If an employee falls ill, you as the supervisor are responsible for supporting the employee during this period.
In gROW, you will find a knowledge clip explaining sickness absenteeism management within Radboud University.
Brief illness
An employee personally reports in sick. As the supervisor, you are not allowed to ask about the medical situation or to record it, but there are a lot of questions you can ask, such as what the person can still do (see the overview below). The person may still be able to perform some tasks, so they are not necessarily off sick entirely. As the supervisor, you arrange with the sick employee when you will contact each other again about the situation. The recommendation is to do so within five working days. For a brief illness, there is no need to make an appointment for the employee with the Occupational Health Officer, but do make arrangements with your employee about when the employee is likely to resume the duties.
Longer illness
If a longer period off sick is expected, it is important that, as the supervisor, you make an appointment for your employee with the Occupational Health Officer. The Occupational Health Officer is a medical specialist and an independent advisor to the employee and to Radboud University in relation to work and health. If an employee can no longer work due to illness, the Occupational Health Officer will advise on the degree of incapacity for work (in terms of time and task limitations), on when it would be reasonable to resume duties and on whether any adjustments are required to do so. In case of sick leave, the Occupational Health Officer will advise the employee and employer in accordance with the rules and procedure set out in the Eligibility for Permanent Incapacity Benefit (Restrictions) Act (Wet Verbetering Poortwachter). The Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) has developed a handy tool for this, enabling you to link this to your Outlook calendar, see Step-by-step guide to employee sickness | UWV. That way, you can keep track of this process better.
The return to work is the joint responsibility of both the supervisor and the employee. For this reason, the Occupational Health Officer provides his/her advice to both you as the supervisor and your employee, so that together you can arrange what is possible. As the supervisor, you can contact the Occupational Health Officer to discuss his/her advice on the return to work, workload and any workplace adjustments in further detail.
Make appointment with the Occupational Health Officer
An employee can also make his/her own preventive appointment with the Occupational Health Officer. In that case, you, as the supervisor, will not receive any feedback from this conversation. As the supervisor, you can also make a preventive appointment with the Occupational Health Officer for your employee. You will make this preventive appointment in consultation with your employee. In that case, you will receive feedback.
More information on the Eligibility for Permanent Incapacity Benefit (Restrictions) Act
Asking questions during illness
When an employee is sick, it is important to know which questions you can and cannot ask that employee. Please note that, as the supervisor, you are not allowed to ask about the nature of the cause . The employee may well tell you this, but as the supervisor you are not allowed to record it.
The right questions
- Do you want to tell me what’s going on?
- How are you?
- Do you have any idea how long you will be absent?
- Are any adjustments needed so you can return to work?
- Is there any way that you can do some work at home?
- Is there anything or any work that must be passed on to someone else?
- What other arrangements should we make?
- Where can I reach you in the meantime?
What you shouldn’t ask
You shouldn’t ask any questions about the nature or cause of the illness, such as:
- What exactly do you have?
- Do you have the flu, backache or something serious?
- Are you pregnant?
- What medication are you taking?
These questions fall under medical data and only an Occupational Health Officer is allowed to collect information on this.
Taking leave during illness
Employees who are ill for a prolonged period but nevertheless feel fit enough to go on holiday can take leave if they are capable of doing so. In that case, they should request leave in the usual manner and take holiday leave. What if you are not sure whether your employee is capable of this? It may be difficult to have a conversation about this with your employee. The Occupational Health Officer can advise you.
If an employee is on leave, he/she does not have a return-to-work obligation at that time. Holiday leave must not impede the return to work.
Standard forms under the Eligibility for Permanent Incapacity Benefit (Restrictions) Act
There are a number of standard forms that you, as the supervisor, should fill in together with the employee for the Eligibility for Permanent Incapacity Benefit (Restrictions) Act. This standard form should be signed by both you, as the supervisor, and the employee.
- Collective income insurance (Loyalis)
- Return-to-Work Guide (in Dutch) (Werkwijzer Poortwachter)
- Addendum to the Return-to-Work Guide (in Dutch)
- Quick Start for the Return-to-Work Guide (in Dutch)