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Sickness absence

Managing sickness absence is a key issue for employers. Employee absence is a significant cost to the majority of businesses in the UK.

In addition to the direct costs of employee absence (paying sick pay and paying someone else to perform the absent employee’s work), high levels of absence can demotivate those employees who have to take on the absent employee’s work, cause all-round disruption to productivity and adversely affect an employer’s continuity of service to its clients.


    • Local authorities
    • Disability discrimination
    • Education

    Union rep teacher awarded £370k for unfair dismissal

    by Rob Moss 15 May 2025
    by Rob Moss 15 May 2025

    Teacher and union rep awarded £370,000 after head teacher unfairly dismissed her in ‘revenge’ for her opposing lesson observations plan.

    • Latest News
    • Sickness absence management
    • Reproductive health

    Period pain and absence harm women’s pay and progression

    by Nic Paton 13 May 2025
    by Nic Paton 13 May 2025

    Four in 10 women feel that the impact of period pain and menstrual symptoms has knocked their pay and progression...

    • Stress
    • Mental health conditions
    • Latest News

    Two-thirds of school leaders suffering mental ill health

    by Nic Paton 6 May 2025
    by Nic Paton 6 May 2025

    Nearly two-thirds (65%) of school leaders and head teachers say their mental health has been harmed in the previous 12...

    • Fit for Work
    • Absence
    • Latest News

    Employers struggling to manage rising levels of sickness absence – poll

    by Nic Paton 7 Apr 2025
    by Nic Paton 7 Apr 2025

    Rising levels of sickness are taking a toll on many workplaces, research has suggested, with employers reporting increased absence affecting...

    • Cancer
    • Carers
    • Latest News

    Employers failing to tell cancer carers of their rights

    by Nic Paton 31 Mar 2025
    by Nic Paton 31 Mar 2025

    More than half of employers fail to tell employees of their rights once they become a cancer carer, a survey...

    • National living wage
    • Construction
    • Apprenticeships

    HR and businesses respond to Spring Statement

    by Jo Faragher 26 Mar 2025
    by Jo Faragher 26 Mar 2025

    Today’s Spring statement did much to add cost and regulation to employers, and not enough to support growth and skills, observers say.

    • Latest News
    • Employment tribunals
    • Sickness absence

    Postman working second job while sick was unfairly dismissed

    by Rob Moss 25 Mar 2025
    by Rob Moss 25 Mar 2025

    Postman awarded £3,000 after tribunal finds he was unfairly dismissed for working as taxi driver while on sick leave from Royal Mail.

    • Latest News
    • Job creation and losses
    • Labour market

    UK is only advanced economy where economic inactivity is increasing

    by Adam McCulloch 20 Mar 2025
    by Adam McCulloch 20 Mar 2025

    The UK is an international outlier when it comes to economic inactivity, a new government-commissioned report has found. 

    • Reasonable adjustments
    • Disability
    • Latest News

    What do welfare reforms mean for employers?

    by Rob Moss 19 Mar 2025
    by Rob Moss 19 Mar 2025

    Rob Moss explores the Pathways to Work green paper and examines the possible implications for employers.

    • Employment law
    • Latest News
    • Sickness absence

    Employment Rights Bill: Government stays firm on sick pay rate

    by Jo Faragher 5 Mar 2025
    by Jo Faragher 5 Mar 2025

    The government has defended its decision not to increase the rate of statutory sick pay (SSP) in its response to a consultation on proposed sick pay reforms in the Employment Rights Bill.

    • IR35
    • Bank holidays
    • Latest News

    Top 10 HR questions February 2025: Supporting employees observing Ramadan

    by Brightmine 4 Mar 2025
    by Brightmine 4 Mar 2025

    Most frequently asked questions during February include queries about Ramadan and dismissals on the grounds of ill health.

    • Benefits
    • Financial wellbeing
    • Counselling

    Flexible working and health insurance top employee priorities – poll

    by Nic Paton 21 Feb 2025
    by Nic Paton 21 Feb 2025

    Access to flexible working, paid ‘wellness days’, and health insurance or physical wellness programmes are employees' top priorities.

    • Employment law
    • Latest News
    • Labour market

    Employment Rights Bill will ‘wreak havoc’, say small firms

    by Rob Moss 20 Feb 2025
    by Rob Moss 20 Feb 2025

    Day-one unfair dismissal and sick pay rights among small firms' greatest concerns about Employment Rights Bill, FSB survey shows.

    • Latest News
    • Pregnancy and maternity discrimination
    • Employment tribunals

    Property consultant with morning sickness awarded £94k after ‘jazz hands’ dismissal

    by Rob Moss 18 Feb 2025
    by Rob Moss 18 Feb 2025

    Employee who suffered from morning sickness awarded £93,600 after she was dismissed in a message that included a ‘jazz hands’ emoji.

    • Stress
    • Latest News
    • Economics, government & business

    Liz Kendall: some on benefits are ‘taking the mickey‘

    by Adam McCulloch 7 Feb 2025
    by Adam McCulloch 7 Feb 2025

    Liz Kendall: ‘Despite all the myths, a lot of people who are currently on sickness or disability benefits want to work’

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