Sabbatical Leave UK 2026 : What It Is, Rules & Policies
There are various reasons why an employee may want to take a period of sabbatical leave, from family commitments to carrying out research or volunteering abroad. Employees may have personal ambitions and goals they want to achieve, without stepping away from their career or job permanently. For employers, it will be important to understand how […]
Contacting Employees on Sick Leave
As an employer, you are obliged to take steps to ensure the health and wellbeing of your employees. During a period of sickness absence, employers have to ensure they are striking the right balance between reasonable contact designed to check on the employee’s welfare, or to address any absence-related matters, and excessive or unnecessary contact […]
ACAS Shared Parental Leave: Guide for Employers
Eligible employees are entitled to take time off work as shared parental leave (SPL). As an employer, you will need to understand the statutory rights and responsibilities of your employees in relation to SPL and what this means for your business in practice when handling a request for SPL. Shared Parental Leave allows eligible parents […]
Return to Work Interview: Employers’ Guide
Conducting a return to work interview is an essential part of an organisation’s absence management programme. Having a focused discussion with a returning employee is shown to help reduce unnecessary sickness absence and helps the returning employee transition back into the workplace environment with greater ease and with the necessary support from their employer. Return […]
Dealing with Unauthorised Absence from Work
Unauthorised absence from work can have a significant impact on your business, both in financial and operational terms. Given that these types of absence usually take place unexpectedly, it can be difficult to pre-empt or prevent this type of absence, or to make arrangements for temporary replacement staff to mitigate any disruption that might be […]
Return to Work: Essential Guide for Employers
Returning to work after an extended period of leave, such as long-term sick leave or maternity leave, can be a daunting prospect for employees. Having the full support of their employer can help to ease an employee’s concerns and address any practicalities, making this transitional period back into the workplace more likely to result in […]
Unpaid Leave: Guide for Employers
Unpaid leave is where an employee takes time off from their job without receiving their usual pay. Unlike statutory leave entitlements, such as annual leave or sick leave, unpaid leave is generally agreed between the employer and employee. Common reasons for unpaid leave include emergencies, caring responsibilities, extended travel, or personal commitments. For UK employers, […]
Pregnancy Related Illness: UK Workplace Guide
In recognition of the vulnerabilities that come with pregnancy, pregnant employees are afforded special legal status. Pregnant employees can be more susceptible to illness, with common pregnancy-related illnesses including nausea, vomiting, fatigue, back pain and bleeding. This can result in higher instances of absence from work. Employers and managers should approach pregnancy-related sickness absence with […]
Self-Certification Form UK 2026: How to Complete & When to Use It
In this guide for managers, we explain the rules on when employees can self-certify for sickness absence, the role of self-certification forms and share best practice advice on managing sickness absence at work. Self certification Under the self certification rules, employees can be absent from work due to illness for up to seven […]
Sickness Absence: Employer Essentials
Sickness absence remains a significant issue for employers across the UK. How you manage sickness absence will be critical to meeting your legal obligations towards your workforce, while ensuring staff wellbeing is supported disruption to the organisation is limited. The following are the key elements for employers when managing sickness absence. Self-Certification Self-certification […]