People & Talent

Absence and Wellbeing for All Staff

This is the new Absence and Wellbeing policy and procedure which is live to use from 4th February 2025. This policy applied to both Operational and Corporate employees. Employee Passport guidance and documents can be found within this section.

The Absence Management and Wellbeing policy and procedure will be live and in effect from 4th February 2025. This policy applies to both Operational and Corporate staff and follows a four stage process. 

Absence and Wellbeing Policy 

Self Certification Form

Wellbeing Support Meeting

An employee is required to attend a Wellbeing support meeting when they have exceeded an attendance expectation. These attendance expectations are as follows:

  • 3 or more occasions of sickness absence within a rolling 12 month period;
  • 8 or more days of sickness absence within a rolling 12 month period;
  • There has been a noticeable pattern/trend in an employee's sickness absence;
  • There is a cause for concern in regard to their health or affecting their ability to do their job

Wellbeing Support Meetings are to be chaired by the employee's line manager.

When organising a Wellbeing Support Meeting, please use the following templates. There is no minimum timeframe in which the employee needs to be notified of this meeting however, they are entitled to be accompanied. They should therefore be given enough time to organise this. 

Please edit the templates where applicable and change and coloured text to black before sending.

Ensure you send the draft of these letters to HR@cumbriafire.gov.uk for proofing before posting. 

Stage 1 Meeting

Where an employee has exceeded the attendance expectations set in their Wellbeing Support Meeting, they will be invited to a Stage 1 Absence Management Meeting which will be chaired by a Station Manager or Corporate equivalent. The employee needs to be allowed 7 calendar days notice of this meeting. 

Please edit the templates where applicable and change and coloured text to black before sending.

Ensure you send the draft of these letters to HR@cumbriafire.gov.uk for proofing before posting. 

Stage 2 Meeting

Where an employee has exceeded the attendance expectations set in their Stage 1 Meeting, they will be invited to a Stage 2 Absence Management Meeting which will be chaired by a Group Manager or Corporate equivalent. The employee needs to be allowed 10 calendar days notice of this meeting. 

Please edit the templates where applicable and change and coloured text to black before sending.

Ensure you send the draft of these letters to HR@cumbriafire.gov.uk for proofing before posting. 

Stage 3 Meeting

Where an employee has exceeded the attendance expectations set in their Stage 2 Meeting, they will be invited to a Stage 3 Absence Management Meeting which will be chaired by an Area Manager or Corporate equivalent. Also at the meeting will be HR support, a note taker and the manager who was involved throughout the earlier stages of the absence case.

It is important to note that this is the final stage in the absence management process and may result in the employee's dismissal. 

The employee needs to be allowed 21 calendar days notice of this meeting. 

The manager who has been involved previously will prepare and present the Stage 3 absence report which will outline all the support and steps taken so far up until this point. They will present this to the chair. 

You need to reach out to HR@cumbriafire.gov.uk for support with preparing this stage of the process. 

Supporting Documents