LEAVE OF ABSENCE POLICY & PROCEDURE

Transcription

1 LEAVE OF ABSENCE POLICY & PROCEDURE 1 POLICY DRAFTED BY: INTEGRATED GOVERNANCE MANAGER 2 ACCOUNTABLE DIRECTOR: DIRECTOR OF QUALITY AND INTEGRATED GOVERNANCE 3 APPLIES TO: CCG EMPLOYEES 4 COMMITTEE & DATE APPROVED: Joint Partnership Group 30 January 2015 Executive Management Team 11 March VERSION: 4 6 RELATED DOCUMENTS: FLEXIBLE WORKING POLICY FAMILY LEAVE POLICY & PROCEDURE 7 DATE OF IMPLEMENTATION: 23 March DATE OF NEXT REVIEW: April 2016 or earlier should there be national NHS terms & condition/ legislative changes DOCUMENT CONTROL Date Version Action Amendments 15/08/ Review by human resources Clarity of wording and separate family leave guidance Reviewed by the joint partnership Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 1 of 17

2 1. Introduction CCG employees may take advantage of a range of leave or absence options. This policy summarises the different types of leave options, entitlements and eligibility requirements for each type of leave. Annual and other leave entitlements have been brought together in this policy. However, leave entitlements are complex and are sometimes informed by statutory limits and thresholds so after reading this policy you should discuss any leave requirements with your line manager and/or HR. This is especially true if you work part-time; need to take more than one type of leave together or wish to take leave for a reason not covered in this policy. 2. Policies statement Islington CCG s policies set out the organisation s standards and intentions, and are written with the aim of being as clear and comprehensive as possible. However, we operate in a dynamic and evolving work environment and attention should be paid to the spirit of the policy as well as the letter. Policies by themselves cannot guarantee effective behaviour or the delivery of key objectives. While they are designed to support the CCG, and the people working within it, our success depends on continuous, high quality effort by everyone the policy covers. Therefore thought must be given to good practice when applying or interpreting any of the CCG s policies. This Policy should be read in conjunction with a relating policy (where applicable). Advice and guidance can also be sought from HR. 3. Purpose and Scope of the Policy This policy sets out the standards of attendance expected of CCG employees, and the policy for agreeing and/or reporting leave or absence. This policy also summarises the leave available for employees employed by Islington CCG. In this policy leave is broken down into three types: the types of leave all or most employees take and special leave many employees may take at some point during their employment with Islington CCG. The policy also details the types of leave to be taken when there are adverse weather conditions. Each type of leave is discussed in terms of: a description of the leave available and when it may be taken; entitlement; how to apply; and what other types of leave might apply either with or instead of this. Where applicable, reference is also given to other policies that cover the particular type of absence/leave in more detail. Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 2 of 17

3 4. Summary of leave covered in this policy and details of related policies. The following summarises the different types of leave covered in this policy and relating policies where further information can be found. Typical Leave Leave Policy section Details of relating policy Annual leave Section 11.1 & 11.5 Also refer Managing Absence Policy Maternity Leave Section 11.2 Also refer to Maternity Policy & Procedure Maternity Support Leave, including antenatal Section 11.4 Also refer to Paternity Policy & Procedure appointments Paternity Leave Section 11.3 Also refer to Paternity Policy & Procedure Sickness Absence Section 11.5 Also refer to Managing Absence Policy Special Leave Bereavement Leave Section 12.1 Time off For Dependents Section 12.2 Also refer extended carer s leave (13.7) Study Leave Section 12.3 Other Types of Leave Adoption Leave Section 13.1 Also refer to Adoption Policy & Procedure Career Break Section 13.9 Also refer to Employment Break Scheme Disability Leave Section Extended Carers Leave Section 13.7 Fostering Leave Section 13.2 Parental Leave Section 13.4 Public Duties Section 13.3 Including jury service Religious/Cultural Section 13.5 Trade Union Activities Section 13.6 Unpaid Special Leave Section Urgent Domestic Distress Section 13.8 Adverse Weather Section 9 Unauthorised absence Section 15 Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 3 of 17

