Lot's of sick leave - unreliable employee
Discussion
I run a relatively small taxi company and employ my drivers on an hourly rate. Some of you might remember some time back that I had an employee that took a day's unauthorised leave at the start of the year. They booked a holiday and the day they were due back were still on the beach in Cyprus. Anyway, long one short they received a final written warning for that.
Fast forward a couple of months and this employee is suffering from severe depression and is getting signed off for weeks at a time. This is damned inconvenient as I don't have a surplus of drivers and have commitments to school runs, etc. Whilst I am not unsympathetic to people being signed off, the level of absence is directly affecting the operation of the business now. They have just come back from a two week holiday (authorised this time) and today they text to say they have been signed off for two weeks again. This after being off for four consecutive weeks at the end of July into August.
This employee is good at their job - when they are doing it properly. However, the cost in stress to me and the detrimental effect it is having on the business is now making me think I have given them enough time now. I don't want to come across as the nasty boss, because I'm not, but my first loyalty has to be to the company and the other employees.
Obviously a return to work interview when (if) they come back - but is there any real teeth in this? I want them to understand that I cannot accept this level of absence. They are still under the final written warning, but don't want to end up in front of a tribunal for unfair dismissal.
Any advice much appreciated.
Fast forward a couple of months and this employee is suffering from severe depression and is getting signed off for weeks at a time. This is damned inconvenient as I don't have a surplus of drivers and have commitments to school runs, etc. Whilst I am not unsympathetic to people being signed off, the level of absence is directly affecting the operation of the business now. They have just come back from a two week holiday (authorised this time) and today they text to say they have been signed off for two weeks again. This after being off for four consecutive weeks at the end of July into August.
This employee is good at their job - when they are doing it properly. However, the cost in stress to me and the detrimental effect it is having on the business is now making me think I have given them enough time now. I don't want to come across as the nasty boss, because I'm not, but my first loyalty has to be to the company and the other employees.
Obviously a return to work interview when (if) they come back - but is there any real teeth in this? I want them to understand that I cannot accept this level of absence. They are still under the final written warning, but don't want to end up in front of a tribunal for unfair dismissal.
Any advice much appreciated.
Redundancies not an option, I need every employee at the moment and am actively seeking more.
Currently this employee is on SSP. They have exhausted their holiday allowance for the year to date. In fact from the two weeks they've just had, only four days were paid leave.
I am very conscious of doing this properly, but am terrified of being hauled in front of a tribunal. Think a meeting with a solicitor might be in order early next week.
She has just brought me her sick note, and said "sorry, I didn't want to be signed off". Personally, had it been me in front of the GP and he/she was going to sign me off, I would have protested that actually going to work and having something to do, needing to use my brain and think would be a useful distraction to the bleakness of sitting at home with nothing to do. But then, I'm not depressed and do not pretend to understand it.
Currently this employee is on SSP. They have exhausted their holiday allowance for the year to date. In fact from the two weeks they've just had, only four days were paid leave.
I am very conscious of doing this properly, but am terrified of being hauled in front of a tribunal. Think a meeting with a solicitor might be in order early next week.
She has just brought me her sick note, and said "sorry, I didn't want to be signed off". Personally, had it been me in front of the GP and he/she was going to sign me off, I would have protested that actually going to work and having something to do, needing to use my brain and think would be a useful distraction to the bleakness of sitting at home with nothing to do. But then, I'm not depressed and do not pretend to understand it.
I can change her hours, as she has no fixed hours, just 30 per week. I need her to cover when I need her - if you see what I mean.
The odd thing is, she is always after working more hours. That's why I find it odd that she meekly accepted being signed off. If it was me, I'd be looking to work as much as I could to take my mind off my depression.
I do feel like I'm having the piss ripped out of me, but will play the long game and see how I get on. Performance based targets might be the way forward.
The odd thing is, she is always after working more hours. That's why I find it odd that she meekly accepted being signed off. If it was me, I'd be looking to work as much as I could to take my mind off my depression.
I do feel like I'm having the piss ripped out of me, but will play the long game and see how I get on. Performance based targets might be the way forward.
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