Guidance Notes For Employers: Sickness And Absence At Work

These Guidance Notes for Employers: Sickness and Absence at Work have been updated to take account of the changes to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), effective from 6 April 2026. As of that date, SSP is available to all eligible employees, regardless of earnings, and is payable from the first day of sickness absence.

These Guidance Notes provide employers with a general overview of the Sickness And Other Absence Policy. They can also be used as a standalone document to provide employers with general information on dealing with employee sickness and absence. Employers should be aware that employee sick leave records are considered to be sensitive personal information and should be stored and processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018.

The Guidance Notes cover areas such as sickness procedure, short-term sickness, long-term sickness, statutory sick pay, company sick pay, and other non-sickness related absences. Employers dealing with self-certification can also use the Sickness and Absence Self-Certification Form.

Guidance Notes For Employers: Sickness And Absence At Work is part of Employment. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Employment for 1 year.