4 5. Combinations of Leave At the end of the policy is a table that allows you to compare different leave types, and see what types of leave may and may not be taken together. Options for flexible working and managing work related to stress are covered in the organisation s Flexible Working Guidelines. Because calculating leave entitlement and eligibility can be complex, you should always discuss your leave plans and needs with your line manager and if necessary with HR. From time to time there may be employees who have transferred to the CCG under TUPE or other arrangements and who have additional leave entitlements. These will apply in addition to the standard leave entitlements and arrangements set out in this policy, pending discussion and further information from HR. 6. Who this policy applies to This policy applies to all employees of Islington CCG. It does not apply to contractors or agency staff. 7. Roles and responsibilities 7.1 The Responsibilities of the Line Manager To accurately record, report and monitor attendance and absence of all staff for whom they are responsible. To resolve absence problems and support staff to achieve satisfactory levels of attendance. To maintain a clear and accurate record of attendance. To initiate referrals for Occupational Health assessments. To maintain contact with the employee who is absent as a result of sickness. To inform all employees of this policy and of any local procedures relating to requesting leave and notifying absences including sickness absence To support employees and work with HR to ensure all leave and absence entitlements are correctly calculated for each individual. To conduct a Return To Work discussion with all employees as soon as possible after every sickness absence period, regardless of the length. To complete and submit attendance records for all employees to payroll and ensure that accurate, timely reporting is undertaken to enable the correct sickness payment to be made. 7.2 The Responsibilities of the Employee To ensure regular attendance at work. To adhere to all leave request & notification procedures To notify their manager of sickness absence in accordance with departmental procedures Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 4 of 17

5 To inform their manager/appropriate post-holder if they are unable to attend work for whatever reason. This should be prior to (or where this is not possible within one hour of) their expected time on duty or in accordance with local absence reporting arrangements if applicable. To submit timely certification for sickness absences including self-certificates from the first day of absence and medical certificates/fit notes from the eighth calendar day of absence. To attend a health assessment at the request of their manager. To keep their manager informed of progress during absence and of dates for returning to work. 8. Attendance At Work Employees are required to be at work in accordance with their contracted hours and in line with any agreed flexible working arrangements. If an employee is going to be late for work, or may be unable to attend work, they are expected to contact their manager to let him or her know in line with local notification arrangements. Non-attendance at work is only acceptable when absence has been agreed or in the event of unforeseen circumstances such as sickness or urgent domestic distress absence and line managers have been notified. Such absence must be notified at the start of the first day of the absence. Supporting evidence may be required on the employee s return to work e.g. a sick note for sick leave of more than seven calendar days. 9. Adverse Weather Adverse weather conditions can be defined as snow, ice, volcanic eruptions, fog and floods which render journeys by road, public or private transport as extremely hazardous. If a safe route to work remains open to employees then they are expected to make every reasonable effort to attend even in unusual or extreme weather conditions. Reasonable efforts include changing the normal route or mode of transport taken to work; or taking extra time to complete their journey. If an employee is unable to attend work due to adverse weather conditions then they should, with their manager, explore the following options in the following order: alternative office accommodation; working from home; taking time off in lieu [TOIL] - including making up hours later; taking annual leave; taking unpaid leave if the employee has no annual leave to take. The CCG recognises that adverse weather may also impact on employees who themselves may be able to travel to work but may be unable to do so because of the weather related closure of other organisations e.g. schools; or where due to the weather support to fulfil caring responsibilities is not available. Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 5 of 17

