Invitation to a Stage 1 Frequent Sickness Absence Meeting

This letter is intended to be used for frequent sickness absences, i.e. when an employee is frequently absent from work for relatively short periods of unconnected illnesses. For long-term sickness absence, i.e. any absence lasting at least 28 calendar days, see the long-term sickness absence suite of documents.

This Invitation to a Stage 1 frequent sickness absence meeting should be used to invite an employee to a formal review meeting under stage 1 of the Company’s sickness absence management procedure as part of its short-term/frequent sickness absence policy. It is for individual companies to set their trigger points, but a typical trigger point would be:

• 10 working days within a rolling 12-month period or
• 5 instances of absence within a rolling 12-month period.

Although the intention of this letter is to encourage and facilitate improved attendance levels, it also forms part of a process that may later be needed to justify a fair dismissal.

The letter gives the employee the right to be accompanied to the meeting.

The employer should consider if the meeting would be more productive or easier for the employee if it is held off-site or the employee is allowed to be accompanied by a member of their family.

An employee on short-term sickness absence may be suffering from some form of disability, which means that reasonable adjustments have to be made for them, including reasonable adjustments to any meeting arrangements. This letter asks the employee what adaptations could be made to enable them to attend the meeting.

A first stage formal warning will be issued in the review meeting and confirmed in writing. See the Letter confirming the outcome of a Stage 1 frequent sickness absence meeting.

Invitation to a Stage 1 Frequent Sickness Absence Meeting is part of Employment Documents. Just £35.00 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Employment Documents for 1 year.