Sickness absence is something every employer has to deal with.

Sometimes it is straightforward. An employee is unwell, lets you know, takes the time they need to recover and comes back to work.

Other situations can be more complicated.

You may have an employee who is regularly absent, someone who has been off sick for several weeks, or a member of your team who seems to be struggling with their health.

Then there are the questions that come with it.

What can you ask an employee who is off sick?

When do you need a fit note?

What happens if someone is sick during their holiday?

And what should you do when absence starts becoming a problem for the business?

For a small business without its own HR department, these situations can be difficult to manage.

Here are some of the important things to consider.

Have a clear absence procedure

Employees should know what they need to do if they cannot come into work.

Your absence policy should explain who they need to contact, how they should report their absence and when they need to provide additional information.

It should also explain how the business will keep in touch with employees during longer periods of absence.

A clear policy helps everyone understand what is expected and gives managers a consistent approach to follow. Acas recommends that absence policies cover reporting sickness, keeping in touch, trigger points, support during absence and arrangements for returning to work.

What happens when someone calls in sick?

Your first priority should be understanding the situation.

You can have a process for employees reporting sickness, but managers should still deal with people as individuals.

You may need to know how long the employee expects to be away, whether there is anything the business needs to do to support them and when you should next make contact.

It is important not to make assumptions about why someone is absent.

Mental health problems can count as sickness in exactly the same way as physical health problems.

When do you need a fit note?

An employee who is off sick for seven calendar days or less can normally self certify their absence.

If they are off sick for more than seven calendar days, they will normally need a fit note from a registered healthcare professional.

A fit note can also provide useful information about whether someone might be able to work with adjustments.

For example, a healthcare professional might suggest a phased return, different duties, flexible working or changes to the employee’s workstation. Employers should consider these recommendations carefully.

Keep appropriate records

It is important to keep accurate records of sickness absence.

This should include the number of absences, how long each absence lasted and the reason for the absence.

Looking at the information over time can help identify patterns.

For example, you might discover that one employee has a number of short absences or that absence levels have increased across a particular team.

That does not automatically mean there is a performance problem.

It does give you something worth investigating.

Acas recommends recording absence information so employers can identify patterns, understand possible underlying causes and decide what action may be appropriate.

Do not treat every absence in the same way

A single bout of illness is very different from repeated short term absence.

It is also very different from a long term health condition.

For example, someone who has been off work for several weeks following an operation may need a completely different approach from someone who has had several separate periods of absence.

The circumstances matter.

If an employee has a disability or health condition that affects their ability to work, you may also need to consider whether reasonable adjustments are appropriate.

This is one of the reasons why a simple absence trigger should not automatically result in formal action.

You need to understand what is behind the absence first.

What about Statutory Sick Pay?

Statutory Sick Pay rules changed on 6 April 2026 as part of the Employment Rights Act 2025.

The eligibility rules changed, so employers should make sure their payroll processes and employment documentation reflect the current requirements.

The current rules can be more complicated depending on the employee’s circumstances, so if you are unsure about an employee’s entitlement, it is sensible to check the latest guidance or get professional advice.

What happens if someone is sick during their holiday?

This is an area that can catch employers out.

An employee can become ill while they are on holiday.

If they want the period to count as sickness rather than holiday, they should report their sickness to their employer in accordance with the usual sickness reporting arrangements.

They may then be able to take the affected holiday at another time.

Employees can also request to take holiday while they are off sick. An employer cannot force an employee to take holiday while they are off sick.

Holiday entitlement also continues to build up during sickness absence.

There are specific rules around carrying holiday forward where an employee has been unable to take it because of sickness.

What about someone who is off sick for a long time?

Long term absence can be particularly challenging for a small business.

You may be worried about covering the employee’s workload while also wanting to support the person who is absent.

Regular, appropriate communication can help.

You should keep in touch with the employee and discuss their expected return where appropriate.

If they are able to return with adjustments, you may need to consider what changes could reasonably be made.

A phased return may be appropriate in some circumstances.

If you need more information about an employee’s health or ability to work, there are circumstances where an employer can request a medical report, but the employee’s permission is required.

What if absence becomes a pattern?

This is where things can become more difficult.

If an employee has frequent periods of absence, you may need to look at the overall pattern rather than treating every absence as an isolated event.

A return to work meeting can be useful.

It gives you an opportunity to check that the employee is well enough to return, understand whether there are any underlying issues and discuss whether anything needs to change.

If the pattern continues, you may need to consider a more formal process.

However, before taking formal action, it is important to understand the reasons for the absence and consider whether there are any health or disability issues that need to be taken into account.

Give managers the confidence to handle absence properly

One of the biggest problems for small businesses is that managers are often expected to deal with absence without any HR training.

They may not know what they can ask.

They may worry about saying the wrong thing.

They may also treat different employees differently simply because they are unsure what the correct process is.

That is where a clear policy and some practical HR support can make a big difference.

Managers do not need to become HR experts.

They need to understand the process, know when to have a conversation and know when to ask for help.

Good absence management is about people as well as the business

Managing sickness absence is not simply about reducing the number of days people are off.

It is about supporting employees while also making sure the business can continue to operate effectively.

The right approach should be fair, consistent and appropriate to the circumstances.

Sometimes that means helping someone return to work.

Sometimes it means making reasonable adjustments.

Sometimes it means recognising that a longer term problem needs a more formal process.

The important thing is to deal with the situation rather than ignore it.

Need help managing sickness absence?

Westcountry HR works with small and medium sized businesses across Newton Abbot, Exeter, Plymouth and Devon.

We can help with absence policies, individual employee situations, return to work processes, performance concerns and the wider HR issues that can arise when someone is regularly absent.

You do not need to have a full time HR department to have access to experienced HR support.

If you are unsure how to handle an absence issue, talk to Westcountry HR before it becomes a bigger problem.

Contact Westcountry HR to arrange your free first visit.