Sickness Absence 101: A practical guide for employers

Tuesday 13 January 2026
14:00 to 15:00

Learn how to manage sickness absence confidently and lawfully

Sickness absence is one of the most common and often the most frustrating issues small businesses face. When it isn’t handled well, it can quickly become time-consuming, disruptive, and costly. On top of that, poor management of absence can expose your business to legal and financial risk, especially where disability or long-term health conditions are involved. Join WorkNest’s Employment Law and HR experts for this free, 60-minute webinar as they explain why effective sickness absence management matters, what the law requires, and the practical steps you can take to manage absence in a fair, structured way.

What we'll cover

Unexpected absence can slow down work, stretch your team, and create real operational challenges. When it isn’t addressed consistently, it can lead to rising costs, low morale, and uncertainty about the best next steps. Many employers are unsure how to approach conversations, what they can ask for, or where the legal boundaries sit. However, poor handling of sickness absence can lead to grievances, discrimination allegations, and even unfair dismissal claims. This session will help you understand your responsibilities, manage absences in a structured and supportive way, and avoid the pitfalls that catch many employers out.

You'll get clear guidance on:

Why managing sickness absence properly matters

Your legal duties, including statutory sick pay, fit notes and record-keeping

How to manage short-term absence

What good management of long-term absence looks like

Practical steps you can take to reduce absence across your business

Common scenarios and what a fair, lawful process looks like in practice

Don’t miss out—your people challenges won’t fix themselves. Let WorkNest show you the faster, safer, smarter way to manage people.

Who should attend?

SME owners and directors

Operations leaders

Anyone tired of HR distracting them from running their business

Why this matters to your business

Because every hour spent dealing with HR issues is an hour not spent on sales, service, innovation, or strategy.

WorkNest helps SMEs:

Stay compliant without worry

Build confident, capable managers

Improve retention and reduce hiring costs

Create a motivated, productive workforce

Replace admin chaos with simple, efficient systems

We take the HR strain so you can focus on scaling your business, not firefighting people problems.

Have a question?

If you have a specific query in mind, please submit it when you register – our experts will aim to address as many as possible at the end of the session.

Location	Online
Cost	Free

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