Absence and attendance pack
Our Absence and Attendance Templates Toolkit helps you streamline processes, track absences, and boost workforce productivity.
Managing absence and attendance can be challenging; our absence and attendance templates can make the process efficient and effective.
Our toolkit includes a range of templates that are designed to simplify the absence and leave management process. Whether it's managing short-term or long-term absences, annual leave, or sick leave, our templates cover all the necessary documents required to manage employee absence and leave effectively.
What is Absence and Attendance?
Absence and attendance refer to the presence or absence of employees during scheduled working hours. These terms are often used to describe an employee's work attendance record and the instances when an employee is not present at work.
Attendance refers to the act of being present and actively engaged in work during scheduled working hours. It signifies that an employee is fulfilling their work responsibilities by being physically or virtually present at the workplace or performing their job duties remotely.
Absence refers to the state of not being present at the workplace or not actively engaged in work during scheduled working hours. It can be due to various reasons, including sickness, personal reasons, vacation, or other approved leaves.
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Types of Absence:
- Sick Leave: Absence due to illness or health-related reasons.
- Holiday Leave: Planned time off for leisure or personal activities.
- Personal Leave: Unplanned time off for personal reasons.
- Emergency Leave: Unplanned time off due to unforeseen circumstances.
Compliance Notes
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Employees are entitled to take time off work for various reasons, including sickness, maternity and paternity leave, adoption leave, parental leave, and time off for dependants.
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Employers must ensure that they have clear policies and procedures in place for managing absence and leave, and that these are communicated effectively to employees.
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Employers should have a system for recording and monitoring employee absences, and should be able to identify any patterns or trends that may require further action.
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Employers should follow a fair and consistent process for managing absence, which may include offering support and assistance to employees who are experiencing long-term sickness.
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Employers must comply with statutory leave entitlements, such as maternity and paternity leave, and should ensure that they do not discriminate against employees who exercise their right to take leave.
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Employers should ensure that any requests for leave are dealt with promptly and fairly, and that employees are informed of the outcome in writing.
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Employers should ensure that employees are aware of their rights and entitlements with regard to absence and leave, and that any concerns or queries are addressed promptly and sensitively.
It is important for employers to have clear policies and procedures in place for managing absence and leave, to comply with UK employment law, and to support their employees' wellbeing and work-life balance.
What's in this pack
Our absence improvement guide offers insights and strategies for improving employee attendance and reducing absenteeism.
A practical manager’s guide to identifying absence patterns, exploring root causes, and supporting employees fairly and consistently.
This guide provides guidance on managing employees on long-term sick leave, including understanding legal obligations, conducting effective communication, implementing reasonable adjustments, and exploring return-to-work options.
This guide offers practical strategies for managing short-term employee sick leave, including policies and procedures, return-to-work interviews, monitoring and support mechanisms, and balancing compassionate leave with business needs.
A manager’s guide to reducing sickness absence through consistent absence management, monitoring patterns, and preparing for SSP being payable from day one from April 2026.
This guide provides guidance on conducting effective return to work (RTW) interviews after periods of absence, helping managers gather relevant information, address any concerns or barriers, and facilitate a smooth transition back to work.
Our Absence Improvement Policy template is designed to support a healthier work environment by helping you to combat absenteeism, ensure fairness, and boost productivity.
Our Alternative Absence Policy Template streamlines managing non-holiday/sickness absences, fostering fairness and reducing disruptions.
Our Annual Leave Policy template simplifies time-off requests, ensures fair allocation, and fosters a well-rested workforce for better productivity.
Use this model policy to detail the rules and arrangements for a scheme that allows your employees to buy or sell annual leave.
A practical career break policy template that supports extended employee leave while balancing organisational needs.
Our Carers Leave Policy outlines entitlements and procedures, offering support and flexibility for employees balancing work and caregiving responsibilities.
Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Policy Template ensures employees have access to professional support, fostering a positive and resilient workforce.
Our Jury Service Policy Template ensures clarity and fairness in managing employee obligations and rights during jury service.
