Putting an end to the abuse of absence and sick leave

Do you recognise any of these symptoms? The Friday and Monday duckers and divers, the every certificate a different doctor specialist, the employee who takes a day a month – and then there are the latecomers and early finishers.

You could be losing as much as 10% or more of your total labour cost per annum to absence and leave abuse. The good news is that there is a cure, and you, the employer, have rights. Attend this seminar, and you can turn the tide on the absent workforce, fire the slackers and nail deserters, and make dodgy doctors take a dose of their own medicine. The cure is at hand; this is your opportunity to answer all your questions and hear how other employers manage the problem. You are not alone!

South Africa is plagued by the epidemic of sick leave abuse, costing an estimated 85 million workdays a year, which is six times bigger than the time lost through strikes. Each day lost costs you a minimum of twice that day’s pay. Isn’t it time to cure this disease? Are you too nice for too long and letting employees get away without the proper treatment to cure this ill?

You may not have a strike this year, but you will have abuse of sick leave – attend this seminar to recover from this contagious disease which infects entire workforces if untreated.

Skim through the questions beneath, and we would be surprised if you don’t recognise these as everyday problems. Attending this seminar is an investment in productivity.

1. What are the principles I need to understand to manage sick leave and its abuse?
2. Can an employee take sick leave for cosmetic surgery?
3. What if an employee becomes ill on annual leave? 
4. What if I refuse an employee leave, and they are absent from work anyway, but bring a sick note?
5. On what conditions can I refuse to pay an employee who is away on sick leave?
6. If a person is sick for one day on a Monday, a Friday or the day before or after a public holiday, must a doctor’s note be submitted?
7. What about traditional healers and other alternative medical services?
8. How do I handle the employee who is ‘depressed’ and cannot give a return to work date?
9. What if I see an employee who claims to be sick out and about with a smile on their face?
10. What is a valid medical certificate?
11. What is a funny medical certificate?
12. What can I do about the employee who falsifies a sick certificate?
13. When can I reject a medical certificate?
14. What about an attendance note from a clinic?
15. What kind of pattern of absence will allow me to dismiss, and what should I look for?
16. How do I catch the employee who takes a day here and a day there and never brings a certificate?
17. Must I always give an employee a warning before dismissing him for absenteeism?
18. Can I go and check that an employee is at home or even put a PI onto them?
19. What is a “return to work” interview, and why is it important?
20. Can I refuse to promote or give a wage increase to employees with a bad attendance record – or even use it as a selection criterion for retrenchment?
21. What about the employee who sees a different Doctor every time?
22. What if I can prove an employee lied to me about their absence? 

• Presentation slides to download a day before the Webinar.
• A downloadable, comprehensive reference guide and a certificate of attendance to be shared after the Webinar.
• The guide will include the Q&A’s covered during the webinar.
• A link to a recording of the session will be made available.