Keeping in touch with employees on long-term sickness absence

21 March 2025

Long-term sickness absence can be challenging for employers in a number of ways: the costs; the impact on the rest of the team; uncertainty about whether and when the employee will return to work and, if they do, whether they will be able to cover all of their previous duties. If the employee has a long-term condition, they may be protected under the Equality Act 2010 as a disabled person, which means an employer should take care to avoid liabilities.

Employers need to deal with their employees supportively and appropriately, but what does this mean in practice? Keeping in contact with an employee on long-term sickness absence is crucial to effective absence management, but it can be challenging for line managers to deal sensitively with an absent employee while trying to look after the employer’s interests.

In this article we cover a number of key points, including recommendations for conducting regular health and well-being meetings, and how to approach the thorny issue of an employee who does not want to be contacted.

Benefits of keeping in touch during sickness absence

In practice, employers generally need to be in contact with employees on sickness absence in order to receive fit notes and provide information about any changes in sick pay. However, we recommend that employers should go beyond this for employees on long-term sickness absence by scheduling regular health and well-being meetings. These have a number of benefits:

  • Appropriate contact should help the employee feel valued and not forgotten.

  • The employee will be kept up-to-date on significant developments and announcements at work, reducing the risk of their feeling isolated or left behind, and making their return to work less daunting.

  • The employer will be kept up-to-date with changes in the employee’s health, enabling a more realistic assessment of when the employee may return to work for the purposes of arranging cover and managing their absence.

  • A meeting provides an opportunity to discuss possible additional support for the employee, any occupational health advice, and any adjustments that could help the employee return to work.

How often should we be in contact?

There are no specific legal requirements regarding the frequency of contact or health and well-being meetings. What is appropriate will vary from case to case, depending on factors such as the cause of the sickness absence and the employee’s anticipated recovery time. In particular, employers should take care to avoid overwhelming an employee who is feeling stressed by work. Although employers should remain flexible, we recommend agreeing the frequency of meetings with the employee during the early stage of their absence.

It can be helpful to set down guidelines in a policy. We can provide you with a policy that gives practical support to managers.

Where should meetings take place?

Thought should be given to the arrangements for each meeting, and these should be discussed with the employee. For instance, should the meeting be in person or remote? Is a meeting at the employee’s home or in a neutral (but less private) location like a cafe more suitable? Are there times of the day that should be avoided due to their health condition or family members being at home? Would they like to be accompanied?

What should we discuss at health and well-being meetings?

Your absence management policy may provide guidance on the agenda. Health and well-being meetings need to be handled sensitively.

Issues relevant to managing an employee’s absence include:

  • updates on the employee’s health;

  • any treatment they are receiving;

  • when they think they may be well enough to return to work;

  • what kind of support, if any, could help get them back to work; and

  • what kind of support the employer could offer to the employee during their absence.

Managers should keep a note of each meeting, and it may be appropriate to follow up with an email to the employee, confirming the discussion and any next steps.

Employees who want to be left alone

An employee who is off sick due to work-related stress, or who alleges that they have been bullied at work, may not welcome contact with their employer. At the worst, this could result in claims for disability discrimination or for harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

We can advise on ways to minimise risks and strike the right balance between the employer’s and the employee’s needs. For example, it may be possible to agree a minimal level of contact with an absent employee by email, rather than in person. Where possible, contact should not be with anyone the employee says has contributed to their sickness absence. 

How we can help

Our experienced employment lawyers can advise you on effectively managing contact during sickness absence while ensuring that you stay on the right side of the law. We can also provide an absence management procedure that gives line mangers clear guidance on keeping in contact. For further information, please contact the team at Synchrony Law.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Please note that the law may have changed since this article was published.

Chris Tutton