6 In those circumstances the employee should, with their manager, explore the following options in the following order: working from home; taking time off in lieu (including making up hours later); taking annual leave taking unpaid leave 10. Leave and Absence Requests for all types of leave will be considered on a case by case basis and where necessary managers will discuss requests with HR or seek other advice in order to inform their decision. Requests for leave will not normally be refused but from time to time it may be necessary for the CCG to refuse a request for leave, or to amend leave that has been agreed, to ensure the service is not unduly disrupted. Where agreed leave needs to be reconsidered for business reasons, this will be discussed with the employee in the first instance. 11. Typical Leave 11.1 Annual Leave Annual leave is paid leave for employees to take holidays, and can also be used when employees need to stay at home because e.g. they have a plumber coming. It is the main type of leave employees take from work. For the purposes of annual leave, the leave year runs from 1 April to 31 March inclusive Annual leave entitlement is calculated and based on an employee s total NHS services, even where there has been a break in service. Employees are, in addition, entitled to take bank holidays. For a full time employee annual leave entitlements are set out below. Length of Total NHS Service Less than five years Five to 10 years Over 10 years Full time Annual Leave Entitlement 27 days plus bank holidays 29 days plus bank holidays 33 days plus bank holidays The leave set out above is the maximum an employee may take in any given leave year and any unused leave remaining at 31 March will be lost, unless the employee has secured their manger s agreement to carry over up to a maximum 5 days annual leave. Employees who have made arrangements for flexible working e.g. term time working, or who work part time will have a pro-rata annual leave entitlement. Line managers will advise employees of their leave entitlement annually before 31 March for the year starting 1 April. The CCG will provide every employee with an annual leave card that they should use to record their manager s agreement to their leave request and leave they have booked/taken. Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 6 of 17

7 For new staff who start during the leave year, annual leave entitlement will be calculated on a pro rata basis. Employees accrue annual leave during sickness absence/ maternity/paternity & adoption leave. Annual leave does not accrue during a career break. Employees and managers are responsible for recording annual leave and providing details of annual leave taken on request. An employee s annual leave entitlement is based on their total length of NHS service. Calculations of leave accrual or pro-rata entitlements shall be rounded up to the nearest half day Part time workers receive a pro-rata annual leave and public holiday entitlement. They will take public holidays as part of this calculated leave entitlement. Entitlement to annual leave and bank holidays is calculated in hours for part time staff HR will be able to calculate your annual leave entitlement upon request If an employee experiences sickness during annual leave, the annual leave may be reclaimed if the correct reporting procedures either for self-certification or medical certification (as appropriate) are followed. The leave will then be recorded as sickness absence. See section 8.5 for information about sickness absence and absence reporting procedures Bank Holidays in England are subject to Royal Proclamation but typically include: New Year s Day Good Friday and Easter Monday Early May and Late May Late August Christmas Day and Boxing Day All employees are provided with an annual leave card on which to record their leave, which is signed off by their line manager when periods of annual leave are agreed. Employees should request leave as early as possible. Although any reasonable request for annual leave will be considered, employees should ask for leave as early as possible. Leave may be refused on the grounds of service needs, for example during peak periods or where there would be too few staff in the team/office when the period of leave has been requested. In addition on very rare occasions employees may be asked to change leave arrangements or be called in while on annual leave depending on service need. Such requests will be discussed with employees in the first instance. Annual leave is always paid Maternity Leave Please refer to the Maternity Policy & Procedure for further information Paternity Leave Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 7 of 17

8 Please refer to the Paternity Policy & Procedure for further information Maternity Support Leave Please refer to the Paternity Policy & Procedure for further information Sick Leave Sickness absence will be actively managed by the CCG as part of its duty to provide a safe working environment and support a healthy workforce. Entitlement to sick pay depends on length of continuous service in the NHS. Length of Service Less than one year One to two years Two to three years Three to five years Five years or more Entitlement 1 month full pay and 2 months half-pay 2 months full pay and 2 months half-pay 4 months full pay and 4 months half pay 5 months full pay and 5 months half-pay 6 months full pay and 6 months half-pay If an employee experiences sickness during annual leave, the annual leave may be reclaimed if a valid doctor s certificate can be produced. The leave will then be recorded as sickness absence and will be classed as sickness absence for the purposes of references, managing absence or other employment matters or records. Sickness due to pregnancy and maternity will be recorded as pregnancy related sickness absence but will not be included in calculations for managing issues of sickness absence. Sickness during maternity leave will be considered to be part of maternity leave. Please refer to the Maternity Policy & Procedure for further information. It is a condition of employment that employees who are unable to attend work because of illness should notify their manager as soon as possible on their first day of sickness (unless there is a substantial and acceptable reason preventing notification) and at regular subsequent intervals. Each department will determine the normal limits within which notification of sickness should occur and the manager to whom the employee should report. In the absence of any local procedure, the default requirement is to report absence to the immediate line manager prior to (or where this is not possible within one hour of) their expected start time. Managers have a responsibility to ensure their employees know and understand the correct reporting procedures. For any period of seven calendar days or less employees should self-certificate their absence. Any absence of eight calendar days or more should be certified by a doctor s certificate; or sufficient doctor s certificates to cover the total length of sickness absence if more than one certificate is required. Failure to submit medical certificates can result in the withholding of pay. Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 8 of 17

