Your roadmap to managing long-term sickness

Long-term sickness can be challenging for the employee affected and take its toll on your entire team and business operations.

As a business owner, it is vital to handle these cases with empathy, sensitivity and a practical approach that ensures compliance with employment laws.

So, how can you navigate this while balancing care for your employees and the needs of your business?

Here’s a roadmap:

Partner with HR early on to understand the employee's situation:
Get a clear picture of their needs while maintaining privacy, respect and sensitivity. HR can assist with this and help to ensure you're in compliance with the information you're requesting from the employee.

Create a culture of support:
Ensure confidentiality and demonstrate that their well-being matters to the business.

Offer resources:
Highlight employee support services like EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs) or other wellness services.

Set clear communication expectations:
Agree on timelines and preferred methods of staying in touch during their absence.

Gather supporting documentation:
HR may need to request supporting documentation from the employee, such as medical reports, doctor’s notes or occupational health assessments to help to inform decisions. This is especially true if the employee is filing for sick leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Review pay and benefits:
Be transparent about their sick pay and related benefits, such as long-term disability benefits. Review policies, such as company sick leave policies.

Plan team resourcing:
Strategically manage workload and protect the employee’s confidentiality while ensuring business continuity.

Prepare for a smooth return:
Consider reasonable adjustments to make their transition back to work seamless.

Avoid legal risks:
Stay informed about employment laws related to disability discrimination.

Support a phased return:
Avoid overwhelming the employee by gradually easing them back into their role.

Monitor progress:
Keep supporting them post-return to ensure that they stay engaged and productive.

As a business owner, your leadership during challenging times can strengthen trust and loyalty across your team.

The ultimate goal? A successful return to work where your employee feels valued, supported and ready to contribute.

However, we're here to help you to look at all the options.

You have to do what's right for the business.

Sometimes, that means getting the employee back to work as quickly as they are able to. Other times, the employee may not be able to return to work.

We're here to help you to weigh up the options and ensure that you stay legally protected, whichever decision you decide to make.