How to review your staff sickness and absence policy

Know what to look out for and what questions you can ask to review your staff sickness and absence policy with confidence.

Last reviewed on 4 September 2024
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 41925
Contents
  1. Key facts
  2. Key points to look out for
  3. 3 key questions to challenge the policy
  4. Model staff sickness and absence policy
  5. Examples from schools and trusts

Key points to look out for

Clear procedures for managing both short-term and long-term sickness absence

You'll want to see that staff have information on the different stages of each process, and about the possible outcomes. This should also include staff's rights to be accompanied to formal meetings, and information about the appeals process.

Different types of absence are clearly set out as being paid or unpaid

It should be clear whether each type of absence covered by the policy will be paid or unpaid. This is so that all staff members are treated fairly and equally.

Procedures for different types of absence

Your policy should include details for different circumstances so that employees know what to expect. This could include work-related illness, pregnancy or stress-related absence and other non-sickness absence such as bereavement or jury service.

This should include the expectations and responsibilities of both the