9 Once the employee has returned to work then a return to work discussion will be held with the member of employees to ensure: correct reporting procedures have been followed; or if not to discuss why this has happened; to check if the employee needs any support; to explore any pattern of absence that is emerging; to consider if a referral to occupational health is necessary. The manager will make a record of the return to work meeting Stillbirth and Miscarriage. Islington CCG recognises the extremely distressing and sad nature of these events and will proceed with all due sensitivity toward the employee and her colleagues and carers. If stillbirth or miscarriage occurs before the 24 th week of pregnancy then provision for sick leave applies. If the stillbirth or miscarriage occurs after the 24 th week the employee will be entitled to maternity leave. For further information please refer to the Maternity Policy & Procedure Medical appointments and time in hospital or recuperating from illness Medical appointments may be taken as annual leave, sick leave, or managed under flexible working arrangements. You should speak to your line manager to agree what works best for you and meets the needs of the service. Time spent in hospital or recuperating from an illness should normally be taken as sickness absence, Please refer to the Managing Absence Policy for further information on sickness absence. 12. Special Leave 12.1 Bereavement Leave In the event of the death of an employee s close relative managers may agree up to three days paid bereavement leave, and further leave up to a total of six days in any 12 month rolling period (pro rata for part time employees). Close relatives are parents, siblings, partner/spouse, and children but managers may use their discretion when considering granting bereavement leave after the death of any person close to an employee. All employees, regardless of their length of service may be granted bereavement leave. Bereavement leave should be agreed with the employee s manager and recorded as paid special leave on the employee s leave card and in the absence returns to payroll. Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 9 of 17

10 Combining leave Bereavement leave may be taken with annual leave or with unpaid leave Time off for dependents Dependents i include children, parents or relatives for whom you are a carer, or other people for whom you act as a carer. Employees with caring responsibilities sometimes need to take time off when the person they are caring for falls ill, or if there is a breakdown of caring arrangements in place when the employee is at work. In the first instance managers may agree up to three working days in the first instance. Further leave up to a total of six days paid leave over a rolling 12 month period may be agreed in special circumstances by an Executive Director. If more leave is required to look after dependents then this should be taken as annual leave. Pre-planned appointments are not counted as carers leave annual leave should be requested (or unpaid leave if annual leave has been exhausted). All employees, regardless of their length of service may be granted dependents leave. In circumstances where advanced notice is not possible employees should use the same process as that for sick leave for notifying their manager Combining leave Employees may wish to consider extended carers leave - see section Study Leave The CCG is committed to supporting employee s life-long learning and to help them meet career development needs. Mandatory training requirements and short term courses such as training in first aid or PRINCE2 would normally be completed during normal office hours, or treated as the equivalent of being at work. For additional training and development employees may apply for up to three days paid study leave per year, and may combine this with annual leave, flexible working arrangements and special leave. Leave entitlements should be agreed with the employee s line manager as part of the application for training, and recorded on the employee s annual leave card as study leave. All employees, regardless of their length of service will be entitled to study leave. 13. Other Leave 13.1 Adoption Leave Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 10 of 17

11 Please refer to the Adoption Policy & Procedure for further information Fostering Leave Leave provision Age of Child Up to 5 years old Foster Leave & Pay Up to 18 weeks paid leave [8 weeks full pay and 10 weeks half pay] 5 to 6 years old Up to 6 weeks paid leave at full pay 6 years old and over Up to 2 weeks paid leave at full pay plus 11 weeks unpaid leave Paid time off may be granted during and after the fostering process for official meetings, such as legal, medical or social services appointments. An appointment card/letter will be required as proof of attendance together with adequate notice and approval from the manager. Eligibility The employee must: be the approved main foster carer by the Fostering Agency have 12 months continuous with Islington CCG at the date fostering commences provide a letter of agreement from the Fostering Agency and proposed leave dates at least 28 days before the leave commences, or as reasonably practicable using the form in appendix 1 and submit this to the line manager & HR. return to work for Islington CCG or any other NHS employer for a minimum of 3 months to retain pay paid during the foster leave. Make one application for fostering leave within a 2 year rolling period Public Duties Managers should grant reasonable unpaid/paid time off for public duties which include but are not limited to: Jury service; Court attendance as a witness; Training with the armed forces including reserve forces or the cadets; Service with the armed forces including reserve forces or the cadets; Service as a magistrate or justice of the peace; Membership of a local authority; Membership of the board of governors of a public body such as a school or hospital, where this does not cause a conflict of interest with CCG employment. Please refer to HR for details on which duties would be paid/unpaid Civil cases where the employee is a litigant do not fall under this heading, and time needed for these cases should be taken as annual leave or unpaid leave. Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 11 of 17

