Reporting Sickness

What you need to do if you’re off sick from work.

You should telephone your agreed point of contact as soon as possible on day 1 of your absence.

This will be agreed locally by the Head of School or Service and communicated to all staff.

Text or e-mail is not considered appropriate for reporting sickness. If no-one answers the number, you should leave a message and may be called back.

You are expected to provide basic details about your absence. This usually includes:

start date
estimated duration
possible reason for absence

Sickness absence longer than one day

If you are off for longer than one day (and haven’t agreed a return to work date), you should keep in touch with your line manager.

For long term absence, you will agree the method and the frequency of contact with your line manager. This is determined by the nature of the absence.

You will be expected to provide a return to work date where possible.

Return to work

You must complete the Self Certification of Sickness form on the first day of your return to work. This applies to all sickness absence regardless of duration.

The form is completed online and sent direct to the line manager who will review and forward it to payroll. This form notifies payroll of a return to work and will allow for greater accuracy of absence reporting and of any Occupational or Statutory Sick Pay.

Your line manager may set up a return to work discussion with you depending on the duration of your absence.

Phased returns

Employees must inform their line manager as soon as possible where a phased return to work has been recommended either by a GP or by Occupational Health. The detail of the phased return to work will be agreed with the line manager and must be recorded on the Return to Work Discussion form and submitted to Human Resources.

Complete the Self Certification of Sickness form