The following details have been supplied by the PCS DWP North West Regional Committee:
A number of Business Units have now introduced a policy whereby when members ring in to report they will be off sick, they are expected to speak to a manager of at least HEO level.
We are aware, that some of you have expressed concerns about this. For AA and AO members it can be intimidating to have to speak to someone two or three grades higher than you. For EO team leader members it means you are being cut out of the proper role of a line manager under the Managing Attendance procedures.
These changes have not been agreed by PCS and we have argued against them on the grounds that people may feel uncomfortable talking to a senior manager, confidentiality is being breached and that the changes go against the procedures as set out nationally.
Fortunately, there is provision in the national procedures for people to notify a manager of their choice "if the illness is of a personal or distressing nature". There may be times when you only want to discuss your illness with someone of the same gender or discuss the absence with someone other than your line manager if you are off sick with stress and you feel a line manager is the cause of that stress.
Our advice therefore is that if you do not wish to go into detail as to why you are going to be off with a particular line manager, you simply state that and ask to speak to someone with whom you do feel comfortable discussing the absence.
Guidance is in the Intranet Department and You site under "Health" then "Sick Leave" then "Advice" and its Question 2.
A number of Business Units have now introduced a policy whereby when members ring in to report they will be off sick, they are expected to speak to a manager of at least HEO level.
We are aware, that some of you have expressed concerns about this. For AA and AO members it can be intimidating to have to speak to someone two or three grades higher than you. For EO team leader members it means you are being cut out of the proper role of a line manager under the Managing Attendance procedures.
These changes have not been agreed by PCS and we have argued against them on the grounds that people may feel uncomfortable talking to a senior manager, confidentiality is being breached and that the changes go against the procedures as set out nationally.
Fortunately, there is provision in the national procedures for people to notify a manager of their choice "if the illness is of a personal or distressing nature". There may be times when you only want to discuss your illness with someone of the same gender or discuss the absence with someone other than your line manager if you are off sick with stress and you feel a line manager is the cause of that stress.
Our advice therefore is that if you do not wish to go into detail as to why you are going to be off with a particular line manager, you simply state that and ask to speak to someone with whom you do feel comfortable discussing the absence.
Guidance is in the Intranet Department and You site under "Health" then "Sick Leave" then "Advice" and its Question 2.
