Annex A

A1 Sickness Absence User Guide – Line Managers

Where an officer is eligible to claim Incapacity Benefit, HRConnect will scan the Medical Certificates, retain a copy on record and return the original to the officer to allow them to use the original to claim benefit from the Social Security Agency.

A2 Sickness Absence Policy

4.6 ABSTRACTS AND COPIES OF DOCTORS’

STATEMENTS

4.6.1 When on sick absence industrial employees may request that

details of their doctors’ statements should be provided for a Trade Union or

Friendly Society as they may be entitled to some form of insurance payment

from that body. In such cases an abstract of the details in the doctor’s

statement will be made using Form BF 30 (Substitute).

4.6.2 Where an officer is eligible to claim Incapacity Benefit, the

Department should retain a copy of the medical certificate covering the

illness or make an extract of it, to allow the officer to use the original to

claim benefit from the Social Security Agency.

A3 Employee Relations – Sickness Absence

3.7Maximum entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) about to expire

This section details the tasks associated with identifying those employees whose SSP will exhaust in the near future and informing them of this. These employees must be sent an SSP1 form, their medical certificates, and a request for a Statement ofSocial Security Benefits.

3.7.1Run ERD SSP PROP Expiry report

Follow the procedures below to identify those employees whose SSP will expire soon.

Run the ERD SSP PROP Expiry report (using the ‘SSP’ sheet) weekly

Note: For further information refer to the NICS SSC Absence Management Reporting Procedure

Please continue from section 3.7.2.

3.7.2Raise Service Request: HR-Maximum Entitlement to SSP

Follow the procedures below to inform the employees identified in section 3.7.1 that their SSP will expire in the near future.

3.7.2.1Task 1 - Send SSP1 pack to employee

Open HRMS

Click on the ‘Enter and Maintain’ link to open the Find Person screen

Search for the employee’s record

Generate theL SSP Exhausted or Not Payable letter (follow Outgoing Letter Generation procedure – Export Data section)

Attach an SSP1 pack and issue to the employee

Click on the ‘Others’ button to open the Navigation Options window

Click on the ‘Absence’ option to open the Absence screen

Scroll through the employee’s absence records to find the current absence then click on the ‘SSP1 Issued’ tick box (Fig 1.d) to tick it

Save

Close Task 1

Open Task 2.

3.7.2.2Task 2 - Send medical certificates to employee

Open HRMS

Click on the ‘Enter and Maintain’ link to open the Find Person screen

Search for the employee’s record

Retrieve (and print if necessary) any relevant medical certificates i.e. those relating to the period of sickness for which ESA would be applicable

Send the medical certificate(s) to the employee (follow Outgoing Letter Generationprocedure)

Close Task 2

Open Task 3.

3.7.2.3Task 3 - Send Statement of Social Security Benefits request to employee

Open HRMS

Click on the ‘Enter and Maintain’ link to open the Find Person screen

Search for the employee’s record

Send (email/portal/letter) a request for a Statement of Social Security Benefits from the employee (follow Outgoing Letter Generation procedure - Export Data section)

Close Task.

A4 Employee Relations – Sickness Absence – No Payroll Processes

3.10Maximum entitlement to SSP about to expire

To identify those employees who’s SSP will exhaust in the near future follow the procedures below. Before an employee’s SSP expires, HRConnect should send the employee (i) an SSP1 form, (ii) their medical certificates and (iii) a request to establish if the employee is in receipt of any social security benefits.

3.11Employee’s SSP about to expire

This section details the tasks associated with identifying those employees whose SSP will exhaust in the near future and informing them of this. These employees must be sent an SSP1 form, their medical certificates, and a request for a Statement ofSocial Security Benefits.

3.11.1Run ERD SSP PROP Expiry report

Follow the procedures below to identify those employees whose SSP will expire soon.

Run the ERD SSP PROP Expiry report (using the ‘SSP’ sheet) weekly

Note: For further information refer to the Payroll – Exceptions Reporting procedure

Please continue from section 3.11.2.

3.11.2Raise Service Request: HR-Maximum Entitlement to SSP

Follow the procedures below to inform the employees identified in section 3.11.1 that their SSP will expire in the near future.

