Sickness Absence Policy - June 2025

12. Suspending Occupational Sick Pay

There are other situations which may result in Occupational Sick Pay being withheld even when in some of these circumstances the payment of Statutory Sick Pay will continue:

• Occupational Sick payments may not be made when your injuries are caused by paid sporting activities, recklessly participating in dangerous activities or extreme sport, elective cosmetic surgery or for injuries incurred whilst working for another employer.
• The payment of Occupational Sick Pay may be stopped when you undertake activities during a period of sickness which may be detrimental to / or delay your return to work, and / or if you knowingly partake in activities that have previously caused occasions of absence.
• Occupational Sick Pay will not be paid if you fail to attend Occupational Health meetings and / or meetings with managers without due reason or advanced notification. Future Occupational Sickness payments could be affected if you fail to attend without good reason any Occupational Health meeting and / or any therapy sessions or other initiatives agreed by the Authority to assist the employee’s wellbeing without good reason.
• Occupational Sick Pay will not be made if the Occupational Health medical professionals advise a return to work within a specific timeframe and you do not return to work without good reason.
• Occupational and Statutory Sick Pay will not be made if you fail to follow the appropriate notification procedure, and delay providing a ‘fitness for work’ certificate by more than 7 calendar days without good reason.
• You will not be paid Occupational Sick Pay if it is known that during a period of sickness absence you are working for another employer or carrying out any other work, whether paid or unpaid, without seeking prior permission.
• Occupational Sick Pay will be paid in the event of sickness absence which results in a claim against a third party for loss of earnings, however, arrangements will be in place to reclaim Occupational Sick Pay once the claim is settled against the third party.

You have the right to request that the decision to withhold Occupational / Statutory Sick Pay be reviewed by your director or nominated representative with advice from the Assistant Chief Executive (People Management) or nominated representative.

Your request to review a decision must be made by writing to the Assistant Chief Executive (People, Digital & Policy) within 7 calendar days of the date of the receipt of the decision in respect of the withdrawal of Occupational / Statutory Sick Pay and must set out the reasons for the request for a review.

The Director or nominated representative will review the decision, with advice from the Assistant Chief Executive (People, Digital & Policy) or nominated representative and confirm the outcome to you without undue delay.