Managing Sickness Absence: A Live Online Course

Managing Sickness Absence: The Legal and Practical Challenges

Monday 30 November 2026 | 2.00 pm–3.30 pm

Live online with Professor Kathy Daniels

How long must an employer tolerate sickness absence — and when is it lawful to take action?

Sickness absence is becoming an increasingly difficult and expensive problem for employers.

According to the CIPD's Health and Wellbeing at Work 2025 report, employees now take an average of 9.4 days of sickness absence each year — the highest level recorded in more than 15 years.

But for employers, HR professionals and employment lawyers, the real difficulty is often deciding what action can lawfully and reasonably be taken when an employee's absence becomes a persistent problem.

An employee has repeated short periods of absence, disrupting the business.

Another has been off sick for six months, with no clear indication of when they might return.

A manager wants to issue a formal warning, but the absences may be connected with a disability.

An employee returns after a period of mental ill health, but there are concerns about whether they can cope with their previous responsibilities.

At what point can an employer intervene? What adjustments must be considered? And when, if ever, can dismissal be justified?

These are difficult questions, requiring employers to balance operational needs against their legal obligations and the individual circumstances of the employee.

On Monday 30 November, Professor Kathy Daniels will spend 90 practical minutes examining how to manage short-term and long-term sickness absence effectively, fairly and lawfully.

What will the course cover?

1. Managing short-term sickness absence

• Identifying and responding to persistent or intermittent absence.
• Using absence triggers and the Bradford Factor appropriately.
• When formal action may be justified.
• Distinguishing between genuine sickness absence, capability concerns and misconduct.

2. Managing long-term sickness absence

• Maintaining appropriate contact with absent employees.
• Managing the return-to-work process effectively.
• Considering medical evidence and occupational health advice.
• Supporting a return to work while recognising the needs of the organisation.

3. Disability and reasonable adjustments

• When a medical condition may constitute a disability under the Equality Act 2010.
• The duty to make reasonable adjustments.
• Disability-related absence and the risks of rigid attendance policies.
• How to assess whether proposed adjustments are reasonable.

4. When can an employer dismiss?

• How long must an employer wait before considering dismissal?
• The importance of a fair process and appropriate medical evidence.
• Exploring reasonable adjustments and alternatives to dismissal.
• Understanding the risks of unfair dismissal and disability discrimination claims.

5. Managing mental health absence

• The particular challenges of short-term and long-term mental health absence.
• Dealing sensitively with employees experiencing mental ill health.
• Supporting employees returning to work.
• Managing recurring absence while maintaining appropriate workplace standards.

The emphasis throughout will be on practical decision-making: what employers can do, what they should avoid and how HR professionals and legal advisers can help them manage absence without creating unnecessary legal risk.

Course Fee

£159 + VAT per organisation

This covers one delegate plus up to 10 additional colleagues from the same organisation at no additional charge, including colleagues joining from different offices or locations.

For example, if 11 colleagues participate, the cost works out at just £14.45 + VAT per person.

Firms with four or fewer partners can book one delegate for £99 + VAT.

Who should attend?

This course is particularly relevant to:

• Employment lawyers and in-house legal advisers.
• HR professionals and employee-relations specialists.
• HR directors and people-management teams.
• Managers responsible for attendance and absence management.
• Occupational health and wellbeing professionals.
• Anyone responsible for developing or implementing sickness absence policies.

Your Presenter: Professor Kathy Daniels

Professor Kathy Daniels is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Lay Member of the Employment Tribunal in Birmingham. She began her career in HR, becoming Head of HR at a major manufacturing company, before moving into higher education. At Aston University, she held senior academic and leadership positions, including Professor and Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor (Engagement). Kathy has written extensively on employment law and human resources, including an employment-law textbook now in its seventh edition. She combines substantial practical HR experience with academic expertise and firsthand experience of employment tribunal proceedings.

Can't attend live?

Every booking includes access to the full course recording and course materials, so you and your colleagues can watch the presentation afterwards at a time that suits you.

A certificate of attendance is available on request.

If you would like several colleagues to attend but do not yet know all their names, simply book with one named delegate now and add the others later.

Important Notes about Booking

Payment: Payment can be made by credit or debit card, or alternatively by invoice. The option to pay by invoice is below the pay-by-card option in the booking form.

Additional delegates: If you do not have the complete list of who will be attending, you can book for those you know will be attending and add the others at a later date.

Joining instructions: Please ensure that, when booking, you enter colleagues' email addresses entirely correctly, as failure to do so may mean that they do not receive joining instructions.

The Legal Training Consultancy

The Legal Training Consultancy is a full-service training consultancy with a large portfolio of conferences, courses and trainers.

Over the years, we have been responsible for putting together a vast number of law and tax-related conferences, webinars, seminars, videos and e-learning modules — altogether well over 2,200.