DFID's "Maximising Attendance" policy and guidance is aimed at encouraging good attendance, and creating an environment where people are treated responsibly, fairly and are fit to work.
The policy, and the subsequent processes involved, is specifically for Home Civil Service (HCS) staff. Overseas Offices have been asked to adapt this policy, in line with best practice, to reflect the local context in relation to attendance management for Staff Appointed in Country (SAIC).
The policy highlights staff roles and responsibilities, the support provided by Human Resources Division (HRD), introduces a formal process when staff return to work after a period of sick absence, and introduces attendance review meetings for managers to undertake when staff reach a trigger point (ten days or five absences in a 12-month period).
Staff will be required to report absences on "Yourself" through the Absence Management Section (AMS). This will constitute self certification of the absence as sick leave.
Staff
1. All staff are now required to report any sick absence by 10am on the first day of absence to their line manager, and make contact again on agreed regular intervals should their absence continue.
2. Staff should forward medical certificates to HRD via line managers throughout continuous absences of more than seven days, including weekends. These will then be forwarded by the managers to HR for retention
3. Managers are required to monitor absences and to help staff make an effective and supportive return to work.
4. When first contacted by a staff member on the first proposed date of sick absence, the manager should cover the following points:
Staff are not required to divulge the exact nature of their illness to managers, but are required to provide enough informationto enable a discussion to proceed on whether there are any possible alternatives to sick absence.
5. Managers should retain regular contact with staff on longer term absences, and should agree and review with the staff member the frequency of ongoing communication. Staff are not required to provide managers with home telephone numbers, but if they do not then it is they who must make contact with their manager at agreed intervals.
6. When staff return to work, managers are required to undertake a Welcome Back discussion, and must check records to ensure absence trigger points have not been reached.
7. Managers are required to confirm that the Welcome Back discussion took place.
8. If staff members have over ten days absence, or five separate periods of absence, over a 12-month period, managers are required to have an Attendance Review Meeting with the member of staff. Earlier meetings should be held if managers believe that a regular pattern of absence has emerged. The meeting can be both informal and formal. Managers will decide when it will be necessary to formally record the discussion and action points on file.
9. Managers must confirm that an Attendance Review meeting has taken place.
Heads of Department/Heads of Overseas Offices
10. Heads of Department should monitor sick absence within their department and ensure staff are made aware of the importance of good attendance.
Human Resources Case Management Team
11. HR Case Management Team are responsible for providing support and guidance to enable the policy to work effectively in DFID. Initial enquiries should be directed to HR Direct.
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