4 of my absence so it's very recent.

The return to work not being held is unusual - even if one of my team is off for a couple of days I check in with them to see if they are feeling OK to be at work and catch them up on anything they have missed. It's completely informal after a short absence. For a longer absence I would expect its more important to hold a RTW because as others have said, you need to agree the working pattern, reasonable adjustments, time off for follow up appointments, workload, go through changes since you were last in, and to demonstrate that your manager is someone that you can approach with any issues.

When I returned from a long term sickness, I had a phased return, reduced workload and flexibility if I needed to finish early outside of the agreed hours or wasn't feeling up to coming in. My manager was really supportive.

A Cancer diagnosis is classed as a disability Under the equality act.

OH would not do your return to work...it would be your manager....I would have thought you would also have had a medical Covid risk assessment eg ALAMA ....before any return to work.

I was off work for 8 months with a condition that is classed as a disability. I had a return to work the day I went back and was given a 12 week phased return. I work in an office based role.

@Kitkat151

OH would not do your return to work...it would be your manager....I would have thought you would also have had a medical Covid risk assessment eg ALAMA ....before any return to work.

no not had a covid risk assessment