How to avoid job loss - Part 2

Good health is more important than money. Those of us who enjoy good health, take it for granted. Those of us who do not, would give almost anything to have it.

In the workplace ill health and absenteeism is a really big issue, but the statistics are meaningless to most of us, millions and millions of working days lost – so what? The real issue for an employee is, if I am ill, what do I need to do to make sure I do not lose my job.

The law recognises that everyone can fall ill from time to time, it also recognises that employers need a workforce who can do the job. There is a balance to be struck between an employee having time off to recover his or her health and the needs of the employer to have the job done. Each case depends on its own facts. There is no fixed period of time an employee can have off before he or she will be sacked. However, don’t think that just because you are away ill you cannot lose your job.

There are some things the employee must do and some an employee should do to preserve his or her employment. Firstly, bear in mind that most employers are genuinely sympathetic if an employee falls seriously ill. Employees should not lose that sympathy by being uncommunicative. Make sure that you comply with your employer’s absence reporting procedures as an absolute minimum. If you don’t know what they are, ask. Ideally, talk to your Manager regularly (once a week) about how you are and when you are likely to be able to work again, even if your health has not changed since your last call. If you are unable to phone your manager yourself, get someone else to do it for you. Keep a brief record of all the calls you make. Do not complain about “invasion of privacy” or breach of “human rights” if your employer calls you, unless it really is excessive.

If your employer asks you to be examined by the Company Doctor, agree. It looks as though you have something to hide if you don’t. However, do ask for a copy of the Doctor’s report, and if the Doctor says something in the report you disagree with, let your employer and the Doctor know.

Being ill does not mean that you cannot leave your home, but don’t be naive. If you are off work with a bad back but then go and play golf, you might be accused of misconduct with the real risk of losing your job.

If you feel your health is improving but you do not feel up to your old job just yet, ask your employer if you could do light work for a short time, or perhaps working part-time may be a solution. If you are not seen to be proactive in wanting to come back to work until the day that company sick pay runs out, your employer may be less sympathetic next time.

Short term frequent absence is a bigger problem for most employers. The odd day or two off on a regular basis is hard to plan for and leads to more pressure on the employees who have to cover the work of the absent colleague. In this situation the employee can expect to be warned that his or her job is at risk, not because the employer is accusing the employee of malingering but because the employee is unreliable.

An employee who suffers from regular short term illness which, on self certificates, is frequently described as headache, backache, cold & flu, a virus, food poisoning etc., should get medical help. If you have a lot of short term absence you are very vulnerable to losing your job, particularly if it occurs in the first year of your employment.

Published 27/09/2006.