Letter Inviting Employee to Meeting to Discuss Sickness Absence

This Letter Inviting Employee to Meeting to Discuss Sickness Absence is used where an employee has been, or is, absent on sick leave and the employer wants to invite them to a meeting to discuss the position.

It can be used for both long-term sickness absence and short-term intermittent absences.

What the Sickness Absence Meeting Can Cover

The meeting may be used to discuss:

• the reasons for the absence;
• when the employee is likely to return to work in cases of long-term absence; and
• when attendance is likely to improve in cases of short-term, intermittent absence.

If the employer has medical evidence, for example from the employee’s GP or an Occupational Health Adviser, that should also be discussed and the employee should be given the opportunity to comment on it.

Return to Work Support and Reasonable Adjustments

The meeting can also be used to consider whether any steps may help the employee return to work. That may include a phased return, reduced hours, or different duties for an agreed period.

Where the employee has a disability, the employer is under a duty to make reasonable adjustments. The meeting can be used to discuss what adjustments may be appropriate.

Why This Letter Helps Support a Fair Procedure

This template sets out the issues to be discussed so that the employee can prepare in advance. That also helps the employer show that it has followed a fair procedure.

The letter also gives the employee the right to be accompanied to the meeting. That is not a legal right in this context, but it is good practice and may help demonstrate procedural fairness.

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