ILL HEALTH INCAPACITY: MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES PURPOSE The purpse f this dcument is t prvide guidelines t line managers regarding incapacity due t ill health, and t ensure alignment with prcedures and prcesses required fr the incme security benefits f emplyees. SCOPE The guidelines apply t managers f all emplyees (permanent as well as temprary staff) f Stellenbsch University (SU). DEFINITIONS Sick leave The absence f an emplyee frm wrk due t sickness r injury; calculated in accrdance with the emplyee s cntract f emplyment Chrnic ailments r diseases Ailments r diseases that are diagnsed as lng-term cnditins, e.g. diabetes and asthma Incapacity The failure r inability f an emplyee t perfrm accrding t the standards set by SU Ill health incapacity Incapacity as defined abve; i.e. an emplyee s failure r inability t perfrm t the standards set by SU and/r the failure t fulfil their cre jb duties due t illness r injury Impairment Deviatin frm the functinal capabilities f an average healthy emplyee Disability in the cntext f emplyment A physical r mental impairment, lng-term r shrt-term in nature that substantially limits an emplyee s ability t enter int r advance in emplyment with the emplyer Disability in the cntext f emplyee benefits Hw disability is defined with regard t the prvisins f the USRF (Stellenbsch University Retirement Fund) Critical elements in the management f ill health incapacity Absenteeism management Entry criteria Absent fr mre than 14 cntinuus days (n merit) Serius injury
Uncntrlled chrnic cnditins (e.g. diabetes, musculskeletal prblems r HIV-related illnesses) Decreased prductivity due t chrnic disease Decreased prductivity due t prgressive disease (e.g. cancer and MS) Increased frequency f absence due t illness Enrlment and cnsent prcess (ECA early case assessment) Dcumentatin Prcess Identificatin and referral f case (ECA) Diagnstic tests r specialist cnsultatins and reprts Treatment r rehabilitatin Occupatinal and physitherapeutical assessments and reprts Diagnsis r prblem list Management planning Applicatin t be declared incapacitated due t ill health Applicatin utcmes Apprved: Infrm the emplyee (as well as ther rle-players, e.g. the human resurces (HR) practitiner, line manager and wellness manager) f the utcme. Apprved temprarily: Set a review date fr mnitring by the incapacity fficer. Rejected: Refer back t the active-case management team t investigate further ptins (e.g. terminatin f service due t incapacity t perfrm nrmal duties).
ANNEXURE A ABSENCE FROM WORK DUE TO SICK LEAVE The line manager has t implement sick leave management when an emplyee is absent frm wrk n sick leave taken within the parameters set ut belw: The emplyee takes sick leave mre frequently withut a validating definite diagnsis. The emplyee s sick leave allcatin is clse t being r has already been exhausted as regards the current sick leave cycle. The emplyee increasingly takes sick leave f tw days r less and the eight weeks rule has been applied, calculated as frm the cmmencement date f the current sick leave cycle. Cmmunicable r nn-cmmunicable diseases (e.g. diabetes, cancer r HIV infectin) have resulted in decreased prductivity and attendance. PROCESS FOR SICK LEAVE MANAGEMENT: HR PRACTITIONER Extract quarterly absenteeism reprts and prepare statistics r trends t discuss with the envirnments cncerned. Identify and investigate cases where sick leave has been taken mre frequently but n definite diagnsis has been made. Mnitr cases f absenteeism that have been flagged as ptential risks. Identify ther cases f ptential incapacity fr discussin with the ECA team (e.g. an emplyee diagnsed with a terminal illness, r a sudden deteriratin in the cnditin f an emplyee suffering frm a chrnic illness). Reprt ptential risks t the wellness fficer and the incapacity fficer with the necessary sensitivity.
