Schools Finance
SICKNESS INSURANCE DATABASE – User Guide
Section 3 – Registering Claims
Registering Claims - Summary
From the Main Menu click ‘Enter Monthly Claim’.
The following screen will automatically open to show any claims entered for the current month. The top section provides a summary of all claims registered for Teachers and the bottom section provides a summary of all claims registered for Non-Teaching (Support) staff members.
If you wish to view claims registered for prior months please select the month required from the “Period” drop down list.
The summary shown at the top of the screen is a cumulative total of all valid claim lines registered for the month selected.
Registering Claims - Teaching
From the claim summary screen click ‘Add New Record’.
Staff Name: Select the required teaching staff member from the drop down list.
The Staff Code, FTE and Position will be automatically updated for the staff member chosen. These details cannot be amended within this screen. If they are incorrect they should be amended via the ‘Staff’ screen (see Section 2).
Supported Return:If the sickness claim relates to a teaching staff member that has been off long-term sick where agreement has been reached from Occupational Health that the staff member requires support when returning to work, click the ‘Supported Return’ box
Please see below for further guidance regarding Supported Return to Work claims. This option will only be shown if the ‘Supported Return to Work’ flag was ticked within the Contract Details screen (see Section 1).
Claim Type: The claim will automatically default to “Teaching” for all teaching staff. If the type of cover purchased includes the enhanced rate for the Headteacher this rate will default to “Enhanced” when the Headteacher is selected as long as they have been entered in the Contract Details screen (see Section 1).
Half Day: Place a tick in the ‘Half Day’ box (by clicking it) if you only wish to claim for a half day absence. Half day claims are paid at 50% of one full daily rate (i.e. the FTE of the staff member is ignored).
Please Note: A half day can only be claimed where the first and last dates of sickness are the same date, and will only receive a payment if Day 1 cover has been purchased.
First Date of Sickness: Enter the first date of sickness for the current claim by manually typing it into the field or double-clicking the field to view a calendar from which to select the date:
Please Note: The calendar can be viewed for any of the date fields within the Claim Details screen by double-clicking the date field required. On opening, the calendar will default to the first of the current month.
The first date of sickness must be a date from the current month only, i.e. no earlier than the first of the month and no later than the last day of the month.
Last Date of Sickness: Enter the last date of sickness for the current claim by either manually typing it into the field or double-clicking the field to view a calendar from which to select the date.
The last date of sickness must be a date from the current month only, i.e. no earlier than the first of the month and no later than the last day of the month. If a member of staff is absent for the last working day of the month the date entered should be the last calendar day of the month, regardless of whether that date is a weekend or school holiday. This is to ensure that the claim is carried forward into the next month with a ‘First Date of Unbroken Sickness’ (see below).
First Date of Unbroken Sickness:Enter the first date of unbroken sickness for the current claim by either manually typing it into the field or double-clicking the field to view a calendar from which to select the date, if the period of sickness began in a previous month.
Any claim made where the last date of sickness is the last calendar day of the month will automatically be rolled forward into the next monthwith a first date of unbroken sickness when the month end procedures are completed. The first date of unbroken sickness will be shown as either the first date of absence from the previous month or first date of unbroken sickness from the previous month.
The first date of unbroken sickness can only be entered if it matches a First Date of Unbroken Sickness carried forward from a previous month. This date is not required when the claim being entered starts within the current month.
Date of Half Pay: Enter a date of half pay for the current claim by either manually typing it into the field or double-clicking the field to view a calendar from which to select the date.
This date is usually 6 months after the first date of sickness. However, your Employee Services Contact should notify you of this date if it is required for a staff member on long-term sick leave. Any claim made after this date will be reduced by 50%.
Date of Frozen Pay: Enter a date of frozen pay for the current claim by either manually typing it into the field or double-clicking the field to view a calendar from which to select the date.
This date is usually 12 months after the first date of sickness. However, your Employee Services Contact should notify you of this date if it is required for a staff member on long-term sick leave. Any claim made after this date will not receive a payment. However, the record should still be maintained within the Sickness Insurance Database for supported return to work purposes.
