Long term illness

[Martin_Hazell]

We have an employee who has taken off 8 months this year because of a bad back they also took 6 months off 2 years ago for the same reason, can anybody tell me the best way to replace this person?

[Raincliffe1]

We had this problem with an employee at our previous hotel, luckily for us after the 6 months on sick leave (because of a bad back) she handed in her resignation which then saved us making her redundant and then being liable for 12 years redundancy pay (continuous employement rights).

I was very sceptical that she had a bad back (after what my customers' had told me) and asked for an independent doctor's report, however upon speaking to the doctor, he told me 3 things (off the record of course!) bad backs are one of the most difficult things to diagnose, you have to air on the side of caution and 'I have to live in the village too'. I always remember one morning accidentally dropping the envelope with her sick pay in it on the floor as she came to collect it, she swooped down faster than grease lightening to pick it up.

Is there any problems with your employee's work output/time keeping/attitude/honesty/ when they are at work with you? Could you try the disciplinary route (written/verbal warnings)? Based on my limited experience I would be very careful about making the employee redundant because of the continuous employment rights that they have and then you have to prove that the post is no longer required (which may not be the case).

We also have an employee whose timekeeping and general work rate was very bad, after two verbal warnings however, she announced that she was pregnant and left (which to be honest was a blessing in disguise).

I know when you take over a business that unless the business is shutting for a length of time for (say 12 months for a refurb) or it is changing use (hotel to a care home) then it is up to you to take on the employees, it is not a matter of simply asking the previous employer to make them redundant. Employee's have increasingly many more rights. Have you thought about contacting the CAB, they can often be quite useful, anything on the Internet perhaps? Sorry I could not have been more help though.

Katherine