Bradford Factor advise

Wacatone

My company has recently amended the BF score to include weekends even though it's classed as overtime . So if your sick on Friday and return on Monday that's 3 days same if your sick on Monday they count the weekend. If you book a weeks holiday and do not come in on the Friday(last day before your holiday) they count the holiday and both weekends as sick that's 10 days . This seems totally unfair. Is this the case with other employers? And how can they be allowed to do this?

ohreally

Pretty much what my previous employers did. Re the A/L situation, you couldn't go straight from sick leave onto A/L, you were required to complete at least 1 shift or the absence was regarded as sick leave. This was public service employer.

Weekends were included as this was R/D, D/O.

74jax

My place is like this unless you call up on a Friday evening and book yourself fit.

Wacatone

Will raise that about contacting company after first day off sick as that is one of the requirements Thanks

Undervalued

Wacatone wrote: »

My company has recently amended the BF score to include weekends even though it's classed as overtime . So if your sick on Friday and return on Monday that's 3 days same if your sick on Monday they count the weekend. If you book a weeks holiday and do not come in on the Friday(last day before your holiday) they count the holiday and both weekends as sick that's 10 days . This seems totally unfair. Is this the case with other employers? And how can they be allowed to do this?

They can use any formula they like. It has no statutory power in itself.

Ultimately, if they were to dismiss somebody for excessive sickness absence and were taken to a tribunal they would need to demonstrate that they has followed a fair process. Whether what you describe would be regarded as such only a tribunal can decide.

Statistically, short periods of "sickness" immediately before or after a weekend or holiday are quite common. I imagine they are trying to address this issue and as long as they apply the same formula to everybody (except possibly when making a "reasonable adjustment" for a disabled employee) they are probably perfectly OK.

Wacatone

Wow seem like companies can do pretty much what they like. But still expect you to go "the extra mile". I know they would have looked into it from a legal point as they did when they stopped paying for any breaks.

Undervalued

Wacatone wrote: »

Wow seem like companies can do pretty much what they like. But still expect you to go "the extra mile". I know they would have looked into it from a legal point as they did when they stopped paying for any breaks.

Almost certainly this will have come about as a result of a few members of staff taking the proverbial with doubtful sick leave to extend their weekends or holidays. As a result the honest majority suffer.

sangie595

Undervalued wrote: »

Almost certainly this will have come about as a result of a few members of staff taking the proverbial with doubtful sick leave to extend their weekends or holidays. As a result the honest majority suffer.

Yes. The term is not unusual, Bradford Factor or otherwise. And actually, it isn't entirely unfair either. People claiming SSP only have to wait three days, not three working days, to qualify for payment. Otherwise someone who became sick on, say, a Thursday, would get nothing until the following Tuesday. Which would leave them without pay for five days.

But as stated, it's probably a result of the annual "i'm going on holiday so I'll take Friday off sick" and the "i fancy a long weekend without using up my annual leave" brigade. It is remarkable how many 24 hour viruses hit on a Friday or a Monday, compared, say, to Wednesday!

robatwork

sangie595 wrote: »

But as stated, it's probably a result of the annual "i'm going on holiday so I'll take Friday off sick" and the "i fancy a long weekend without using up my annual leave" brigade. It is remarkable how many 24 hour viruses hit on a Friday or a Monday, compared, say, to Wednesday!

We do a yearly round-up internally about which days are the "sickest". Amazingly to everyone's surprise, Monday and Friday have come top the last 15 years.

What this means is, unless someone can put in some medical evidence as to why this may be, staff (not shirkers by any means) almost all throw sickies, or are too hungover come Monday morning.

We have put it out to suggestion in the past how staff think the best way to change this is. Nobody suggested anything at all.

Wacatone

The thing that gets me it's even been applied to bank holidays. So if that's counted as a day sick would you get the bank holiday in lue?

sangie595

Wacatone wrote: »

The thing that gets me it's even been applied to bank holidays. So if that's counted as a day sick would you get the bank holiday in lue?

Possibly. It depends on your terms. If you have more than the statutory entitlement, some terms are that you don't get it back.

But how big an issue is this, really? Do you often go off sick on a Friday and only be sick that day? Equally, since everyone is being treated the same way, then it all "comes out in the wash" - you are all in the same situation, so your score is still a direct comparison to that of other people.

And if you are regularly sick on a Friday, I'd have thought you'd be more worried about why you are so frequently sick.