Invitation to a Stage 3 Long-term Sickness Absence Meeting

This letter is used to invite an employee to a Stage 3 formal review meeting under a company’s long-term sickness absence procedure.

Long-term sickness absence means an absence of at least 28 calendar days. For repeated short, unrelated absences, see the frequent short-term absence documents instead.

The meeting is triggered when the employee reaches the relevant threshold under the long-term sickness absence policy, such as six months of continuous absence. It follows the Stage 2 long-term sickness absence formal meeting.

When to Use This Stage 3 Long-Term Sickness Absence Meeting Letter

Use this letter where an employee’s absence has progressed to Stage 3 of the sickness absence management procedure.

It invites the employee to a further formal review meeting and makes clear that this is the final stage of the procedure.

What the Stage 3 Meeting Covers

The letter refers to the earlier stages of the procedure and the measures already discussed to support a return to work.

Those measures may include:

• a phased return;
• redeployment; and
• amended hours or job duties.

The letter also warns the employee that dismissal on capability grounds is a possible outcome of the meeting.

The Stage 3 meeting should usually be conducted by a manager who is more senior than the manager who handled the Stage 1 and Stage 2 meetings.

Support, Attendance, and Reasonable Adjustments

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

Employers should also consider whether the meeting would be easier or more productive if:

• it were held off-site; or
• the employee were allowed to be accompanied by a family member.

An employee on long-term sickness absence may be suffering from a disability. In that case, reasonable adjustments may need to be made, including adjustments to the meeting arrangements.

This letter asks the employee what adaptations may be needed to enable them to attend the meeting.

Outcome After the Meeting

The outcome of the Stage 3 meeting will be confirmed in writing. See the Letter confirming the outcome of a Stage 3 long-term sickness absence meeting.

Invitation to a Stage 3 Long-term Sickness Absence Meeting is part of Employment. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Employment for 1 year.