PROCEDURE FOR MONITORING PERSONAL LEAVE USAGE. 7.5.1 The employer/s and the Union recognise that absenteeism constitutes a significant industrial relations issue and cost overhead, and recognise that the parties to this Agreement will collaborate on reducing its incidence, and agree to a range of initiatives to examine trends and causes. As one measure only, the parties agree to implement the following procedure:
(a) The parties recognise that personal leave is unlike annual or long service leave in that personal leave is conditional upon an employee being ill or injured to the point of being unfit for duty; or may be used as part of their carers leave. It is an insurance to protect the employee and family against hardship should they be unable to continue in their normal occupation when injured or ill.
(b) This procedure is designed to equitably scrutinise sick leave usage by employees.
(c) At the end of each 3 monthly period the responsible officer may review attendance records of employees who have been absent from work for more than 3 days on sick leave during the 3 month period.
(d) Such officer or nominated delegate will then have the matter examined in the following manner:
(i) check the pattern of leave;
(ii) check the past history of absences to see if this pattern is unusual for the employee;
(iii) check with the employee’s supervisor regarding knowledge of the employee’s personal problems or situation at the time they was absent, or the supervisor believed it to be a genuine absence for injury or sickness; or is due to the effects of management or work practices which need review;
(iv) the results of the above checks should be recorded for future information;
(v) if the results of 2 consecutive periods show possible unsatisfactory attendance and reasons for absence, then the following actions should be taken:
(1) formally notify the employee of a forthcoming interview between the responsible officer, or their nominated delegate, in the presence of their supervisor and notify the employee they may have a Union representative present if that employee so requests.
(2) If the discussion in respect to the absences does not provide satisfactory reason for the absences then a letter is to be sent to the employee, stating management’s assessment and the intended procedure to be followed in future. The employee will be entitled to have filed their explanation.
(3) If a similar pattern is observed in the next period, the employee is again interviewed (as in clause 7.5.1(d)(v)(1), and if the interview ...
PROCEDURE FOR MONITORING PERSONAL LEAVE USAGE. (a) The employee will be required to provide a medical certificate for personal leave if they have more than two consecutive days absence from work.
(b) There are some instances that may lead to the employer taking action to ultimately include the employee being required to provide a medical certificate for each instance of sick leave for a time.
(c) If the employer has substantial concerns about an employee, including but not limited to the pattern of absence, the employee may be required to provide a medical certificate if:
(i) The employee takes a day off immediately before or after a period of annual leave or a public holiday (on more than one occasion in twelve months);
(ii) The employee takes a day off immediately before or after their scheduled days off (this includes weekends on more than one occasion in twelve months);
(iii) The employee is formally counselled regarding the nature, duration or overall pattern of their sick leave or carers leave absences, including single day absences.
