Fit for Work, the government’s new initiative to support employees who have been off work for four weeks or more, is rolling out across England, Scotland and Wales. It does have implications for your business, so we’ll be explaining what has changed and what you need to do.
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Fit for Work: time to get ready
With Fit for Work rolling out across England, Scotland and Wales, it’s time for employers to get ready. Previously called the Health and Work Service, Fit for Work offers free advice and assessments to people who have been off sick for four weeks or more to help them get back to work.
Workers will be offered free, non-compulsory medical assessments and treatment plans and the scheme also gives access to free advice and support for GPs, employers and employees.
How does it work?
GPs can now refer patients to Fit for Work if they have been off work for at least four weeks, are likely to be able to return to work within three months and agree to be referred.
If a member of staff agrees to be referred, they will receive an occupational health assessment. They will be contacted within two working days of the referral and the assessment, provided by an occupational health professional, will usually happen over the phone. The employee will then receive a Return to Work Plan which will provide advice and recommendations about steps that could be taken to help them get back to work more quickly.
Assessments are free for employers and employees. The government is funding the scheme with the money saved from scrapping the Statutory Sick Pay Percentage Threshold Scheme (PTS).
What does this mean for sick pay?
Staff are still entitled to Statutory Sick Pay.
What does my business need to do?
- Check your policies
The first step is to check your sickness absence policies. It’s not mandatory to include references to Fit for Work but employees may find it useful to understand more about the scheme and the support available. It’s also important that managers understand what the scheme is and how it may affect plans for long-term absence or actions to help employees return to work.
- Understand what changes
Before Fit for Work, employees had to provide a fit note to receive statutory sick pay. The Fit for Work Return to Work plan counts as equivalent evidence so both are not required.
- Be ready if one of your employees is referred
If one of your employees is referred, you may be contacted by the Fit for Work case manager to get more information about possible steps that could be taken to help your employee get back to work. The case manager may want to talk to the employee’s line manager or a member of your internal occupational health service, if you have one.
It’s not mandatory to accept or act on the recommendations made by Fit for Work. However, it’s expected that most employers will follow these actions, as it should help their employees get back to work more quickly.
Whatever happens, you must ensure you get your employee’s consent at all stages:
- before referrals
- before initial assessments
- before each version of the Return to Work Plan is shared with the GP or employer
The consent must be “explicit, informed and freely given”.
- Decide if you want to make a referral yourself
Referrals are normally made by GPs but if one of your employees is eligible and has not been referred by their doctor, from Autumn 2015 you can make a referral yourself.
Fit for Work says the best approach is to ask your employee to attend a wellbeing meeting with you and discuss the barriers with returning to work. During that meeting you can ask your employee to see their GP and request a Fit for Work referral. The employer toolkit contains information leaflets for your employee to read and take to their GP when they ask for a referral.
For more information