Days Payable: This figure will be automatically calculated based on the information entered into the form. The number of days payable is calculated as the number of Working Days for the period stated (First Date of Sickness to Last Date of Sickness) less any Holiday Dates for the period stated and the days not covered by your contract, multiplied by the FTE for the selected staff member.
For example, if a claim is made for the period 08 to 16 July 20XX, for a 1.00 FTE teacher at a school with A1 Day 3 cover the days payable would be:
(7 working days - 2 days not covered by the contract) X 1.00 = 5 days.
Exit without Saving: Click this button at any time to cancel the current record.
Save and Exit: Click this button when the full details for the current claim have been entered. The database will then validate the data entered. If any errors are found a message will appear stating the error to be resolved.
The record cannot be saved until all issues stated are resolved.
Amending aClaim
To amend any previously entered claim details (current month only) double-click the required record within the Teaching Claim Details list to view the details.
Deleting a Claim
To delete details from the current claim, highlight the required record within the Teaching Claim Details list (Click once) and then click ‘Delete Record’.
Registering a Claim for a Prior Month
All claims should be registered within the month in which they occur. If you roll forward without entering a valid claim in a previous month please take the following steps.
Enter a new record for the required staff member, remembering to select the actual first date of sickness from the previous month. All of the other details required for a valid month claim must be entered (last date of sickness, staff name etc).
Once the correct password has been entered the record will be saved, bypassing the first date of sickness validation. The last date of sickness can also be in a previous month but cannot be greater than the last day of the current month.
Supported Return to Work – Additional Guidance
If a staff member is returning from long-term sickness Occupational Health may deem it necessary for that staff member to be supported upon their return to work (i.e. another member of staff is required to assist the returning employee whilst they are at work). Your Employee Services Contact should notify you of anyagreed arrangements.
When entering the supported return to work claim into the Sickness Insurance Database, each time the type of claim to be made changes a new line will be required, i.e. any supported days and any days where the staff member is to be registered as sick should have a separate line.
For example, if a 1.00 FTE staff member has been on long term sick leave since 08 January 20XX and it has been agreed that they will return to work from 05 September 20XX with 2 days supported for week 1, 3 days supported for week 2, 4 days supported for week 3, and then they will return to work full time without support. The staff member will not be working on days in which they are supported.
To register the above scenario into the Sickness Insurance Database for the month of September requires6 separate claim lines:
Line / First Date of Sickness / Last Date of Sickness / First Date of Unbroken Sickness / Supported Return1 / 01/09/20XX / 04/09/20XX / 08/01/20XX / Not Ticked
2 / 05/09/20XX / 06/09/20XX / 08/01/20XX / Ticked
3 / 07/09/20XX / 10/09/20XX / 08/01/20XX / Not Ticked
4 / 11/09/20XX / 13/09/20XX / 08/01/20XX / Ticked
5 / 14/09/20XX / 16/09/20XX / 08/01/20XX / Not Ticked
6 / 17/09/20XX / 20/09/20XX / 08/01/20XX / Ticked
Any days that are ‘Supported’ are paid at the full rate for the claim type (regardless of the FTE of the employee).
A maximum of 30 days can be claimed for supported return to work for the current period of unbroken sickness.
Registering Claims –Non Teaching
From the claim summary screen click ‘Add New Record’.
Staff Name: Select the required teaching staff member from the drop down list.
The Staff Code, FTE and Position will be automatically updated for the staff member chosen. These details cannot be amended within this screen. If they are incorrect amend via the ‘Staff’ screen (see Section 2).
Override Holidays: Some non-teaching staff may be contracted to work outside of term time hours (e.g.a caretaker that works all year round or a finance officer that works term time plus 2 weeks). Click the ‘Override Holidays’ box if the sickness claim relates to a staff member whose sickness absence is during non-term dates when they are contracted to work. By ticking this box holiday dates will not be discounted from the claim.
Click ‘Yes’ to confirm you wish to override the holiday dates, or ‘No’ to cancel.