12 Employees who volunteer with a charity or community group should normally ensure that as far as possible their voluntary activities are managed under annual leave or flexible working arrangements. Employees are required to inform their line manager in writing with details of the time off required for public duties as far in advance as possible Parental leave Please refer to the Ordinary Parental Leave Policy & Procedure for further information Religious and Cultural Observance The CCG is supportive of employees who wish to observe religious or cultural events. Employees who wish to take time off for these, where not already covered by an existing bank holiday, may request annual leave, unpaid leave or take time off under flexible working arrangements. Employees may take time needed during the day to observe their religious beliefs and requests should be made to their line manager, including the time off required so that arrangements to accommodate this within their contractual working hours. All employees, regardless of length of service may request religious and cultural observance leave Trade Union Activities Managers will grant trade union representatives reasonable paid time off to undertake a variety of duties and the training they need to effectively undertake those duties. Trade union representatives are those who are employed or have been elected in accordance with the rules of the union(s) concerned. Subject to the needs of the service and adequate notification, accredited representatives will be permitted paid time off, including time to prepare for meetings and disseminate information and outcomes to members during working hours, to carry out duties that are concerned with any aspect of negotiation and/or consultation on matters relating to terms and conditions of employment or agreed partnership processes. Examples include: terms and conditions of employment; engagement or termination of employment; allocation of work; matters of discipline; grievances and disputes; union membership or non-membership; facilities for trades union representatives; machinery for negotiation or consultation or other procedures; meetings with members; meetings with other lay officials or full time officers; appearing on behalf of members before internal or external bodies; Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 12 of 17

13 all joint policy implementation and partnership working; activities related to the function of Trade Union Learning Representative; activities related to trade union Health and Safety Representatives; other matters relating to employee relations and partnership working. Trade union representatives will also be given adequate time off to allow them to attend trades union approved training courses or events. Time off is not automatic, as employers have responsibilities to take account of the needs of service delivery. However, requests for paid time off to attend training courses will not be unreasonably refused. It is good practice that staff representatives should indicate the general nature of the business for which time off is required and where they can be contacted if required. Requests should be made to their line manager as far in advance as possible, as is reasonable in the circumstances. Wherever possible the representatives should indicate the anticipated period of absence. Requests for paid time off for trade union representatives will not be refused. Trade union members who are not acting as staff side representatives would normally be expected to participate in union activities outside working hours or to take annual leave. Depending on the needs of the service and the way in which unions themselves organise their business, union members may apply for reasonable time off during working hours to allow them to: attend executive committee meetings or annual conference or regional union meetings; vote in properly conducted ballots on industrial relations; vote in union elections; attend meetings to discuss urgent matters relating to the workplace; recruit and organise members Extended Carer s Leave In the unfortunate event an employee needs to take an extended absence from work to look after a dependent 1 with a serious illness then they, the manager and HR should consider all the available options to achieve the CCG s preferred outcome of being as supportive to employees as possible and avoiding them giving up their jobs. Unpaid carer s leave may be granted in such circumstances for a maximum of one year at the manager s discretion and in accordance with the needs of the service. To be eligible for extended carer s leave the employee must have accrued at least one year s continuous NHS service. Employees should apply in writing to their manager to request carer s leave, including the period of leave requested. Employees will be asked to obtain a medical certificate from the dependant's doctor. Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 13 of 17