Our Parental Bereavement Leave Policy Template offers compassionate support, helping employees cope with loss while maintaining work-life balance.
Our Sabbatical Policy Template empowers employees to take a break for personal growth, reducing burnout and enhancing long-term productivity.
Our Sick Absence Policy Template facilitates effective sick leave management, supports employees' health, and minimises disruptions in the workplace.
Our Time Off for Dependants Policy Template aids employees during family emergencies, ensuring compassionate support without work worries.
Our Timekeeping Policy Template promotes punctuality, accountability, and efficient workflow management for a more productive work environment.
Our Unauthorised Absence Policy Template tackles absenteeism, enforces accountability, and maintains a productive work culture.
Our Absence Review Meeting Invitation Letter Template streamlines the process, ensuring timely and structured discussions for improved attendance.
Our Concern about absence Letter template is used to notify an employee that you have a concern over their level of absence, that may warrant disciplinary action should it happen again.
Our End of Company Sick Pay confirmation Letter Template notifies employees of the cessation of company sick pay, maintaining transparency and clarity in benefits communication.
A clear template to formally confirm the end of an employee’s statutory sick pay entitlement, ensuring compliance and clarity.
Our Fit Note First Request Letter Template streamlines the process of requesting a fit note from an employee, ensuring compliance with UK employment regulations.
Our Fit Note Second Request Letter Template helps efficiently address unsubmitted fit notes, ensuring timely completion.
If an employee is unable to return to their job as a result of long-term absence and there are no suitable alternatives, send this model letter to confirm dismissal.
Our Long Term Sick Absence Review Meeting Invitation Letter template invites employees to a meeting to discuss extended absences, ensuring a supportive and structured approach.
If you need to contact an employee's GP to obtain a medical report, issue this model letter to request their consent.
If you need a medical report from an employee's GP for guidance on their condition or capability, send this model request letter template.
Our requirement for employee to take annual leave letter template ensures employees use their full annual leave entitlement within a specified period to comply with legal obligations.
A clear short term absence review outcome letter template to confirm discussions, expectations, and next steps with employees.
Use this if you require a robust and practical SSP1 cover letter.
Our Suspension on Medical Grounds Letter Template provides clear communication of an employee’s medical suspension, outlining reasons, duration, and next steps.
Our Sympathy for Illness (Employee at Home) Letter template expresses support and care for employees facing illness at home, maintaining a compassionate tone.
Our Sympathy for Illness (Employee in Hospital) Letter template extends sincere support to employees hospitalized due to illness, offering understanding and comfort.
Our Termination of Employment (Long-Term Sick) Letter template communicates the termination due to extended sickness, maintaining professionalism and clarity in the process.
Use this model uncertified sick leave letter to request that an employee submits a medical note for their absence, and highlight that their sick leave is unauthorised without it.
To be completed by the subject of the request and returned to the employer.
This form should be used to record the Return to Work Interview between the manager and employee.
Our Absence Review Meeting Script Template facilitates constructive discussions, identifying causes and solutions for improved attendance.
Our concern about absence meeting script template guides managers through structured conversations with employees about their attendance, aiming to understand the reasons behind their absences and collaboratively develop a plan for improvement.
Our Concern about Lateness Meeting Letter is designed to address punctuality issues professionally, emphasising the importance of attendance and outlining expectations for improvement.
Our Long Term Sick Absence Review Meeting Script ensures structured discussions to address employee health concerns and plan effective support strategies.
Our Long Term Sick Absence Review Meeting Invitation Script Template streamlines the process, ensuring timely and sensitive communication with employees.
Our Pre-Consent Notification For Medical Report Request Email script template simplifies the process of obtaining consent, ensuring clear and compliant communication.
Our Return to Work Interview Script Template streamlines conversations after absence, ensuring consistent documentation and support for employee wellbeing.
Our Absence Improvement Checklist Form Template streamlines tracking and managing employee absences, enhancing productivity and reducing absenteeism.
Our Long Term Sick Absence Management Plan Template facilitates structured support for employees on extended sick leave, ensuring consistent management practices.