Do you have an employee who keeps taking time off of work and you don’t know what to do? Can you fire them? Should you fire them? Read on to learn more.
Generally speaking, there are several things you can do when a worker is off sick too much. First, ask them what is going on and why they have been calling out. You want to find out if they are calling out due to an illness, stress or something else. So, make sure the first thing you do is ask them what’s wrong.
After finding out what’s wrong, offer your support. Bear in mind that your employee might not disclose to you what is affecting them or exactly what’s wrong with them, but still offer your support. Doing this might lead to them calling out less frequently. The chances are if you have created a positive work environment that encourages workers to speak to one another, then the worker calling out sick all the time will be open with you.
Secondly, have a look at your records to see if there is a specific pattern. Is a worker calling out right around Bank Holidays or on a Friday or Monday? If so, then there’s a chance that they are only calling out to have an extra day off or two.
If you strongly suspect that the worker is calling out for reasons like just having a day off to relax, then research the law. Workers are entitled to a certain number of sick days in a given year. Also, the chances are you cannot fire an employee with a legitimate illness, disability and so forth. If you do, then you might be in trouble with the law.
That is a rough idea of what to do when a worker is calling out too much. If you’re still not sure what to do, then contact a solicitor. They will advise you on what your next steps should be.
