Managing Long-Term and Frequent Sickness

This collection is designed for employers and HR teams managing long-term sickness absence and repeated short-term sickness absence.

It brings together a dedicated Sickness Absence Policy and a staged set of letters to support a fairer, clearer, and better documented absence management process.

What these documents help with

Managing long-term sickness absence
Addressing repeated short-term sickness absence
Maintaining contact with employees during absence
Arranging review meetings and recording outcomes
Requesting medical examination where appropriate
Handling related sick pay communications

Long-term sickness absence documents

For long-term sickness cases, the collection includes documents for employee contact during absence, requests for further information, medical examination, formal review meetings, and confirmation of decisions at each stage. The Letter to Employee on Sick Leave Asking to Visit Them at Home can help where the employer needs to maintain contact during absence, while the Request For Medical Examination for Persistent And Prolonged Sickness supports the medical information stage where appropriate.

Where the matter moves into a formal review process, the Invitation to a Stage 1 Long-term Sickness Absence Meeting provides a starting point for the staged long-term sickness absence procedure.

This supports a more structured approach to ongoing absence while helping employers keep communication clear and maintain a proper written record.

Frequent short-term sickness absence documents

The collection also includes a staged set of letters for frequent sickness absence, designed for situations where an employee has repeated short-term absences over time. The Invitation to a Stage 1 Frequent Sickness Absence Meeting provides the first step in that staged process.

These templates support a trigger-based approach, helping employers deal with persistent attendance issues in a clearer and more consistent way.

Sick pay and related communications

In addition to meeting and outcome letters, the collection includes letters dealing with reduced or withheld sick pay and non-entitlement to company sick pay. The Letter Informing Employee on Sick Leave That Their Pay Will be Stopped or Reduced can be used where that particular communication is needed.

This helps employers manage both the absence process itself and related pay communications where they arise.

Find the right document at the right stage

The documents are arranged to reflect the likely progression of long-term and frequent sickness cases, from initial contact and review through to formal meetings, outcome letters, and, where necessary, dismissal.

Managing Long-Term and Frequent Sickness is part of Employment. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Employment for 1 year.

Frequently Asked Questions

An employee has been off sick for several weeks. Which documents should I use to start a formal absence management process? +

Start with the Sickness Absence Policy to establish the framework, then use the Letter to Employee on Sick Leave Asking for Details of Anticipated Return to Work and, where appropriate, the Request For Medical Examination for Persistent And Prolonged Sickness. Once a formal review is needed, the Invitation to a Stage 1 Long-term Sickness Absence Meeting opens the staged process. This collection covers every step from initial contact through to outcome letters at each stage.

An employee keeps having short bouts of illness. How do I manage repeated short-term absences fairly and build a proper written record? +

Use the staged frequent sickness absence letters in this collection. The Invitation to a Stage 1 Frequent Sickness Absence Meeting is the starting point; subsequent invitations and outcome letters cover stages 2 and 3. Acas guidance says trigger points should be set out clearly in a policy and used to start a review conversation, not to trigger automatic disciplinary action. Always check whether repeated absence might be linked to a disability before moving to a formal stage, as the Equality Act 2010 requires reasonable adjustments where that applies.

Can I dismiss an employee because of long-term sickness absence, and what process must I follow? +

Yes, dismissal for long-term sickness absence is possible under capability provisions, as ill health is a potentially fair reason under s.98(2)(a) of the Employment Rights Act 1996. The employer must follow a fair procedure: maintain contact, obtain medical evidence, consider reasonable adjustments (particularly where disability under the Equality Act 2010 may be relevant), hold formal review meetings and give the employee the opportunity to respond at each stage. Dismissal should be a last resort. The Stage 3 long-term sickness absence documents in this collection support the final stage. Always take legal advice before dismissing.

I want to ask an employee on long-term sick leave if I can visit them at home. Is there a letter for that, and what do I need to think about before making contact? +

Yes. The Letter to Employee on Sick Leave Asking to Visit Them at Home is included in this collection and can help where you need to maintain contact during a long-term absence. Before making contact, consider the employee's health and circumstances. Acas guidance recommends agreeing the frequency and method of contact with the employee, keeping communication supportive rather than pressuring a return. You should normally agree any home visit with the employee in advance, and a visit should not be forced on an unwilling employee. Health information gathered during absence is sensitive personal data under UK data protection law, so handle it accordingly.

Does this collection cover both long-term illness and employees who are repeatedly off for short periods, or do I need to look elsewhere? +

This collection covers both. For long-term sickness, it includes initial-contact letters, a medical examination request, staged meeting invitations (Stages 1 to 3) and outcome letters, plus a dismissal notice for prolonged and persistent absence. For frequent short-term absence, it includes a separate staged set of letters (also Stages 1 to 3) designed for a trigger-based approach to repeated absences. The Sickness Absence Policy underpins both. For return-to-work records and shorter-term absence administration, see the companion sub-folder Absence Records and Return to Work.

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