Attendance support

I have been asked to attend an Attendance Support Meeting (ASM). What is this?

This is an informal procedure and primarily aims to be supportive.

The Force has set annual attendance targets and uses these calculations to identify trigger points for managing attendance at work. This is designed to enable the Force to identify concerns at an early stage and take supportive action to help officers achieve improved and acceptable attendance.

The trigger points are eight working days, or three occasions of absence, calculated over a rolling twelve-month period. In addition to this, long-term absence is recognised as one period exceeding 28 days. If a particular pattern of absence is evident (including part day absence), this may also be regarded as a trigger.

ASMs are part of the informal procedure. If attendance levels are equal to, or greater than the attendance triggers, a line manager may invite the member to an ASM, to discuss absence from work along with objectives, actions, support and interventions that will help improve attendance at work or to facilitate a return to work. Always check that this meeting is an ASM and not Stage 1 of the attendance policy.

As the meeting is supportive, it is expected that in all but exceptional circumstances contact will be made directly between the member and their line manager, however, a Federation representative or workplace colleague may facilitate discussions regarding meeting arrangements.

Meetings will be held on Force premises where possible or alternatively a home visit/alternative location. Often these are now held via Skype or Teams.

The member should obtain necessary medical evidence to place a duty on the Force to implement Reasonable Adjustments. If they have a Reasonable Adjustments Passport (RAP) in place this should be up to date and be highlighted.

The approach appropriate for everyone will be considered from the outset, and throughout a period of absence to ensure that this is individual to their needs.

The Force will explore redeployment options if the member is unable to continue in their role or return to work following a period of absence.

Possible interventions

These could include referral to occupational health, exploration of reasonable adjustments, signposting, temporary restrictions or management support.

Actions agreed will be documented in a Wellbeing Plan with a review period set; for short-term absences usually three to six months, long-term sooner dependent upon the circumstances.

If a development/wellbeing plan is initiated it must be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely). Although rare, failure of this can technically result in moving to the formal stage of the Unsatisfactory Attendance Process so it is vitally important plans are suitable.

Should there be further absences during the review period, or a return to work is not achieved, a further meeting will be held. A determination will be made at this point as to whether to continue with Attendance Support Meetings at the informal stage, or to refer to the formal process.

While this is informal and aims to be supportive, it still forms part of the attendance policy and evidence of non-attendance or a reluctance to look at resolutions will be noted and can be used in future more formal stages.

Formal procedure

The formal process is set out within the Unsatisfactory Performance/Attendance Procedure (UAP).

There are three stages within the process. The stages are sequential, however, are not limited to one meeting at each stage – for example, it might be appropriate in the circumstances to hold several meetings at Stage 1.