Sickness Absenteeism

HC Deb 13 March 1995 vol 256 cc432-3W

Mr. Chidgey

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he is taking to combat sickness absenteeism in(a) the Social Security Agency, (b) the Training and Employment Agency, (c) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (NI), (d) the Rate Collection Agency, (e) Ordnance Survey of NI, (f) his Department, (g) the Compensation Agency, (h) the Valuation and Land Agency (NI), (i) the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency and (j) the Child Support Agency Northern Ireland.

Sir John Wheeler

[holding answer 9 March 1995]: The Northern Ireland Office, Northern Ireland Departments and agencies monitor their absenteeism regularly.

In 1994, the Northern Ireland civil service set up an inter-departmental working group to address the problem of absenteeism at a strategic/service-wide level. The group has developed

1. (i) software to enable absenteeism statistics to be extracted from the main NICS non-industrial human resource database which allows all departments and agencies in NICS to produce statistics on a frequency and of a type to meet their business needs. In addition, I receive, as a standard feature, a quarterly absenteeism report on the non-industrial staff in all departments:
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2. (ii) a policy statement on attendance, a copy of which has been issued to every member of staff. This statement not only provides the general policy on attendance but also explains the standards which are expected and the procedures to be followed when absence occurs. A copy has been placed in the Library;
3. (iii) notes for guidance for line managers to assist them in the implementation of the policy; and,
4. (iv) advice on absenteeism briefing sessions.

Against this backdrop, individual departments and agencies are now able, where appropriate, to take their own local initiatives.

The Northern Ireland Office—home civil service—also produces printouts which indicate where staff have reached set limits of sick absence. Further action includes staff counselling, the monitoring of further absences and the issue of warnings. These procedures are currently under review.

Following a review of attendance levels in early 1993, the Social Security Agency introduced a "managing attendance" programme in November 1993 with the main objective of reducing absenteeism through sickness. One of its features requires line managers to monitor absences closely and to interview staff on their return to work. It also provides for the occupational health service to be brought in to help in appropriate cases and for disciplinary action to be taken where necessary.