Sickness absence management

Absence caused by ill-health and injury is costly for all businesses and can harm employee health and wellbeing. Get the advice and support your business needs to minimise disruption, and the support your employees need at the time they need it the most. We can also provide assessments for ill-health retirement as required by pension and insurance schemes.

How we can help your business

Approximately 25,000 claims to Short-Term Incapacity Benefit are made in Jersey each year, totalling approximately 500,000 days of lost work. In addition, over 4,500 people claim Long-Term Incapacity Benefit for conditions lasting longer than one year.

The impact of employee ill health on business is immense, in terms of: Sick pay • Overtime cover • Temporary agency staff • Restricted duties • Management time • HR / payroll time • Recruitment fees • Training of replacements • Presenteeism • Lost productivity • Lack of engagement • Staff turnover • Employee relations • Damage to corporate image • Disability pension • Fines • Legal costs • Compensation

In many cases the early involvement of a professional occupational health service can lead to an earlier return to work, with appropriate support and advice which may include:

  • Return to work planning and liaison
  • Altered duties for a period of time
  • Phased return to work
  • Vocational rehabilitation
  • Change of role
  • Advice on ill-health retirement

How we can help your employee

Long-term absence from work is one of the most significant risk factors for ongoing ill-health, both mental and physical. Many studies show that good work is good for us!

We can help your employees return to work as soon as possible and appropriate, by:

  • Providing advice on rehabilitation, counselling, and other services available
  • Liaising with treating specialists to ensure work-related factors are considered in treatment and rehabilitation
  • Keeping in touch with their GP, specialists, and manager to negotiate appropriate treatment and return to work plans
  • Signposting to other organisations for support
  • Advising on incapacity benefits and other support available
Although we do not currently provide an Employee Assistance Programme, we are happy to provide advice in this area if this is a service you are keen to offer your employees.

Our process

As a WorkHealth Jersey customer, access to sickness absence management is available via our dedicated online portal:

  1. Managers and HR can make Management Referrals via dedicated access to the portal, and are encouraged to ask specific questions so the correct advice can be offered. We will ask for details of the employee’s role, their sickness absence and any previous OH interventions
  2. The employee is able to consent to the referral, and book their appointments via a dedicated secure link
  3. The employee will be seen (usually face-to-face, although video and telephone consultations are available, as are home visits if required) for a full assessment. They will be fully involved in discussions around any planned return to work
  4. The occupational health report and advice will be made available directly back to the referrer, with the employee able to confirm their consent online after review of the report
  5. Managers and HR can both track the referrals and monitor progress, as well as access reports and advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week