14 Employees are not permitted to work during periods of carer s leave Urgent Domestic Distress In the event employees need to take time off work at very short notice due to e.g. fire, flood, burglary etc, then they will normally be expected to take annual leave. However, in some circumstances, such as when an employee has used all of their annual leave, managers may grant the employee one day of paid leave. All employees regardless of length of service can request urgent domestic distress leave. In circumstances where advanced notice is not possible employees should use the same process as that for sick leave for notifying their manager Career Break Employees with one year s continuous service may be eligible for an unpaid career break of up to five years in order to deal with personal responsibilities or for professional development purposes. If a career break is taken for less than a year employees are entitled to return to the same role, or if this role no longer exists, to a similar role in the organisation. If the career break is longer than one year, the employee will be entitled to return to a similar role. Please refer to the Employment Break Scheme for further information Unpaid Special Leave Where all other leave entitlements and benefits have been exhausted or do not apply to the circumstances affecting an employee, a request for unpaid leave can be made to the manager. There is no entitlement to unpaid leave, each request will be considered fairly on its individual merits depending on the needs of the employee and the needs of the service. Employees are not permitted to work during unpaid leave Disability Leave Employees who become disabled, or who have a disability that worsens, may request to take unpaid leave of up to six months. If necessary this can be extended to a total of one year. This leave is to allow employees, who might otherwise be fit for work, to make the adjustments they need to manage their new circumstances. Where disability leave is requested occupational health will provide ongoing advice and support. Disability leave is unpaid. Employees are not permitted to work during disability leave. Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 14 of 17

15 14. Flexible Working Requests for flexible working should be made in line with the Flexible Working Policy & Procedure. 15. Breaches of Policy Unauthorised absence or the misuse of leave arrangements will be managed under the Disciplinary Policy. Employees may not work whilst claiming sick pay from the CCG. Any such allegations will be looked into using counter fraud processes and the Disciplinary Policy. 16. Appeals Process If the employee feels that an application for other leave has been unreasonably declined they should discuss the matter with their line manager in the first instance. If the employee continues to be dissatisfied then they should in the first instance follow the procedure set out in the Grievance Policy. Anyone who identifies abuse of arrangements for applying for and taking annual leave should raise the matter using the process set out in the Whistleblowing Policy. 17. MONITORING AND REVIEW This policy will be reviewed periodically by Human Resources in conjunction with operational managers and Trade Union representatives. Where review is necessary due to legislative change, this will happen immediately. 18. References Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions of Service rd/afc_tc_of_service_handbook_fb.pdf HMRC forms MAT1B available from your GP or midwife SC3 - A summary of legal entitlements and rates of statutory pay can be found at Associated Polices Family Leave Policy Family Leave Procedure Managing Absence Policy Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 15 of 17

16 20. Cross Referencing Table Combining Different Leave i A dependent is someone who is married to, is a civil partner, or a partner (opposite/same sex) or is a child, a parent or a person who lives at the same house as the employee (other than a lodger, tenant, boarder or employee) or could be someone who would reasonably rely on the employee for assistance or arrangements for the provision of care in the event of an illness or injury Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 16 of 17

17 Equality Analysis Initial Assessment Title of the change proposal or policy: Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Brief description of the proposal: The Policy aims to recognise that from time to time staff will require time off work for certain matters that require their urgent attention. The organisation is committed to helping staff balance the demands of domestic and work responsibilities and sets out the provision of paid and unpaid leave subject to the demands of the service. Name(s) and role(s) of staff completing this assessment: Darshna Pankhania, HR Business Partner Date of assessment: 20 January 2015 Please answer the following questions in relation to the proposed change: Will it affect employees, customers, and/or the public? Please state which. Yes it will affect employees. Is it a major change affecting how a service or policy is delivered or accessed? No Will it have an effect on how other organisations operate in terms of equality? No If you conclude that there will not be a detrimental impact on any equality group, caused by the proposed change, please state how you have reached that conclusion: No anticipated detrimental impact on any equality group. The policy adheres to the NHS LA Standards, AFC Terms and Conditions, is legally compliant and takes account of best practice. Makes all reasonable provision to ensure equity of access to all staff. There are no statements, conditions or requirements that disadvantage any particular group of people with a protected characteristic. Please return a copy of the completed form to the Equality & Diversity Leave of Absence Policy & Procedure Page 17 of 17