Introduction

The length of time off work has been shown to have a strong relationship to the likelihood of returning to work. The British Society for Rehabilitation Medicine (2001) has found that after six months' absence there is only a 50 per cent likelihood of the employee returning to work. At 12 months this falls to 25 per cent and after two years, the chance of a return is practically nil. These findings emphasise the importance of beginning the process of rehabilitation as soon as possible after the commencement of the period of absence.

The University wishes to create and support a healthy and efficient working environment, not only through its obligations to comply with Health and Safety legislations but also through a caring and rehabilitative approach towards sickness absence management. To this end the University seeks to be supportive and flexible in assisting staff if they need time away from work due to illness and in supporting their rehabilitation back to work.

Phased return to work

The purpose of a phased return to work is to rehabilitate the member of staff to their full duties and gradually build back up to undertaking their normal working hours within the earliest agreed timescale.

After a member of staff has been absent from work due to illness and over a prolonged period of time, Occupational Health may recommend to the Line Manager in the first instance a phased return to work as part of a rehabilitation programme to allow the member of staff to re-adjust to full attendance/performance at the workplace.

1. Rehabilitation process - General timescale, duties and working arrangements

In terms of a rehabilitation programme the following process should be noted:

• Occupational Health will make the recommendation relative to the overall period of a phased return to work, which will be dependent on the individual circumstances of each case, but will not normally be effected over more than a four week period;
• the member of staff will be advised by Occupational Health of a recommended phased return programme, subject to Line Management agreement relative to the general timescale, duties and working arrangements;
• the Line Manager and the member of staff will agree the general timescale, duties and working arrangements. Targets should be agreed for each week of the phased return period in relation to the weekly times of attendance and the weekly range of duties to be performed.
• if restrictions on certain duties are to be placed on a returning member of staff, Occupational Health must review and reassess these restrictions within an agreed timescale;
• any request by the member of staff, or recommended alteration by the Line Manager, in respect of the general timescale, duties and working arrangements during the phased return will be subject to agreement between Occupational Health, the member of staff and the Line Manager.
• the Line Manager will be responsible for updating the member of staff on any changes which have taken place within the School/RI/Service during their absence.

2. The overall timescale for the phased return programme

The phased return to work programme will normally not exceed four weeks, bearing in mind the need for a degree of flexibility since the member of staff's progress might be difficult to predetermine. The programme will be time-limited and targets will be agreed. Should there be difficulties related to the phased return arrangements, Occupational Health should meet with the member of staff to review the situation.

The Line Manager should review the member of staff's progress on a weekly basis and should he/she recognise that the member of staff is unlikely to be able to resume his/her normal working hours and duties before the four week period expires, further urgent advice should be sought from Occupational Health. This may result in a further time-limited extension of the phased return or a temporary contractual reduction in working hours, or agreeing the need for the member of staff to resume sick leave and to re-submit medical certificates. In some cases, consideration may be given to a permanent reduction in working hours or the possibility of redeployment. Where none of these measures are appropriate due to the nature of the illness, consideration may have to be given to invoking the capability procedure.

3. School/RI/Service Support to be provided to the member of staff on phased return

In certain circumstances it may be appropriate to seek a volunteer to act as a "buddy" for a limited period of time as a useful way of providing support in the very early stage of return, e.g. befriending, or accompanying at lunch times, to assist the member of staff in assimilating back into the workplace.

4. Medical certificates

If the GP and Occupational Health have recommended that a phased return to work is appropriate, and the Line Manager has agreed a rehabilitation programme, the member of staff should submit a final medical certificate from the GP. Further medical certificates will not be required relative to a phased return as the member of staff will no longer be on sick leave and sick pay will not apply.

5. Payment during phased return to work programme

The Line Manager will advise the member of staff on details of salary during the phased return to work programme. Based on agreed working hours and irrespective of the stage at which the phased return takes place, i.e. during full sick pay period, half pay period or no pay period, payment will be as follows:

During the first four weeks of phased return payment will be at full pay. In respect of any further agreed extension of phased return beyond four weeks', payment will be pro rata to hours worked, unless a short extension of the phased return to work is envisaged. In this case agreement to continue full pay will be subject to agreement between the Line Manager and the Human Resources Service.

6. Review arrangements

During the phased return period the Line Manager will meet with the member of staff weekly, to assess progress and identify any problems. If problems are encountered there should be a discussion on how best to resolve them involving the Line Manager, Occupational Health and the member of staff, with advice from Human Resources Service as appropriate.

7. Useful contacts

Knowing where to seek help in the community is important and a list of some of the organisations and sources of information which may be helpful to members of staff is attached at Appendix A.

Liz Bell
Human Resources Service
February 2005

Useful Contacts

Rehabilitation appendix A