Bradford Score & Need help asap

vickystokes

Hi All,

I'm new to this forum but I hope that you can help me.

My contract of employment was terminated on Friday due to the Bradford score system as my points was 810. Within three of my occasions where I was off sick I was covered with a doctors note, one for sickness and diarrhoea, one was for having my tooth taken out along with oral thrush and the last one was for laryngitis. As I was working in sales i'm constantly on the phone so the doctor signed me off as I could not do my job.

The got rid of me due to capability, which I do not see how they can as i'm on target and my performance is great!!

I wanted to know three things if anyone can help.

1. I have a job interview on Friday and I wanted to know if I should tell the truth as to what happened to me?

2. Can my old employer give me a bad reference?

3. should I appeal?

Please some one help i'm desperate!!

pauletruth

over what period of time and how long were you off. sounds dodgy.

The 'set period' is typically set as a rolling 52 week period.
For example:
1 instance of absence with a duration of ten days (1 x 1 x 10) = 10 points
3 instances of absence; one of one and two of two days (3 x 3 x 5) = 45 points
3 instances of absence; one of one, one of three and one of six days (3 x 3 x 10) = 90 points
5 instances of absence; each of two days (5 x 5 x 10) = 250 points
10 instances of absence; each of one day (10 x 10 x 10) = 1000 points
In May 2001, HM Prison Service began using the Bradford Formula to identify staff with high absenteeism due to illness.[3] The Bradford Formula is used to calculate an "attendance score".[4]
Bradford Factor and Disability Rights Legislation
The British Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and 2005 (DDA), (replaced by the Equality Act 2010) creates a duty on employers to tailor their actions to the individual circumstances of disabled employees. As certain disabilities may lead to a greater likelihood of short-duration absences or to a higher total of days of absence, caution is needed in taking action as a consequence of the data generated from the application of the Bradford Factor. The DDA allows disabled employees to request 'reasonable adjustments' in situations where they are disadvantaged by generic processes, failure to provide these reasonable adjustments, or to adequately justify why they cannot be provided, may leave the employer open to civil action for breach of the DDA in an Employment Tribunal. Reasonable adjustments in the case of the Bradford Factor might include recording Disability-Related Absence separately from Sickness Absence, or individually tailoring targets. Reasonable adjustments may also be requested by disabled employees for relief from any negative consequences of application of the Bradford Factor, such as disciplinary action or reduced salary awards.

vickystokes

No i'm not dodgy at all.

Basically I've had 6 periods of absence within the last 12 months with 22.5 days. 3 of them absence was covered with Doctors notes? How can they over rule my doctors note, when my doctor has clearly stated that I was unfit for work?

sammyjammy

They are not overruling your docotrs note they are basically saying they cannot support that level of absence, to be fair I don't blame them. They cannot give you a "bad" reference but they can declare why they let you go. Any potential employer will be cautious about the levels of absence you have incurred particularly repetative low level absence.

pauletruth

it was the process not you that i was commenting on.

how long were you employed

were you refereed to OH for a review of your sickness record. if it was 22.5 days as a one off over say a 10 year career then it would be looked at differently than if it was your first year.

how long were you off with each illness. clearly your bosses did not think it was reasonable. for example the normal practice is to be clear of D&V for 48s before returning to work. A sore throat really should not drag on for more than a few days. were any of the episodes linked if they were they really should count as one.

scooby088

With the bradford factor each incident of absence from work is given points say I dayis given 3 points but a week given 5, even though you were covered by a doctors note it doesn't count. I had a BF 1610 after surgery but the company knew about it and covered it.

Depends on how long you have been there OP? Anything under 2 years now they can get rid of you for any reason.

If over 2 years then I would look into it, have you been given any kind of warnings for timekeeping and absence.

DCFC79

The old employer can give reference as long as its factually true.

peteuk

From an outsider reading this, and please correct me if I am wrong but one day is given 3 points and a week given 5 points. So if your ill for two days you may as well take the rest of the week off (you can self cert for upto 7 days, without a doctors note)

Thus saving 1 point. Three days 4 Points and four days 7 points.....

SYSTEM SEEMS FLOORED TO ME!

Or I dont fully understand it (which is more likely)

Gingernutty

The Bradford Score is a specific calculation

S x S x D = Bradford Score.

Where S is the number of periods of sickness and D is the number of days in total.

So one day off

1 x 1 x 1 = 1


5 days off

1 x 1 x 5 = 5


5 days off in three separate periods

3 x 3 x 5 = 45

See here.

scooby088

peteuk wrote: »

From an outsider reading this, and please correct me if I am wrong but one day is given 3 points and a week given 5 points. So if your ill for two days you may as well take the rest of the week off (you can self cert for upto 7 days, without a doctors note)

Thus saving 1 point. Three days 4 Points and four days 7 points.....

SYSTEM SEEMS FLOORED TO ME!

Or I dont fully understand it (which is more likely)

I was giving an example of the thing but in essence you are correct it was worth more having the week off rather than just a day. Even when you are absent legitimately with a doctors note you still get bradford points.

pauletruth

but the score is meant to be a warning that something is wrong. it should then be explored to find out id there is a real problem or just a unluck sick staff member.