I was concerned to read the answer to the question “does anyone still operate a bonus/bonus award system for people who have a whole year with no sickness absence?”
(Discussions online, Personnel Today, 3 July.)
“If an employee successfully completes a year without any sickness at all they receive an additional two days’ holiday to be used the following year”.
Surely this policy would be subject to many discrimination claims (pregnancy-related sickness, disability etc?)
To encourage people to convert sickness days to annual leave so they can claim two further days is also bad practice. Annual leave is a legal requirement and people should take this to have a well- deserved break from work – not to be taken as sick days.
Bianca Robinson
HR manager
FDM Group
