Sickness Policies and Guidance Templates
This collection brings together the core sickness policy and guidance documents employers need to set clear expectations and manage absence in a fair, consistent, and legally aware way.
It includes Guidance Notes For Employers: Sickness And Absence At Work, together with a Sickness And Other Absence Policy that can be used to set out the organisation’s rules, reporting requirements, certification procedures, sick pay position, and return to work arrangements.
These documents are grouped together because they form the foundation for managing sickness absence across the wider employment relationship. They are intended to help employers and HR teams put the right framework in place before dealing with individual absence cases, supporting more consistent decision-making and clearer communication with employees.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a written sickness absence policy for my business? +
There is no standalone legal requirement to have a written sickness absence policy, but the Employment Rights Act 1996 requires employers to give employees written particulars that include terms relating to incapacity for work and sick pay. A written policy is the practical way to meet that duty and to manage absence consistently. Without one, employers risk inconsistent treatment, tribunal claims and difficulty defending capability dismissals. The Simply-Docs Sickness And Other Absence Policy provides a ready-made framework covering reporting, certification, sick pay and return to work procedures.
What should our sickness absence policy cover to be legally sound? +
Cover these areas to be legally sound: how and when employees must report absence (who to contact and by when on day one); self-certification for absences of seven calendar days or fewer; the requirement for a fit note for absences of more than seven consecutive calendar days (including non-working days); your sick pay position (statutory sick pay and any contractual enhancement); return to work arrangements and how long-term or frequent absence will be managed. The Simply-Docs Sickness And Other Absence Policy and accompanying guidance notes cover all of these and can be customised to suit your organisation.
We are setting up absence management from scratch. Which Simply-Docs documents should we start with? +
Establish your legal framework and core policy before addressing individual cases. The Guidance Notes For Employers: Sickness And Absence At Work explains the legal framework, your obligations and good practice. The Sickness And Other Absence Policy then sets customisable rules covering reporting, certification, sick pay and return to work. Once this foundation is in place, the sibling sub-folders cover absence records and return to work documents, managing long-term and frequent sickness and statutory sick pay forms, building a complete absence management framework.
Can we include contractual sick pay in our sickness policy and how does it interact with SSP? +
Yes. Employers can offer contractual or occupational sick pay above the statutory minimum, with the policy setting out who qualifies, how much they receive and for how long. It must not leave an employee receiving less than their SSP entitlement, and where offered at full or partial salary, SSP is absorbed into it rather than paid on top. Any managerial discretion over enhanced sick pay must be exercised reasonably and consistently to avoid breach of contract or discrimination claims. The Simply-Docs Sickness And Other Absence Policy lets you record your sick pay position and eligibility conditions clearly.
What is the difference between the guidance notes and the sickness policy in this collection, and do we need both? +
One document is explanatory and one is operative, so most employers benefit from both. The Guidance Notes For Employers: Sickness And Absence At Work explains the legal framework, key obligations and practical considerations so managers understand the rules before handling individual cases, informing consistent internal decision-making. The Sickness And Other Absence Policy is the operative document given to employees, stating the organisation's rules, reporting requirements, certification procedures, sick pay position and return to work arrangements, and it forms part of the employment relationship.
