Sickness Absence

Entitlement to University Sick Pay is subject to the employee fulfilling the conditions for the notification of sickness absence and providing evidence of incapacity for work. Notification requirements are detailed in the Cardiff University Sickness Absence Policy.

If an employee is prevented from working through personal illness for one to seven calendar days, when s/he returns to work, s/he must complete a Sickness Absence Notification (SAN) Form which is obtainable from their line manager who will return it to the Human Resources Division.

If an employee is absent for eight or more consecutive calendar days (including Saturday and Sunday and Bank and Public Holidays), an employee must obtain a Medical Certificate from their Doctor and send it to their School or Directorate who in turn will forward to the Human Resources Division.

Where the first Medical Certificate covers more than fourteen consecutive calendar days, or where more than one Medical Certificate is necessary and no return to work date is given on the final Medical Certificate, before s/he can return to work, s/he must obtain a Final Medical Certificate with a return to work date from their Doctor to confirm that they are fit to return to work.

When s/he returns to work from an absence of eight or more days, s/he must complete a Sickness Absence Notification (SAN) Form which is obtainable from their line manager who will return it to the Human Resources Division.

Academic members of staff (as defined by the University’s Council) including those on the Senior Staff Pay Spine and Salary Grades 5 to 8 will be paid 28 weeks’ full pay followed by 24 weeks’ half pay to cover all absences within any span of twelve months.

Other staff, including those on Salary Grades 1 to 4, will be paid 2 weeks’ full pay and 2 weeks’ half pay in the first 3 months of employment, followed by 2 months’ full pay and 2 months’ half pay during the period from 3 to 12 months, and then 28 weeks’ full pay followed by 24 weeks’ half pay to cover all absences within any span of twelve months.

The rate of allowance is ascertained by deducting the aggregate of the periods of absence due to illness during the 12 months immediately preceding the first day of absence.

Statutory Sick Pay is also paid to eligible employees for 28 weeks after which the Salaries Office will issue a Statutory Sick Pay SSP (1) Form for the employee to claim Incapacity Benefit.

Any queries regarding sickness absence information should be directed to the Human Resources Division for clarification.

Alternatively, information can be obtained from the following link :