• Healthy workplaces: the Managing Sick Leave Policy (the Policy) has been developed to better manage absenteeism and is part of the Government’s commitment to achieving and sustaining productive, healthy, efficient and high performing workplaces.
• Responsibilities of agencies, managers and employees are outlined in the policy.
• Key changes include that evidence of illness is to be provided for absences of more than two consecutive days, and
• Absence reviews will be undertaken where there are five or more unsupported absences in a 12 month period or where an absence trend is identified.
• Analysis and review of sick leave strategies and data is to be undertaken regularly to ensure effective sick leave management.

Which agencies does this Circular apply to?
Part 1 Schedule 1 Public Service Departments under Chapters 1A and 2 of the Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002 and agencies identified in Attachment 1 of the Memorandum of Understanding in Settlement of the Crown Employees (Public Sector Salaries – 2008) Award.

Who needs to know about this Circular? 
Employees and Managers of those agencies above.

Issued by

Industrial Relations Unit, Public Sector Workforce Branch in the Department of Premier and Cabinet

Contact

Suzanne Ashby – 9228-3593 [email protected]

Date

28 May2009

This Circular has superseded Circular 2000-16 Sickness Absence Policy and Circular 2000-11 Managing and Supporting Attendance at Work.