Please Note: If the ‘Override Holidays’ function is used you must ensure that you do not claim for more than the additional non-term time working days, i.e. if a staff member works term time plus one week you should not claim more than 5 days during the current year.
Claim Type: The claim will automatically default to “Non-Teaching” for all non-teaching staff. If the claim relates to a Higher Level Teaching Assistant please select the ‘HLTA’ rate from the drop down box to ensure the higher rate is claimed.
Half Day: Place a tick in the ‘Half Day’ box (by clicking it) if you only wish to claim for a half day absence. Half day claims are paid at 50% of one full days’ rate (i.e. the FTE of the staff member is ignored).
Please Note: A half day can only be claimed where the first and last of sickness are the same date, and will only receive a payment if Day 1 cover has been purchased.
First Date of Sickness: Enter the first date of sickness for the current claim by either manually typing it into the field or double-clicking the field to view a calendar from which to select the date:
Please Note: The calendar can be viewed for any of the date fields within the Claim Details screen by double-clicking the date field required. On opening, the calendar will default to the first of the current month.
The first date of sickness must be a date from the current month only, i.e. no earlier than the first of the month and no later than the last day of the month.
Last Date of Sickness: Enter the last date of sickness for the current claim by either manually typing it into the field or double-clicking the field to view a calendar from which to select the date.
The last date of sickness must be a date from the current month only, i.e. no earlier than the first of the month and no later than the last day of the month. If a member of staff is absent for the last working day of the month the date entered should be the last calendar day of the month, regardless of whether that date is a weekend or school holiday. This is to ensure that the claim is carried forward into the next month with a ‘First Date of Unbroken Sickness’ (see below).
First Date of Unbroken Sickness: Enter the first date of unbroken sickness for the current claim by either manually typing it into the field or double-clicking the field to view a calendar from which to select the date, if the period of sickness began in a previous month.
Any claim made where the last date of sickness is the last calendar day of the month will automatically be rolled forward into the next month with a first date of unbroken sickness when the month end procedures are completed. The first date of unbroken sickness will be shown as either the first date of absence from the previous month or first date of unbroken sickness from the previous month.
The first date of unbroken sickness can only be entered if it matches a First Date of Unbroken Sickness carried forward from a previous month. This date is not required when the claim being entered starts within the current month.
Date of Half Pay: Enter a date of half pay for the current claim by either manually typing it into the field or double-clicking the field to view a calendar from which to select the date.
This date is usually 6 months after the first date of sickness. However, your Employee Services Contact should notify you of this date if it is required for a staff member on long-term sick leave. Any claim made after this date will be reduced by 50%.
Date of Frozen Pay: Enter a date of frozen pay for the current claim by either manually typing it into the field or double-clicking the field to view a calendar from which to select the date.
This date is usually 12 months after the first date of sickness. However, your Employee Services Contact should notify you of this date if it is required for a staff member on long-term sick leave.
Any claim made after this date will not receive a payment. The record should still be maintained within the Sickness Insurance Database for supported return to work purposes.
Days Payable: This figure will be automatically calculated based on the information entered onto the form. The number of days payable is calculated as the number of working days for the period stated (First Date of Sickness to Last Date of Sickness) less any Holiday Dates for the period stated and the days not covered by your contract, multiplied by the FTE for the selected staff member.
For example, if a claim is made for the period 08 to 16 July 20XX, for a 1.00 FTE caretaker at a school with C1 Day 3 cover the days payable would be:
(7 working days - 2 days not covered by the contract) X 1.00 = 5 days.
Exit without Saving: Click this button at any time to cancel the current record.
Save and Exit: Click this button when the full details for the current claim have been entered. The database will then validate the data entered. If any errors are found a message will appear stating the error to be resolved.
The record cannot be saved until all issues stated are resolved.
Amending aClaim
To amend any previously entered claim details (current month only) double-click the required record within the Non-Teaching Claim Details list to view the details.
Deleting a Claim
To delete details from the current claim, highlight the required record within the Non-Teaching Claim Details list (Click once) and then click ‘Delete Record’.
Registering a Claim for a Prior Month