| For any employer it is vitally important to have a | | | | required on a member of staff for regular absences. |
| comprehensive return to work form. The more staff | | | | This is particularly true when it comes to disciplining |
| you have though, the more vital it will become to the | | | | them or even removing them from their position. If |
| smooth running of your business. | | | | somebody attempts to claim for unfair dismissal in |
| When an employee is away due to illness, | | | | future years, these documents could provide vital |
| bereavement or maternity/paternity, that time has to | | | | evidence in your favour. |
| be properly accounted for. For extended periods of | | | | But of course, this is very much the negative |
| time you need to be sure that it is properly | | | | perspective of things. Essentially the return to work |
| documented; to benefit both the company and the | | | | form is just good housekeeping. Everybody in a |
| staff member. | | | | business should be accounted for at all times when |
| Of course this is something of a sensitive area, | | | | they're contracted to be working. Members of staff |
| particularly when absence has been caused by more | | | | may have to occasionally be away for genuine and |
| personal issues. Therefore, regardless of the situation, | | | | acceptable reasons, that is just the way businesses |
| it is always best to treat any return to work situation | | | | are. More often than not they will be used to simply |
| with a certain amount of understanding. This extends | | | | work out any remaining sick pay and then filed away |
| beyond any formal discussion with the employee | | | | within the employee reckons. |
| themselves, but to the return to work form itself. | | | | All official business forms are usually there to protect |
| Any good return to work form needs to be flexible. It | | | | all parties in the future, and this is certainly no different. |
| shouldn't be a rigid construction as it will often have to | | | | It is a permanent acknowledgment that time was |
| change or adapt to various situations. In fact, you might | | | | taken off and that it has been retrospectively |
| want to have variations of a core form to apply to the | | | | sanctioned (or otherwise) by the company. Where |
| main areas of illness, bereavement and paternity or | | | | paid sick leave is limited, they can be used to monitor |
| maternity leave. This way you can avoid any | | | | how much has been taken and whether the employee |
| insensitivity when it comes to dealing with each | | | | is entitled to full, statutory or no pay at all. |
| individual case. | | | | Remember this isn't an inquisition though. Your return to |
| The reason why a return to work form is so vital to | | | | work form should be personable and certainly shouldn't |
| an employer is that it provides a signed record of | | | | be invasive. It should also have the flexibility for either |
| absence. Whatever the reason for being away from | | | | party to make notes and provide answers that may |
| the workplace, the company will suffer a shortage of | | | | later be required. |
| staffing as a consequence; so it is vital that any | | | | So for all the reasons above, this is exactly why your |
| shortfalls are properly noted for future reference. | | | | company should have a return to work form. It doesn't |
| Whilst it might seem like unnecessary bureaucracy, it | | | | have to be huge, it doesn't have to dig too deep, it just |
| can provide vital evidence should future action be | | | | needs to be a part of your business going forward. |