Returning from absence

The majority of return to work discussions will be informal and brief. However, they should still be carried out. The discussion offers an opportunity to welcome the employee back to work, update them on anything relevant they need to know about and to tease out any other problems they may have at work or at home. Problems may remain hidden unless you use tact and sensitivity during the discussion.

Purpose of the meeting:

• Welcome the employee back to work.
• To ensure the employee is fit enough to resume their duties.
• To confirm the reason for the absence.
• To give the employee an opportunity to discuss any concerns or underlying issues which may be causing or contributing to the absence.
• To discuss any adjustments or supports that can be put in place to help the employee’s health and wellbeing and therefore may reduce / eliminate further absences.
• To remind the employee of the supports available via the Employee Assistance Programme e.g. counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy, physiotherapy.
• To advise the employee how many days or occasions they have been absent and when appropriate to discuss the Council’s absence trigger points, as outlined in the Maximising Attendance Policy.

Preparation before the meeting:

• Ensure you have the correct information available.
• This includes having the Maximising Attendance policy, return to work interview form, dates and reasons of current and previous absences and information about the Employee Assistance Programme. It may also be appropriate to have the Mental Health and Wellbeing policy, and guidance documents available.
• Identify if there are any patterns or trends in the employee’s absence and be prepared to have an open discussion about them. Hold the return-to-work meeting in a confidential area to provide privacy.
• What should be discussed? Advise that they were missed and reassure them of their value as team member. Ask the employee how they are feeling, confirm why they were absent and what symptoms they had. Did they visit their GP? What did he/she say?
• Ask if there is anything that may have contributed to their absence? If the employee provides an underlying reason, discuss what supports can be put in place.
• Discuss any patterns of absence that are causing concern and/or any absence triggers that apply.

If an attendance support meeting is required, inform the employee of this as per the Maximising Attendance Policy. You must conduct return to work discussions after every period of absence, regardless of the absence duration. These should take place on employee’s first day of back at work (or as soon as practicable).

Meetings should be face to face, however in exceptional circumstances they can be conducted by telephone. There should always be an opportunity for the employee to discuss any underlying issues that they need support with.  If no issues or concerns are identified, no further action is required at this point.