The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission has now published guidance on Swine Flu. The guidance is taken from official Government advice and is available on the intranet.
Guidance Q&A
The guidance helpfully contains advice for everyone regarding symptoms, protecting yourself and colleagues and what to do if you start feeling ill. It also gives advice regarding clients and business procedures regarding visits and appeal tribunals.
Most importantly, the guidance gives clear advice for managers in dealing with swine flu cases.
This deals with time off for caring for dependents who are unwell and action to be taken if staff feel unwell and/or display symptoms.
The guidance sets out action to be taken if a team member is found to have swine flu.
Attendance Management
Crucially, the Guidance deals with the impact of swine flu/suspected swine flu on attendance management:-
Q: Will an absence due to swine flu/suspected swine flu count towards formal attendance management action?
A: An absence due to swine flu or suspected swine flu should be disregarded and not cause warning, dismissal or failure of probation. This will apply even if the employee is subsequently confirmed not to have swine flu.
PCS view
PCS has had a large number of enquiries regarding swine flu and sick absence. PCS therefore welcomes this clear and unequivocal guidance.
Conclusion
PCS will continue to monitor the number of swine flu cases throughout CMEC and will issue a further news brief as necessary.
First Call Pilot
Following a visit to First Call by PCS, management are to proceed with the First Call Pilot in the CSA Midlands Area.
This will entail staff contacting First Care rather than their line manager to report in sick.
PCS had raised concerns about data protection and individual rights. First Care have confirmed that staff do have to agree for their line manager to be told of the exact detail of their illness/absence. Where this occurs, line managers will have to telephone their absent staff member. PCS also raised concerns regarding home working with First Care. These are to be considered by the security section.
Further guidance for members will be issued.
Merger of Child Maintenance Options and Client Interviewing Services
Management have proposed the merger of CM options and the client interviewing services. Following contact from members, PCS have written to management raising concerns regarding the status of the CM options staff and why the private company Ventura are not now supplying this service a year after they were contracted to do so?
