Agenda item

·  New Managing Sickness Absence Policy and Procedure

·  Revised Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedure

·  Minor amendment to the Secondment Policy

The Committee considered a report seeking approval to a number of amended and updated HR Policies and Procedures:

New managing Sickness Absence Policy and Procedure

This Policy and Procedure aims to maximise employee attendance whilst recognising that there are occasions when employees may be unable to attend work due to their own ill health.

The Policy had been revised to include:

·  A clause on Data Protection Regulations 2018;

·  Strengthening of the disability advice and guidance to reflect feedback from the Disability Forum ;

·  A new Health and well-being section added to highlight the Council’s commitment to protecting the health, safety and well being of our employees ;

·  In respect of triggering the absence procedure, in addition to absence totalling 6 or more days in the previous 6 months, 3 separate instances of absence in a 6 month period has also been added as a trigger;

·  Authority to manage formal meetings, with the exception of the dismissal stage, under this procedure is delegated to line managers;

·  Emphasis on the responsibilities of managers and employees in monitoring, reporting and recording sickness absence on Agresso.

Revised Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedure

The Policy had been amended  to enhance and update it and reflect changes to the safeguarding requirements.  A Safer Recruitment Guide – “Recruiting to posts working with children, young adults or adults as risk” and the National Safeguarding Statutory and Legislative Requirements had both been incorporated into the policy. Members were advised that the Children’s Safeguarding (S11) Strategic Leads Group had been consulted to ensure Safer Recruitment and Safeguarding requirements for Section 11 are now met.

Secondment Policy.

A minor amendment had been made to reflect recent learning from casework and to provide more clarity in the application of this policy. The following had been added to Section 11;

  “Secondments are temporary in nature and the employee should not expect it to continue past the expiry date outlined in the agreement. However if a decision is made to recruit to the position on a permanent basis the permanent position should be appointed to following a recruitment and selection process in accordance with the Recruitment and Selection Policy. The seconded employee may apply for the position and will be considered equally with any other applicants”.  

Members were advised that the Trades Unions, SLT including CMT, the Employee Engagement Forum, Corporate Consultation Forum and the Disability Forum had been consulted on the amended policies.

Implementation would include various methods of communication including; Newsround, HRBP’s to provide update at Senior Management Team Meetings and HR Policy update briefings.

Resolved: That the new, revised and updated policies and procedures outlined in the report be approved.