3.11.2.1Task 1 - Send SSP1 pack to employee

Figure 3: SSP1 Issued

Open HRMS

Click on the‘Enter and Maintain’link to open the Find Person screen

Search for the employee’s record

Generate the letter L SSP Not Payable (Follow Letter Generation Procedure)

Attach the letter L SSP Not Payableto the employee’s record

Save

Click on the ‘Others’ button to open the Navigation Options window

Select ‘Absence’

Click on the ‘OK’ button to open the Absence screen

Scroll through the employee’s absence records to find the current absence then click on the ‘SSP1 Issued’ (Fig 3.a) tick box (ensure the box has been ticked)

Save

Attach SSP1 pack to the letter L SSP Not Payable and send to employee

Close

Open Task 2.

3.11.2.2Task 2 - Send medical certificates to employee

Open HRMS

Click on the‘Enter and Maintain’link to open the Find Person screen

Search for the employee’s record

Retrieve (and print if necessary) any relevant medical certificates

Send medical certificates to employee (Follow Letter Generation Procedures)

Close

Open Task 3.

3.11.2.3Task 3 - Send SSA Statement of Social Security Benefits request to employee

The letter L SSP Not Payable will contain a request for the employee to send in an SSA Statement of Social Security Benefits. If this is the case, then close this task.

If any letters in this service request do not contain a request for the employee to send in an SSA Statement of Social Security Benefits then complete the procedures in this task.

Open HRMS

Click on the‘Enter and Maintain’link to open the Find Person screen

Search for the employee’s record

Generate Letter L Benefits Request (Follow Letter Generation Procedures), send letter to employee

Attach the letter to the employee’s record

Save

Close.

If a Line Manager or employee is unable to update the system with employee Self Certification details because Self-Service is unavailable, they can askHRConnect to complete the process on their behalf. On receipt of this request, please complete section 3.12.

Optional: if work address, INSERT “RESTRICTED - PERSONAL”>

A51.3.1.3.8 SSP Exhausted or Not Payable

<TITLE>EMPLOYEE FIRST NAME> <EMPLOYEE SURNAME>

EMPLOYEE ADDRESS LINE 1>

EMPLOYEE ADDRESS LINE 2>

EMPLOYEE ADDRESS LINE 3>

EMPLOYEETOWN

EMPLOYEECOUNTY

EMPLOYEE POSTCODE>

<TODAY’S DATE>

Dear <EMPLOYEE TITLE <EMPLOYEE SURNAME>,

RE: SICK ABSENCE –SSP EXHAUSTED / NOT PAYABLE

Optional Paragraph: If the employee has requested an update on their entitlement to SSP, use the following sentence:

<I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU THAT STATUTORY SICK PAY (SSP) IS NOT PAYABLE FROM <DATE> FOR THE REASONS SHOWN ON THE ENCLOSED SSP1 FORM.>

When your entitlement to SSP has ended, or when SSP is not payable,you may qualify for Incapacity Benefit from the Social Security Agency.

Optional Paragraph: If the employee has exhausted or will exhaust their entitlement to SSP within the next 4 weeks, use the following sentence:

<I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU THAT STATUTORY SICK PAY (SSP) IS NOT PAYABLE FROM <DATE> FOR THE REASONS SHOWN ON THE ENCLOSED SSP1 FORM.>

Optional Paragraph: To be used only if an SSP1 form has been enclosed:

<Form SSP1, which has been partially completed for SSP applications and indicates your last day on SSP, is attached. You should complete this form and forward it to the Social Security Agency, Incapacity Benefits Branch so that your claim for benefit may be assessed.>

The Welfare Service, Employee Assistance Programme (Carecall) and Civil Service Benevolent Fund are all available to you, should you wish to avail of any of these services.

If you have any queries please contact HRConnect on the number above.

Yours sincerely,

<AUTHORISED SIGNATORY>

<SIGNATORY’S JOB TITLE>

A6 Employee Relations – Sickness Absence

3.6Extension of OSP (Sickness Absence Beyond a Prescribed Maxima)

On receipt of an employee’s request to extend their OSP (in the form of a letter to HRConnect outlining the nature of the illness and rationale for an extension) please continue from section 3.6.1.

Note: For employees who are payroll only and NOT entitled to full service, Departmental HR will manage the process to a greater extent. Follow the procedures below but send any letters to Departmental HR for editing, and use the spreadsheet Payroll Only Spreadsheet – NIAO and CEO.xls to input relevant information into HRMS.

