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 3 frequent sickness absence meeting should be
used to invite an employee to a formal review meeting under stage 3 of the
Company’s sickness absence management procedure as part of its
short-term/frequent sickness absence policy. The Stage 3 frequent sickness
absence meeting will be held if the employee’s sickness absence level
continues to be unacceptable during the Stage 2 review period (after the
Stage 2 frequent sickness absence meeting).
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. As this is the final stage of the
absence management process, the letter warns the employee that dismissal is
a possible outcome. The stage 3 meeting should usually be conducted by a
manager who is more senior than the manager who dealt with the stage 1 and
2 meetings.
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 second stage formal warning will be issued in the review meeting and
confirmed in writing. See the Letter confirming the outcome of a Stage 3 frequent sickness
absence meeting.