Where, following a period of ill-health/sickness absence, the employee’s health does not allow a return to work to the full duties of the post but a full recovery is expected within one year, the Occupational Health Advisor, Line Manager and Link HR Manager, in consultation with the employee, should consider the possibility of arranging a rehabilitation programme.
The aim of the programme would be to:
- provide an opportunity for the employee to be gradually reintroduced to the workplace at an earlier stage, in a reduced capacity
- provide an opportunity to assess capability without the pressures of a return to work to full duties
- provide cost effective assistance to departments that may be employing temporary staff to cover long term sickness absence
Options may include:
- normal work at reduced hours
- job modification
- special adjustments/adaptive technologies
- retraining
- temporary redeployment within the Faculty/Directorate or University
Principles
- Rehabilitation programmes should normally last for a pre-defined period, but may be extended in exceptional cases by the Director of Human Resources
- The programme must be agreed by the employee and Line Manager, in consultation with the Link HR Manager and Occupational Health Advisor
- The programme will be reviewed regularly by the Line Manager and Occupational Health Advisor and adjustments made if necessary
- When the period of rehabilitation ends the employee will be expected to return to work in their normal employment capacity. Where this is not possible the Line Manager , Link HR Manager and Occupational Health Advisor will jointly investigate alternatives, including:
- permanent redeployment
- early retirement on grounds of ill-health
- dismissal on the grounds of medical incapability under the capability procedure
- negotiated resignation
Appendix 1: Rehabilitation programmes
Appendix 2: Redeployment
Appendix 3: Ill Health Early Retirement
Appendix 4: Telephoning staff off sick and return to work meetings
Self certificate (Word doc 176KB)
Updated May 2011