Phased return to work

Following a long term sickness absence, Occupational Health may recommend that an employee’s return to work be phased to support a successful return and readjustment into work. A phased return may also be recommended by the employee’s GP on their medical fit note/certificate.

A phased return is where less than the contractual hours are worked for an initial, defined period. The duration of this should not normally exceed 3 months and should also be relative to the length of the sickness absence.

A phased return should be properly structured. As part of a management referral, Occupational Health will make recommendations on a suitable phased return to work plan, including:

• recommended duration of the phased return;
• recommended plan for hours to be worked over this period;
• any amendments to duties during this period, to assist with returning to full duties.

Where a phased return is recommended, the manager is responsible for confirming (with advice from the HR Advisor team) the nature of the work, the hours to be worked, remuneration and the duration of the arrangement. This should be discussed and agreed with the employee ahead of their return to work.

During a phased return to work, the employee will usually be processed as being on sickness absence for the contracted hours that are not worked under the phased return (paid occupational and statutory sick pay (SSP) for these hours). Alternatively, employees may use any untaken annual leave entitlement or carried forward untaken statutory leave for the hours they will not be attending work to ‘top up’ their pay.

In cases where all entitlements outlined above have been exceeded, hours not worked under a phased return may be processed as unpaid leave or as part-time work, according to the circumstances and the employee’s entitlements (unpaid leave and part-time work may affect pension contributions). These arrangements should be confirmed in writing to the employee.

Phased returns must be accurately recorded in iTrent by the manager (or sickness coordinator where designated) to ensure pay arrangements are calculated correctly and entitlements remain accurate. For guidance on how to action this, please refer to our managers guide to recording a phased return.

Further advice should be sought from Occupational Health if an employee is unable to return to their full duties by the end of the agreed phased return period. It may also be appropriate for the employee to consider a temporary/permanent arrangement through flexible working.

It is the line managers decision whether a phased return to work can be accommodated and this should be used as a support measure to help ensure a sustained return to work following a long term sickness absence. If the Faculty/Service does not deem a phased return to be reasonable then a discussion should take place between the manager and the HR Advisor to consider business as well as employee needs.