Auditing/updating your absence policy every year
A good absence policy does three things: it reflects current law, it supports fair and consistent decision-making, and it’s used by managers.
This checklist helps you spot the gaps before they become tribunal risks or sources of internal friction.
Section 1: Legal Compliance
Start with the legal foundations. Ask:
1. Are SSP rates up to date?
SSP usually changes every April. Make sure your policy reflects the correct figure and eligibility criteria.
2. Have any new statutory rights arrived?
For example: neonatal care leave, carer’s leave, or changes to parental bereavement leave.
3. Is your data handling GDPR-compliant?
Check that sickness data collection, storage, and access are described accurately and lawfully.
4. Are Equality Act exceptions clearly explained?
Your policy should explicitly exclude pregnancy-related or disability-related absence from disciplinary triggers.
Section 2: Clarity and Consistency
Next, look at how well the policy works in practice:
5. Does the call-in process make sense?
Is it clear, easy to follow, and used consistently by staff?
6. Do managers follow the stages properly?
Compare absence logs against policy trigger points. If the steps aren’t followed, the problem might be the policy.
7. Is the language in plain English?
Avoid legalese like ‘first formal capability stage’ if you really mean ‘first warning meeting’.
8. Is your return-to-work process clearly defined?
Who runs it? What should be covered? Is it actually happening?
Section 3: Culture and Fairness
A technically accurate policy can still be badly received if it feels unfair or rigid.
9. Have you spoken to staff and managers about the policy?
Ask what feels helpful, what feels confusing, and what feels heavy-handed.
10. Are there hidden cultural red flags?
For example, low absence rates might suggest people are afraid to take sick leave.
Section 4: Maintenance and Training
Once the updates are made, think about what comes next:
11. Is there a clear audit trail of the review?
Note the date, who took part, and what changed. This helps if your process is ever challenged.
12. Have you shared the updates?
Staff should receive a summary. Managers should talk through the changes in team meetings. Training should reflect the current document.