ANNEXURE B ABSENCE FROM WORK DUE TO EXTENDED SICK LEAVE OR INABILITY TO PERFORM NORMAL DUTIES If an emplyee is absent frm wrk fr fur weeks r lnger, the prcedure belw is t be fllwed. Identifying incapacity due t ill health r injury Ill health r injury may manifest directly, as absence frm wrk (i.e. taking sick leave), r indirectly, as failure t cmplete r perfrm wrk duties t the expected standard. Failure t cmplete r perfrm wrk duties may als be due t gradual deteriratin f the medical cnditin frm which an emplyee suffers, r t an emplyee suffering an injury r being afflicted by an illness that pses an immediate perfrmance challenge. Emplyees will be recgnised (regarded) as being affected by r incapacitated due t ill health in the fllwing circumstances: An emplyee is absent frm wrk (i.e. n sick leave) in accrdance with the absence pattern as set ut in Annexure A. Sick leave management prcesses have been implemented r exhausted. A medical r psychlgical cnditin (whether pre-existing r newly diagnsed) is impeding r reducing the emplyee s prductivity r functinality. Due t illness r injury, an emplyee has been accmmdated temprarily in a different capacity and the temprary measure was reprted, and the situatin has remained unchanged fr lnger than a mnth. Please nte! Latent medical cnditins whether knwn r nt that have nt affected the functinality f an emplyee (e.g. HIV psitive but nt suffering frm Aids, r diagnsed with cancer but in remissin) will nt be regarded as instances f ill health r incapacity until they d affect emplyees functinality r ability t perfrm their duties, r until an emplyee requests fr the applicatin prcess t be initiated t be declared incapacitated due t ill health.
ANNEXURE C EARLY CASE ASSESSMENT The ECA prcess is initiated by implementing active case management, which invlves a team cnsisting f the rle players cncerned. The purpse f active case management is t determine the best management strategy regarding a specific emplyee s health status and jb requirements. Interventins include but is nt limited t the fllwing: The emplyee returns t wrk after having taken sick leave, r a transitinal wrk prgramme is implemented, r a cmbinatin f these tw ptins (as far as accmmdatin is reasnable). Functinal capacity assessments are perfrmed (where indicated). An independent ccupatinal therapist may visit the wrkplace fr this purpse. Vcatinal assessments may be perfrmed f emplyees wh cannt return t their previus psitin. The emplyee s sick leave status may be reviewed. A reprting and cmmunicatin rutine may be established. Scheduled fllw-ups and mnitring may be emplyed. The prcess shuld perate within predicted timeframes (especially regarding reasnable accmmdatin). Incapacity enquiry with the insurance cmpany The purpse f this enquiry is t assess an emplyee s incapacity and, in ding s, t review and assess the fllwing: the standard t which the emplyee is expected t perfrm; whether the emplyee is capable f perfrming his r her duties; whether the emplyee has received sufficient assistance in the way the wrk situatin has been adapted; and whether it wuld be pssible t accmmdate the emplyee s incapacity.
ANNEXURE D FORMAL APPLICATION TO BE DECLARED INCAPACITATED DUE TO ILL HEALTH This prcess is ne f the ptins t cnsider nce the active-case management prcess has been cncluded. The HR practitiner must prvide the incapacity fficer with the emplyee s cntact details. The incapacity fficer must cntact and meet with the emplyee fr a prper briefing regarding the prcess(es) invlved in an applicatin like that, including the applicatin frms t be cmpleted by the relevant rle-players (emplyee, line manager and treating dctr),if required. The incapacity fficer is the liaisn persn between the emplyee, the insurers and the HR practitiner. The utcme f the applicatin must be cmmunicated t the relevant rleplayers the emplyee, HR practitiner, line manager and wellness manager. If the utcme is a declaratin f temprary incapacity, the review date must be cmmunicated t the relevant rle-players (see the preceding bullet item). At least tw mnths befre the review date, the incapacity fficer must fllw up with the insurer abut the requirements fr the review. The incapacity fficer must prvide the relevant rle-players (HR practitiner and wellness manager) with a mnthly summary f all reprted cases (status f claim, review date, etc.). The summary must be case specific. Shuld any f the rle-players becme aware f any changes in the health cnditin r status f an emplyee (e.g. hspitalisatin r death), they must reprt it t the incapacity fficer. Please Nte! The nus rests n the emplyee t prvide the University (represented by the incapacity fficer) with enugh infrmatin (e.g. dctrs reprts, sick certificates, specialist reprts and reprts n specific investigatins) t facilitate the applicatin. All csts incurred in btaining such infrmatin will be fr the emplyee s accunt.