Balancing business needs and employee wellbeing in sickness absence

In this episode of The Employment Law Pod, Andrew Whiteaker is joined by Julie Marsh, Partner in the Clinical Negligence team, to explore the challenges around managing long-term sickness absence.

Together, they discuss:

• The realities employees face after serious illness or injury.
• Why early communication between employers and employees matters.
• The role of medical evidence and occupational health in fair decision-making.
• What “reasonable adjustments” really mean under the Equality Act.
• Practical steps for employers to support a fair and lawful return-to-work process.

Discover how additional resources like Employee Assistance Programs and private medical insurance can support recovery, and why signposting employees to appropriate legal advice might provide crucial financial security when return to work proves impossible.