Sickness Absence Policy for Simple Recruitment (SW) Ltd Temporary Workers
1.Purpose
This policy outlines the procedures and expectations for Simple Recruitment (SW) Ltd Temporary Workers who are unable to attend work due to illness or injury. It aims to ensure fair treatment, maintain productivity, and support employee wellbeing, whilst adhering to recent legislative changes.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is a legal minimum payment that employers in the UK must pay to eligible employees when they are unable to work due to illness.
From 6th April 2026, changes introduced by the Employment Rights Act 2025 make SSP a day-one right for all eligible workers. The reforms:
- Remove the three waiting days
- Remove the Lower Earnings Limit
This means SSP is payable from the first qualifying day of sickness and applies to a significantly wider group of workers, including lower paid and short-assignment workers who were previously excluded.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all Simple Recruitment (SW) Ltd Temporary Workers, regardless of role or length of service.
3. Reporting Sickness Absence
- Simple Recruitment (SW) Ltd Temporary Workers must notify Simple Recruitment as soon as possible on the first day of absence, ideally before their scheduled start time.
- Notification should include the reason for absence (where possible) and an expected return date.
- Simple Recruitment (SW) Ltd Temporary Workers should maintain regular contact with Simple Recruitment during prolonged absences.
4. Certification Requirements
- Absences of up to 7 calendar days: Simple Recruitment (SW) Ltd Temporary Workers may self-certify their illness and claim SSP using this form SC2 Form
- Absences exceeding 7 calendar days: a medical certificate (fit note) from a healthcare professional is required.
5. Sick Pay Entitlement
- Simple Recruitment (SW) Ltd Temporary Workers may be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) in accordance with current legislation and the qualifying criteria.
Statutory sick pay – Sick pay – Acas
6. Return to Work
- Simple Recruitment (SW) Ltd Temporary Workers may be required to attend a return-to-work meeting with their manager to discuss their absence and ensure they are fit to resume duties.
- Reasonable adjustments may be considered where appropriate.
7. Long-Term Absence
- Long-term absence is typically defined as absence lasting more than 4 weeks.
- Simple Recruitment requests that regular communication is maintained to support a return to work.
8. Unauthorised Absence (also refer to Reliability & Attendance Policy for Simple Recruitment Temporary Workers)
- Failure to follow reporting procedures may result in the absence being treated as unauthorised depending on the circumstances and taking into consideration genuine emergencies, hospital admission, or serious illness preventing contact as per requirements within the Reliability & Attendance Policy for Simple Recruitment Temporary Workers.
9. Monitoring and Review
- Sickness absence levels will be monitored to identify patterns or underlying issues.
- The company may take appropriate action if absence levels are deemed excessive. Excessive sick days are determined by both quantity and pattern of absences, dates and reasons will be logged.
10. Confidentiality
All health-related information will be handled confidentially and in line with data protection regulations.
11. Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed periodically and updated as necessary to reflect legal requirements and organisational needs.
For any questions regarding this policy, Simple Recruitment (SW) Ltd Temporary Workers should contact Jayla Wilcox, MD Simple Recruitment (SW) Ltd (jayla@simplerecruitmentltd.co.uk).
