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Sickness absence - Return to work process

Co-ordinating the return to work process - When might a co-ordinator be necessary?

If you have had to get assistance from a number of advisers inside and outside the workplace it may be helpful to appoint someone to act as a go-between or co-ordinator. The co-ordinator’s role would be to make sure that information is available in time, arrangements proceed smoothly and everyone concerned knows and understands what to expect. The type of person who should take this on will vary according to the circumstances.

If it is a reasonably small business, the employee’s supervisor may be able to act as the co-ordinator in a fairly informal way, perhaps with external advice. In some cases, a trade union or other employee representative may be able to act as co-ordinator. In large organisations, other possible personnel include a line manager, human resources, equal opportunities or occupational health professional.

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