Public and Commercial Services Union

DWP/BB/066/08

PCS has no actual or inferred support for the DWP attendance management policy.

Warning policy must be abolished

The DWP attendance management policy is justifiably seen, and experienced, by too many members as unfair, harsh and unsympathetic. The policy wrongly focuses on warnings and dismissals rather than reasonable adjustments and rehabilitation.

PCS has proposed fundamental changes so that attendance management delivers a duty of care with rights, not just responsibilities, and improved procedural fairness. The “must give a warning” policy must be abolished and replaced by a system which does not support:

• a warning upon return from bereavement related sickness absence;
• dismissal triggered by a one day absence because of a broken finger;
• deliberately reducing support for disability related sick leave.

The attendance management policy has never been agreed by PCS. Many practices are unacceptable and must be amended, if not abolished, to meet the objectives of PCS conference policy.

PCS policy must be supported

The Group Executive Committee (GEC) is determined to use all means necessary to change DWP attendance management policy so that it is consistent with PCS policy.

2008 group conference motion A169, proposed by the GEC, will confirm our collective determination to continue to seek to negotiate changes which implement PCS policy objectives in conference motions A126/07, A131/07, A156/07, EM5/07, A165/07 and A275/07 together with improvements including:

• abolition of the “must give a warning” emphasis in the policy and procedures.
• abolition of requirements for line managers to consult others before deciding not to give a warning.
• strict limitation of the circumstances when a warning may be appropriate so that warnings are the exception not the rule and are not simply triggered by the absence record alone.
• strict definition of “satisfactory attendance” as a minimum standard.
• explicit confirmation that all the “special circumstances” listed as reasons not to give a warning apply at each stage of the procedures up to and including the dismissal/demotion stage.
• improved minimum standards for the application of reasonable adjustments to the consideration point to support disability/medical condition related absence.
• amendment of the one off provision which abolishes all qualifications related to its use.
• introduce a requirement to implement annual stress action plans, following consultation with trade union health and safety reps, in response to the DWP stress survey results.
• introduce explicit individual rights to safeguard the delivery of natural justice and procedural fairness backed up by effective sanctions against deliberate non compliance.
• reinforce, improve and introduce hard and fast rules which protect job security when sick.

Campaign strategy 2008

Our demand that the attendance management “must give a warning” policy be abolished was included as a demand in the pay campaign ballot supported by members in November 2007.

Conference motion A 169/08 proposes a 7 point strategy for carrying forward the current campaign to achieve changes to DWP policy, procedures and procedures.

GEC reports and advice

Reports on behalf of the GEC and advice to branches and members have been published during 2007 and 2008 and include:

DWP/BB/023/07 Attendance management improvement warnings

DWP/BB/024/07 Attendance management and "one off" absences

DWP/BB/031/07 Attendance review meetings and trade union representation

DWP/MB/031/07 From sick leave to welcome back discussions

DWP/BB/055/07 Attendance management backsliding procedure and the law at work

DWP/BB/082/07 Sick leave procedures updated

DWP/BB/086/07 Management grade changes for delivery of sick leave procedures in Jobcentre Plus

DWP/BB/108/07 Attendance management compliance in Jobcentre Plus and procedural fairness

DWP/BB/116/07 Attendance management: transparency, justice and fairness requirements

DWP/BB/118/07 Attendance management procedures: PCS compliance check

DWP/BB/126/07 Removal of work related stress absence category on RMS

DWP/BB/131/07 Attendance management and the employment equality (age) regulations

DWP/BB/144/07 Attendance management: clarification and confusion from 22 November 2007

DWP/BB/028/08 Attendance management policy, procedures and advice changes from February 2008

DWP/BB/036/08 Attendance management advice and separate consideration points for disability/underlying health conditions

DWP/BB/037/08 Attendance management and consideration point reasonable adjustments

DWP/BB/056/08 OHS telephone and face to face consultations: informed consent, confidentiality and scope of the service

Together we will win

PCS can give no actual or inferred support but only determined, principled opposition to the DWP attendance management policy. Our collective determination to achieve PCS policy will guarantee our success. Together we will win.