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Managing long-term sickness absence: The importance of effective policies and practices

This guide explores the importance of effective policies and practices for managing long‑term sickness absence, including defining absence, supporting employees and implementing structured approaches. It helps employers manage long‑term absence consistently and support successful returns to work.

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By Dr Paul Nicholson

This series of leading practice guides discusses the management of long-term sickness absence to facilitate a successful return to work.

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  • Defining long-term sickness absence
  • Why it is important to manage sickness absence effectively
  • Devising and implementing a policy on long-term sickness absence
    • Absence triggers
    • Occupational sick pay
  • Training line managers on their integral role in managing long-term absence
  • Data protection

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Managing long-term sickness absence: The importance of effective policies and practices

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Enhanced by creating three separate guides on managing long-term sickness absence, to help you find the guidance you need. This initial guide focuses on the measures employers can adopt to manage long-term sickness absence effectively and the importance of doing so.

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About the author

Dr Paul Nicholson

Dr Paul Nicholson OBE is an occupational physician with experience in military/aviation, chemicals/petrochemicals manufacture, consumer products research and development, and office and manufacturing environments.

He has authored more than 150 publications on topics that include health risk communication; occupational asthma; occupational contact dermatitis; shift work; ageing and work; alcohol, drugs and work; business resilience; and COVID-19 and work.

His special interests include promoting best practice and the professional standing of occupational health and wellbeing through the judicious application of evidence-based medicine.

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