Absence Records and Return to Work
This collection brings together the practical documents employers and HR teams need to record absence, monitor attendance, and manage return to work processes.
It is focused on routine absence administration, helping employers deal with day-to-day sickness and related absence issues in a clearer and more consistent way.
Routine absence records and administration
The documents in this collection support the everyday administration of absence, including record-keeping, monitoring, and routine absence communications. Employers can use the HR Sickness Monitoring Checklist to keep absence management on track, while the Employee Absence Record helps maintain a clear record of individual absence.
Where monitoring involves employee health information, the Sickness And Absence Monitoring Consent Form can support a clearer consent process. The Sickness and Absence Self-Certification Form is available where employees need to provide a self-certification record for sickness absence.
Return to work documents
The collection also includes return to work materials for employers who need to review absence in a structured way once an employee comes back to work. The Guidance Notes for Return To Work Interviews And Risk Assessments help explain the process, while the Absence And Illness Return To Work Form supports proper follow-up and record-keeping.
Unauthorised absence and related absence issues
The collection also includes letters for dealing with unauthorised absence and related absence issues such as jury service. These help employers respond where an employee has not attended work as expected or where a non-sickness absence needs to be handled clearly.
A practical starting point for routine absence issues
These documents are grouped together because they are most useful where the immediate need is to record absence, manage short-term absence issues, or complete return to work paperwork.
That gives HR teams and managers a quicker route to the documents most relevant to routine absence handling.
Absence Records and Return to Work is part of Employment. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Employment for 1 year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents do I need to record and monitor employee absence consistently? +
Consistent absence records also help if absence later becomes a conduct or capability issue. For day-to-day recording, use the Employee Absence Record to maintain a clear individual log and the HR Sickness Monitoring Checklist to keep the overall management process on track. Where monitoring involves employee health information, the Sickness And Absence Monitoring Consent Form can support transparency around how that data is handled.
My employee has been off sick for less than a week. Do I need a doctor's note or can they self-certify? +
If the employee has been off sick for seven calendar days or fewer (including weekends and non-working days), they do not need to provide a fit note from a healthcare professional. You can ask them to self-certify their absence instead. The Sickness and Absence Self-Certification Form available on this page supports that process and provides a record on their return. A fit note can only be required from the eighth calendar day of absence onwards.
Do I have to hold a return to work interview after an employee has been off sick? +
There is no legal requirement to hold a return to work interview, though Acas describes it as good practice rather than a legal duty. Such meetings are widely recommended because they help confirm the employee is fit to return, identify any support needed and create a consistent absence management record. If the employee has a disability, you may have a legal duty to discuss reasonable adjustments at this stage. For a structured, consistent approach, use the Guidance Notes for Return To Work Interviews And Risk Assessments and the Absence And Illness Return To Work Form on this page.
An employee has not come in and has not been in touch. What should I do and what letters can I use? +
Acas advises employers to check first whether the employee has a planned absence, and then try to make contact to confirm they are safe. If no valid reason is provided, you can write to the employee formally. The First Unauthorised Absence Letter is designed for an initial written communication where an employee has not attended or followed reporting procedures. If the absence continues without explanation, the Final Unauthorised Absence Letter provides a further escalation. Any formal disciplinary action should follow the Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures.
I need to invite an employee to a return to work interview after a period of sickness. Is there a letter template for that? +
Yes, a template exists, though the meeting itself is good practice rather than a legal requirement. To invite an employee formally to a return to work meeting after sickness, use the Invitation to Return to Work Interview Letter in this collection, a ready-to-use template that keeps the process consistent and professional. Applying a standard letter helps ensure fairness across your workforce, which matters if absence levels or a pattern of absence ever need to be addressed more formally. Note that Acas says it is not a legal requirement to have a return to work meeting, but if the employee is disabled the employer should discuss whether there are any reasonable adjustments they can make to support the return.
