Sickness Absence Toolkit

Queen’s recognises the health and wellbeing of staff as a key priority. The University is committed to building a supportive and inclusive work environment where everyone can flourish and succeed.

The University recognises that, from time to time, employees will not be able to attend work due to sickness and undertakes to ensure that such employees will be appropriately supported to enable them to return to work as soon as possible.

Managing short term sickness absence

Managing long term sickness absence

Managing Stress at Work

Supporting Staff with a Disability

Sickness Absence Notification and Certification Procedure

Day of Absence	Notification Required	Certification Required
Day 1	Employees must directly contact your line manager within one hour of your expected starting date. You should speak directly to your line manager, a message is not sufficient. You should advise your line manager of the reason for your absence, expected duration and details of any outstanding work commitments. If you fail to contact your line manager, your line manager will attempt to contact you to obtain above information. Failure to notify may result in disciplinary action and/or pay suspension/deduction. Your line manager will complete a Sickness Absence Form (SAF) with your absence details and forward to the relevant monitoring officer for entry to online system as an open-ended absence.	Employees must self-certify from the first day of absence by completing a Sickness Absence Form (SAF)
Day 4	Employees must directly contact your line manager and provide an update on your absence and any likely return date.	As above, employees must self-certify from the first day of absence by completing a Sickness Absence Form (SAF)
Day 8	Employees are required to keep in regular contact with the line manager throughout the period of absence.	A GP fit note or hospital certificate required is required for any absence in excess of 7 consecutive days. Further certificates will be required where the absence continues to certify the entire duration of the absence.

Day of Absence

Notification Required

Certification Required

Day 1

Employees must directly contact your line manager within one hour of your expected starting date. You should speak directly to your line manager, a message is not sufficient.
You should advise your line manager of the reason for your absence, expected duration and details of any outstanding work commitments.
If you fail to contact your line manager, your line manager will attempt to contact you to obtain above information. Failure to notify may result in disciplinary action and/or pay suspension/deduction.
Your line manager will complete a Sickness Absence Form (SAF) with your absence details and forward to the relevant monitoring officer for entry to online system as an open-ended absence.

Employees must self-certify from the first day of absence by completing a Sickness Absence Form (SAF)

Day 4

Employees must directly contact your line manager and provide an update on your absence and any likely return date.

As above, employees must self-certify from the first day of absence by completing a Sickness Absence Form (SAF)

Day 8

Employees are required to keep in regular contact with the line manager throughout the period of absence.

A GP fit note or hospital certificate required is required for any absence in excess of 7 consecutive days.

Further certificates will be required where the absence continues to certify the entire duration of the absence.

People and Culture