Agenda item

The Committee considered a report with an update on progress of reducing the Council’s sickness absence.

The average full time equivalent (FTE) of days lost over the year from 1^st December 2012 to 30^th November 2013 was 7.5 days, an improvement over the 10.2 days for same period in the previous year, and inside the 2013 target of 8.5 days.  Since the report to the last meeting, the decrease in sickness had continued during July and August 2013, but had risen in during September to November, reaching a plateau of 0.8 days in the last two months.  Although there was generally an increase during periods of colder weather, no explanation of this specific rise had yet been identified.  The sickness absence balanced scorecard has continued to be reported at CMT and DMT, enabling managers to report on absence and the action being taken.

The process is kept under review to ensure that data is reported in a timely fashion, that the reporting of sickness is accurate and that the correct reasons for absence are reported.  Accurate reporting ensured that the triggers for appropriate action and intervention, as envisaged in the policy, were activated.  As requested at the last meeting, a list showing the 15 main categories of sickness absence was contained within the report, and members expressed reservations as regards some of the categories.

The Committee recognised that the assistance of Occupational Health was a vital component in the support of absence management.  Employees attendance at Occupational Health appointments was improving and the data showed that the percentage of staff who did not attend appointments had fallen from 8.8% and 9.5% in May and June respectively to 0% in both September and October.

Following discussion, the Committee identified a number of points on which further information was requested:

• The main categories of sickness, whether it was acceptable to have a “not stated” category and whether it was appropriate to include “appointment” as a sickness category.
• A percentage breakdown of the reasons for sickness per month and per Directorate, and a comparison with any national benchmark on sickness.

Resolved - 

(a)  That satisfaction be recorded with the average of 7.5 days lost (within the target of 8.5 days) and the much improved attendance at Occupational Health appointments.

(b)  That the report to the next meeting include further information on the matters outlined above.