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Running a Business

Businesses are regulated by a large body of law which company owners need to keep on top of.

Our legal questions and answers give legal help for a range of issues which those running a business may face.

Employee is off sick with cancer

An employee has been employed for ten months; he has spent time off sick with cancer, although his pattern of absence has been intermittent, usually two to three days off here and there. I have not challenged him in any way by asking him for self certificates or evidence of any appointments. Should I take steps to check that he has cancer, and if he does, would I be able to dismiss him using the one year limited employment agreement?

Employee is taking excessive time off to care for a sick child

One of my employees is constantly taking sick leave because she has a child who is poorly but not disabled. Do I have the right to refuse her sick leave?

Employee marked for separate absences before & after holiday

I was off sick for 2 weeks. I was self certified for the first week and had a sick note on the second week. I then had two weeks booked off for holiday. I was contacted to find out about my condition but I was still unwell, so I went back to the GP to get another sick note. However, I was still sick after my holiday, and my employer is treating this as two separate absences. I am not worried about recovering the leave days but I would like it to be treated as one absence period. What should I do?

Employee missed work and shows signs of mental instability

An employee has not turned up to work when required. She was due to come into work on the 27th of February, but she phoned in to the house manager and said that she couldn't come in to work as she felt that someone was setting her up and playing with her mind – she had to drive around and see if her boyfriend was cheating on her. She doesn't appear well, mentally; she has a lot of personal problems, and although she doesn't have many instances of illness, she has said she is on medication for anxiety and depression. I am concerned about her concentration, but she has followed correct reporting procedures. She is due back tomorrow – where should I go from here?

Employee negligence led to incorrect administration of medicine

My employee’s performance has been sloppy which has led to instances where medication has not been administered properly. This has led to a warning from the regulator. What should I do?