3.6.1Employee requests an OSP Extension

Open HRMS

Click on the ‘Enter and Maintain’ link to open the Find Person screen

Search for the employee’s record

Attach therequest for an OSP Extension to the employee’s record

Save

Forward the employee’s request to Departmental HR (follow the HRConnect CRM eMail Center Navigation or Outgoing Letter Generation procedures)

Note: For Departmental HR contact details, please refer to either the NICS External Contact List or the NIO External Contact List.

Departmental HR will send HRConnect a completed Instruction on OSP Extension (decision and dates) pro forma. If the OSP extension has been approved by Departmental HR please continue from section 3.6.2. If the OSP extension has been declined by Departmental HR please continue from 3.6.3.

3.6.2Raise Service Request: HR-Occupationl Sick Pay Extnsn

3.6.2.1Task 1 - Updt Prsnl File OSP Extn Decsn

To update the system with the OSP extension details, the original absence will first need to be backed out of payroll and deleted from HRMS. Follow the procedures below:

Open HRMS using one of the following responsibilities:

  • NICS SSC Industrial Pay Administrator
  • NICS SSC Industrial Pay Manager
  • NICS SSC Industrial Pay Team Leader

Click on the ‘Person Life Events’ link to open the Find Person screen

Search for the employee’s record

Note: In the Person Life Events screen (Fig 5), historical absences are displayed under the ‘Life Events’ tab (Fig 5.a) and future absences e.g. leave, maternity leave etc are displayed under the ‘Potential Life Events’ tab (Fig 5.d)

Click on the ‘Life Events’ tab (Fig 5.a)

Select the relevant absence

In the ‘Backed Out Status’ list field (Fig 5.b) select ‘Unprocessed’ from the list of values

Click on the ‘Back Out Event’ button (Fig 5.c)

Confirm the absence is to be backed out of payroll by clicking on the‘Yes’button (Fig 6.a) in the Decision screen (Fig 6)

Note: This moves the absence to the Potential Life Events tab (Fig 5.d)

Save

Close the form

Click on the ‘Statutory Absence’ link to open the Find Person screen

Search for the employee’s record

Click on the ‘Absence’ button to open the Absence screen (Fig 1)

Use the up and down arrow keys on the keyboard to display the correct record

Note: Before deleting absences ensure all relevant information such as absence types, dates, sub reasons etc have been noted accordingly. Complete a form called <reinserting absences> / print medical certificates first for each absence type which needs to be deleted to capture the absence details

From the toolbar click on the ‘Delete Record’ icon (Fig 7)

Click on the ‘OK’ button (Fig 8.a) in the Decision screen(Fig 8) to delete the sick absence record

Save

The absence must now be re-entered, but without being enrolled. Follow the procedures below:

Click on the ‘New’ toolbar button to set the screen to data entry mode

Use the form <reinserting absences> / medical certificates to re-enter the statutory absence record(s), configuring the following details of the absence record accordingly:

  • Absence type
  • Absence Start and End dates
  • Any required detail contained in the descriptive flexfield (e.g. absence reason)

Save

Note:Ensure that the absence is NOT enrolled – do not click on the ‘Enroll Absences’button (Fig 1.f)

Save

Close

Complete the following steps to update an employee’s record with OSP Extension dates and entitlements if approved.

Open HRMS using one of the following responsibilities:

  • NICS SSC HRMS Agent
  • NICS SSC L3 HRMS Agent
  • NICS SSC HRMS Team Leader

Click on the ‘Enter and Maintain’ link to open the Find Person screen

Search for the employee’s record

Click on the ‘Others’ button to open the Navigation Options window

Select ‘Extra Information’

Click on the ‘OK’ button to open the Extra Person Information screen (Fig 11)

Figure 11: GB OSP Override Entitlement

Click on the ‘GB OSP Override Entitlements’ option (Fig 11.a)

Click in a blank‘Details’ field (Fig 11.b) to open the GB OSP Override Entitlements screen (Fig 12)

Figure 12: GB OSP Override Entitlements screen

In the ‘Plan Name’ list field (Fig12.a) select one of the following from the list of values:

  • OSP NON NICS Perm Plan (for Permanent/Fixed employees)
  • OSP NON NICS Temp Plan (for Temporary Employees)

In the ‘Override Start Date’ calendar field (Fig12.b) enter the date the OSP extension will start in the format DD-MON-YYYY

Note: The OSP extension start date should be the day after the current OSP finishes. To ascertain when an individual employee’s OSP will expire in HRMS please complete the following steps:

  • Open HRMS
  • Go to ‘Person Details’
  • Find the employee
  • Ensure that the appropriate statutory absence is displayed (use page up/down to move between their absences)
  • Click on the ‘Absence’ button
  • Click on the ‘Statutory Payments’ button and in the entries section ascertain when statutory payments will expire.

