| 1. |
This document explains the policy on sick leave and serves as a working document to enable principals, supervisors and employees (educators and public service staff) to manage sick leave more efficiently. It should be regarded as supplementary to Circular 57/2003 on sick leave.
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| 2. |
Sick leave is divided into the following categories:
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| 2.2 |
Temporary incapacity leave (Short period: 29 days or fewer)
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| 2.3 |
Temporary incapacity leave (Long period: 30 days or more)
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| 2.4 |
Permanent incapacity leave
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| 3.1 |
Employees are entitled to 36-days' sick leave over a three-year cycle. (Current cycle: 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2009)
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| 3.2 |
Unused sick leave lapses at the end of each three-year cycle and cannot be carried over to the new cycle.
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| 3.3 |
Employees who, on account of sudden illness, are unable to report for duty, must notify their principal or supervisor of this at the start of a working day. This will allow for alternative arrangements to be made to maintain a normal teaching timetable or service. Principals and supervisors are encouraged to set requirements in this regard, in consultation with their staff.
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| 3.4 |
As a rule, the practice of submitting backdated medical certificates should be avoided.
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| 3.5 |
An employee who is in his or her 36-days' normal sick leave cycle, and who has been absent from work on more than two occasions during an 8-week period, must, regardless of the duration of the illness or injury, submit a medical certificate after the third period of absence. The certificate must state that the employee was unable to work for the duration of the three periods of absence on account of sickness or injury. If such a medical certificate is not submitted, the three periods of absence will be covered by normal vacation and/or annual leave (with the employee's consent) or, alternatively, unpaid leave.
The 8-week period referred to above shall be a calendar period and shall commence on the first day of an employee's absence owing to sickness or injury. Any subsequent day of absence owing to sickness or injury after the above-mentioned 8-week period must then be regarded as the first day of the next 8-week period.
The WCED may request a medical certificate to be submitted in support of any application for sick leave (even for periods of less than 3 days), should circumstances justify the submission of such a certificate.
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| 3.6 |
All applications for sick leave as a result of any mental illness, such as depression or anxiety attacks, may be accompanied by a medical certificate issued by a general practitioner only after the initial consultation. The general practitioner should/must then refer the employee to a psychiatrist for further treatment. A medical certificate from a general practitioner is not acceptable for a period of stress or depression exceeding two days.
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| 3.7 |
In cases where there is a pattern which may indicate abuse of sick leave, for example, absences on Mondays, Fridays, pay-days or single days in the course of the week, the employee may be requested to submit a medical certificate for periods of sick leave shorter than three days, should such repeated absences from the workplace have occurred more than three times.
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| 3.8 |
In cases where the WCED receives applications for sick leave for periods of three days or more and without a medical certificate, two days will be granted as sick leave on full salary and the remaining period as unauthorised leave without pay.
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| 3.9 |
In cases where the period of sick leave applied for exceeds that recommended by the medical practitioner, a further medical certificate must be obtained to cover the extended period of sick leave, otherwise the extended period will be covered by unpaid leave.
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| 3.10 |
For every 15 consecutive days' leave taken without pay, an employee's sick leave entitlement is reduced by 1/36th (one day) of the leave cycle in the case of educators and 1/72nd (half a day) in the case of public service personnel.
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| 3.11 |
Should an institution-based educator on capped leave, or an office-based educator on capped- or annual leave, or a public servant on annual- or capped leave take ill during a period of annual or capped leave, he or she may apply to have that period of illness during the annual or capped leave converted to sick leave. In such cases, a medical certificate from a registered practitioner must be submitted within three days of resumption of duty.
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| 4. |
TEMPORARY INCAPACITY LEAVE: PILIR
Please refer to Circular 0045/2006, dated 1 September 2006.
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| 5. |
PERMANENT INCAPACITY LEAVE: PILIR
Please refer to Circular 0045/2006, dated 1 September 2006.
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| 6. |
DOCUMENTATION AND GENERAL GUIDELINES
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| 6.1 |
All applications for leave within the 36-days' sick-leave entitlement must be submitted on form Z1(a) (with medical certificate(s) attached, when necessary). The general rule, that sick leave applications must, where possible, be submitted beforehand, or within seven working days of the first day of absence, must be adhered to at all times.
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| 6.2 |
Principals and supervisors must forward completed leave application forms to the respective personnel offices at Head Office for processing within fourteen days of receipt of the leave application forms.
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| 6.3 |
Leave application forms must not be accumulated, but must be sent to Head Office immediately. This practice will make it easier to manage employees' sick leave effectively and will enable the WCED to provide an accurate record of employees' leave at any given time. The WCED may charge the principal or supervisor with misconduct should he or she fail to comply with this instruction.
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| 6.4 |
Leave applications must be completed and forwarded in duplicate to Head Office for processing. A third copy of the completed form must be kept by the applicant's principal or supervisor for record purposes.
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| 6.5 |
Principals and supervisors must keep a personnel leave register so that they can manage and monitor leave trends among their staff.
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| 6.6 |
Leave applications on the Z1(a) form must be signed by the staff member applying for leave and the section headed "Recommendation by Supervisor/Manager'' must be completed and signed by the principal or supervisor.
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| 6.7 |
In the event of the principal or supervisor not recommending an application for sick leave, he or she must provide reasons to the employee concerned and to the WCED.
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| 7.1 |
Kindly bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all personnel in your institution, office or directorate, including those on leave, and request them to sign and date the document as proof that they have noted its contents.
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| 7.2 |
Where there is a need, WCED officials will be available, on request, to conduct workshops or training sessions for principals, supervisors or staff on the sick leave policy.
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SIGNED: TS MATSELISO
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2008:12:17
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