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Our Sick Absence Policy Template facilitates effective sick leave management, supports employees' health, and minimises disruptions in the workplace.
1 Overview
1.1 [Company] values good attendance at work and is committed to improving the general wellbeing of its employees to achieve this.
2 Scope
2.1 This policy is applicable to all employees of [company name].
3 General principles
3.1 Notification of Absence
3.1.1 Although we aim to secure regular attendance, we do not expect employees to attend when they are unwell.
3.1.2 Should you be unable to attend work due to illness or injury, you must comply with the following sickness absence reporting procedure:
3.1.3 On the first morning of your sickness absence, you must contact the Company and speak to your line manager at the earliest possible opportunity and as close to your normal start time as possible. In any event, this must be no later than two hours after your normal start time. If you are unable to speak to your line manager personally, you should speak to [insert name of contact]. You should give details of the nature of your illness and, if the illness is of a minor nature, you should indicate when you believe you will be fit to return to work. You must inform your line manager as soon as possible of any change in the date of your anticipated return to work.
3.1.4 For an absence of seven consecutive calendar days or less, you are required to telephone your line manager on a daily basis in accordance with the reporting procedure set out above. You must also complete a self-certification of sickness absence form immediately on your return to work. Self-certification forms are available from (and should be returned once completed to) [insert name of contact]. You are reminded that it is a serious disciplinary offence to provide false information on a self-certification form.
Should your sickness absence
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A sick absence policy is commonly referred to as a "sickness absence policy" or a "sickness absence management policy". The policy outlines how an employer will manage employee absences due to illness, including the procedures for reporting sickness, how much sick pay employees are entitled to, and any documentation required to support an absence.
The purpose of a sickness absence policy is to provide clear guidance to both employees and employers on how to handle sick leave, and to ensure that employees are treated fairly and consistently when they are unable to work due to illness. It also helps employers to manage staffing levels and plan for any necessary cover or arrangements during an employee's absence.
Employment Rights Act 1996: Sets out statutory rights for sick pay and leave entitlements for eligible employees.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Regulations 1982: Outlines the rules for paying SSP to employees who are unable to work due to illness.
Equality Act 2010: Requires employers to make reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities related to sickness absence.
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974: Places a duty on employers to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of employees, which can impact sickness prevention.
Working Time Regulations 1998: Includes provisions for working hours, rest breaks, and rest periods, affecting employees' well-being and sickness rates.
Fit for Work Guidance: Provides guidance on managing sickness absence and promoting employee health and well-being.
Employment Contracts: Individual employment contracts may include specific terms related to sick pay, reporting procedures, and absence notification.
Yes. This template has been designed for organisations of all sizes, including small businesses, charities and growing employers. It follows UK employment law best practice and can be adapted to suit your organisation.
Our templates are developed with UK employment legislation, Acas guidance and HR best practice in mind and are reviewed and updated as relevant requirements change. However, every employment situation is different, so the template should be adapted to the circumstances and checked against the employee's contract and your organisation's procedures before use.
Yes, we highlight the areas of the document that you need to update with your own details, and where you need to make decisions to suit your situation. This saves you time and ensures that you meet best practice.
Yes. Once purchased, you'll be able to download it instantly. Templates are provided in editable format (such as .doc or .xls) so you can customise them easily, and in PDF format for easy sharing.
If you're looking for broader support, we also offer toolkits and library bundles that include the Sick absence policy template, along with other HR templates and policies for fully managing your situation. These may be more cost-effective if you need deeper advice.
AI can produce a document quickly, but effective HR documentation needs to be more than well-written words. It needs to reflect relevant UK employment law, HR best practice, practical considerations and the circumstances in which it will be used. These resources have been professionally developed around that wider HR context, drawing on extensive practical experience, rather than simply generating a generic document from a prompt.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing absence and attendance processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
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