In the ‘Override End Date’ calendar field (Fig12.c) enter the date the OSP extension will finish in the format DD-MON-YYYY

Note: If the absence is open-ended the date entered in the ‘Override End Date’ calendar field (Fig 12.c) must be the same as the date entered in the ‘Override Start Date’ calendar field (Fig 12.b)

Enter the number of days the OSP extension is valid for;

  • In the ‘Band1 Entitlement’ text field (Fig 12.d) enter the number of days (up to 40 or 60) the employee is entitled to on FULL pay or
  • If appropriate, in the ‘Band 2 Entitlement’ text field (Fig12.e) enter the number of days (up to 40 or 60) the employee is entitled to on HALF pay

Save

Click on the ‘OK’ button to close the GB OSP Override Entitlements screen

Attach the Instruction on OSP Extension (decision and dates) to the employee’s record

Save

Close Task 1

Open Task 2.

3.6.2.2Task 2 - Snd rspns and Stmnt SSB to Emp

Complete the following steps to send a written response to the employee regarding the decision on the OSP extension and to request a Statement of Social Security Benefits.

Generate the LOSP Extended Exhausted or Not Payableletter (follow Outgoing Letter Generation procedure – Export Data section) and issue to employee

Request aStatement of Social Security Benefits from the employeeClose Task 2

Open Task 3.

The employee will return the completed statement of Social Security Benefits. On receipt of this, please continue from section 3.6.2.3.

3.6.2.3Task 3 – Ge: Process Handoff

Complete this section to handoff the Statement of Social Security Benefits details to the Maintain Employee Data process.

Open HRMS

Click on the ‘Enter and Maintain’ link to open the Find Person screen

Search for the employee’s record

Attach the received Statement of Social Security Benefits to the employee’s record

Save

Raise Service Request GE: Process Handoff

Handoff the Statement of Social Security Benefits obtained from the employee to the Maintain Employee Data process

Close.

3.6.3OSP Extension declined

Open HRMS

Click on the ‘Enter and Maintain’ link to open the Find Person screen

Search for the employee’s record

Attach the Instruction on OSP Extension (decision and dates) to the employee’s record

Save

Generate the LOSP Extended Exhausted or Not Payable letter and issue to employee

Close

This ends the process for an OSP Extension request.

A71.3.1.3.8 OSP Extended, Exhausted or Not Payable

<TITLE>EMPLOYEE FIRST NAME> <EMPLOYEE SURNAME>

EMPLOYEE ADDRESS LINE 1>

EMPLOYEE ADDRESS LINE 2>

EMPLOYEE ADDRESS LINE 3>

EMPLOYEETOWN

EMPLOYEECOUNTY

EMPLOYEE POSTCODE>

<TODAY’S DATE>

Dear <EMPLOYEE TITLE <EMPLOYEE SURNAME>,

RE: SICK ABSENCE –OSP EXTENDED, EXHAUSTED / NOT PAYABLE

Optional Paragraph: If the employee has requested an extension to OSP, use the following sentence:

<I am writing to inform you that your Occupational Sick Pay (OSP) extension has been approved from <START DATE> TO <END DATE>. <ExTENSION REASON>

Optional Paragraph: If the employee has exhausted entitlement to OSP, use the following sentences:

<I am writing to inform you that Occupational Sick Pay (OSP) will no longer be payable from<DATE>for the following reasons <REASONS>.>

Optional Paragraph: If the employee’s entitlement to OSP is not payable, use the following sentence:

<I am writing to inform you that Occupational Sick Pay (OSP) is not payable from<DATE>for the following reasons <REASONS>.>

When your entitlement to OSP has ended or when OSP is not payableyou may qualify for Statutory Benefits from the Social Security Agency.

As stated in the HR Handbook, occupational sick pay plus benefit(s) must not exceed full pay. Therefore it is essential that you forward confirmation of your benefit rate(s) to HRConnect without delay.

You should continue to send your medical certificates to your office and they will be forwarded to us for onward transmission to the Social Security Agency.