Agency fails to hit absence targets

The government department responsible for helping to reduce
absenteeism in the public sector has missed its own targets for sickness
absence.

The Benefits Agency, which is part of the Department for
Work and Pensions, had planned to cut absenteeism by 10 per cent as part of the
Government’s drive to help tackle high public sector sickness rates.

But its annual report reveals that sickness absence levels
in 2000 were 13.4 days per member of staff against its target of 10.9 days.

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A spokesman for the Benefits Agency told Personnel Today
that it has brought in a manager, who has a specific responsibility for
sickness levels, and has introduced a number of initiatives to try and reduce
absenteeism.