The Health and Safety Executive has released guidelines about workers and absence from work due to illness. The main outcome is that the HSE believes recovery will be speedier if sick people return to work to recuperate, rather than staying at home. They even went as far as saying conditions could get worse by staying off work!
Our View:
This is great news for employers demanding their 'pound of flesh', but spare a thought for other employees potentially exposed to increased sickness! Whilst we understand the HSE is really talking about employees off work during the longer term due to accident or illness, sometimes encouraging people back to work before they are better could have disastrous ramifications for other staff catching the illness. We think a degree of restraint is needed here!