Too Many Sick Periods

[breadstick]

Hi not sure if this is the right category so forgive me if not

My son works for the NHS in a clerical setting and over the last year he has been sick quite a lot mostly with chest infections and the like
He has now hit his 4th period of sick in a year which according to his trust rules means he will likely incur a verbal warning if he accrues another sick period between now and August

He is now currently sick again with a bad chest infection he is coughing constantly at night and hence getting very little sleep, I don't want to imply he is any worse off than anyone else but he is a single parent of 2 young children and he looks like death warmed up every time I see him

He could really do with a few days off so he can get this infection out of his system and rest but he doesn't want a verbal warning on his record, is there anyone he can talk to as regards his rights to sick leave because I really don't see the wisdom of forcing someone into work who is clearly sick and spreading what he has around and infecting others especially a hospital, he is not asking for special treatment but he is sick that is an unfortunate fact

Thank you

[dannyk13]

Has he seen a doctor to find out why he is getting so many infections?

[emmie]

does he know for sure he has a chest infection, has he been seen by a doctor, had tests to get to the underlying cause of his illness.

[bednobs]

He needs to talk to his line manager.
it's not unreasonable IMO, but in practice it may not happen. He could askthem to put something else in place such as being covered by a fit note for any period of sick even less than the self-certification period

[Electrochem]

Many companies will use the Bradford Scale, which the following link will explain:

https://www.breathehr.com/en-gb/bradford-factor-calculator

See also:

https://www.brighthr.com/articles/leave-and-absence/the-bradford-factor/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-the-bradford-factor/

[THECORBYLOON]

There will a figure, a Trigger Point, for the number of absences and number of sick days off within a rolling six- and/or twelve-month period, above which, action needs to be considered.

If there is a confirmed underlying condition resulting in additional or longer periods of absences than would otherwise be the case, those Trigger Points can be adjusted to account for that.

If your son is not fit for work, he is not fit for work and should not go in.

In the great scheme of things, a verbal warning is not the end of the world and he and his Line Manager need to discuss possible underlying causes and whether further investigations by their Occupation Health folk are needed.

[bobbinwales]

Companies have a system of monitoring , informally counseling, warnings second and final warnings for capability even if absences are genuine. Butter have totake into account disabilities or pregnancy. There also having to be careful about covid. .. they don't want people on with covid and will be unlikely to dismiss for that...

[Peter Pedant]

NHS - unison - should be involved

did a much longer answer which I have shelved but disciplinary measures should NOT be used for illness and Unison should have all the current gen at their finger tips. I notice up to now no one has mentioned NHS Ts and Cs and that presumably is because they dont know about them

[THECORBYLOON]

PP, warnings can be given as a result of the level of sickness and folk can be dismissed on capability grounds.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&;source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2021-07/Sickness%2520Absence%2520Policy%2520%2528V4%2529%2520-%252003.2021%2520%25282%2529.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjQjJDtvtT1AhWNQEEAHUicDI0QFnoECAMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1mvTNj0fgyPLvu98M4FU5_

[chelle7272]

PP this is standard in the NHS, they do punish people for sick leave, one of the reasons tow of my friends who are nurses have left the NHS. They do not care for their staff well at all.

Get the union involved or, although he shouldn't need to, he could ask to take some annual leave

[THECORBYLOON]

Management might not allow annual leave if they think it's being taken instead of sick leave as it masks the true situation.

[Milo2]

A friend of mine has been quite ill recently and was off work for quite a while. He returned to work and a few weeks later caught Covid and so had another absence. He was given a verbal warning as he had reached the trigger point in the company’s policy.

[Peter Pedant]

Many thanks CBL
My spat was 2000

why havent you been a t work you naughty boy
Me: I have ca colon; I wd have thought you knew
MD for it is he: nothing to do with me

[Peter Pedant]

CBL - the NHSBSA is not NHS wide - but clearly things have moved on