Absence

Agency Worker Handbook – Absence

Requesting time off

If you need time off for any reason, you should request this as far in advance as possible and as a rule no later than 2 hours prior to the start of your shift. If, for whatever reason, you are unexpectedly unable to come into work or are delayed the following rules apply:

You must notify Top Job Recruitment prior to the commencement of your assignment or within 1 hour of the start of your shift, to explain your absence or delay. If you are unable to contact

Top Job Recruitment you must contact the client in the first instance.

You must inform Top Job Recruitment every day that you are unable to work. All absences (with exception of paid antenatal appointments) are unpaid. Top Job Recruitment reserves the right to deduct an appropriate amount from your salary Repeated or prolonged absences of any kind may result in termination of your assignment.

Reporting absences

If you are absent from work due to sickness or injury the following rules apply:

You must notify Top Job Recruitment by telephone to give details of your absence prior to the commencement of your assignment, or as soon as possible, on the first day of your absence. You must state the reason for absence and the date on which you expect to return. In normal circumstances you are expected to call in yourself rather than get a friend or relative to do so.

A self-certification certificate must be completed by you and returned to Top Job Recruitment on the day of your return to work to cover all periods of absence up to and including seven calendar days. After seven days of continuous absence a Statement of Fitness for Work must be sent as soon as possible to Top Job Recruitment. Further certificates will be required to cover the total period of absence. It is your responsibility to keep Top Job Recruitment informed about your progress and your likely date of return. Failure to supply the necessary certificates may result in the termination of your assignment and the suspension of SSP

Unauthorised absence

Unauthorised absence, or failure to follow the correct absence reporting procedure may result in the termination of your assignment.

Agency Worker Handbook – Absence

Statutory sick pay

You will be entitled to receive statutory sick pay (SSP) if:

You are on an assignment when you become sick.

Your average weekly earnings are at or above the Lower Earnings Limit (set by the Government). If your average weekly earnings are less than the Lower Earnings Limit, you will not be entitled to SSP and no payment will be made.

You are absent from work due to sickness for more than three days (the first three days of sickness absence are known as ‘waiting days’ and no

SSP is paid for these first three days).

You provide Top Job Recruitment with the following documentation:

A self-certification form, if your absence lasts seven calendar days or less and / or;

A ‘fit note’, which you must obtain from your doctor, if your absence lasts eight calendar days or more. A qualifying day for the purpose of SSP is a day falling within Monday to Sunday (inclusive). It is possible that during a period of sickness, a client will request a replacement worker. If this is the case, you will be informed that your assignment has ended. In these situations, you are no longer eligible to receive SSP as you are no longer on an assignment. If you are ineligible for SSP for any reason, you will be issued with a SSP1 Form, which may enable you to obtain SSP from an alternative source.

Medicals

Top Job Recruitment reserves the right to require workers to have a medical examination by an occupational Health Specialist or Independent Medical Adviser, with any report made by the doctor supplied to the Company. If it is necessary to seek information from your own doctor or specialist, this will be done in accordance with the Access to Medical Reports Act.

Pregnancy

If you become pregnant during your time working for us, please notify the Company in confidence in order that we can undertake a maternity risk assessment and provide you with information regarding your rights and your entitlement in relation to Statutory Maternity Leave and Statutory Maternity Pay. Please see our Maternity Section of the Handbook.