A model letter to invite an employee to an appeal hearing where the employee has appealed their dismissal under the long-term sickness absence management procedure.
The Court of Appeal has held that an employer's decision to disregard new medical evidence and dismiss an employee on long-term sickness absence amounted to discrimination arising from disability and unfair dismissal.
In Holmes v Qinetiq Ltd [2016] IRLR 664 EAT, the EAT held the "Acas code of practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures" has no application where an employer does not allege culpable conduct by an employee. Accordingly, no uplift to compensation under s.207A of TULR(C)A could be applied where the employee was unfairly dismissed on ill-health grounds.
In BS v Dundee City Council [2014] IRLR 131 CS, the Court of Session found that a tribunal failed to address crucial questions in deciding whether or not an employee had been fairly dismissed for long-term absence and had been wrong to assume that the employee's length of service was a relevant consideration. Long service was relevant only insofar as it could lead to the inference that the employee was a good worker who would return to work as soon as possible.