A Return to Work Interview (RTWI) must be undertaken for each and every period of sickness absence, to ensure that it is used as an effective means of reducing absenteeism.

The key points in relation to undertaking a RTWI are:

• Return to Work Interviews (RTWI) must be adopted as regular practice for every period of sickness absence, to ensure an effective means of reducing absenteeism. Beforehand you should establish if there is a pattern to the employee's absence and/or whether a trigger has been reached. Also establish if they are on a current period of absence monitoring.
• The RTWI should (where possible) be completed on the day the employee returns to work and certainly within 72 hours of returning. There will be cases when it is essential for the interview to be held before the employee resumes normal duties. For example, if an employee has been absent from work due to a musculoskeletal problem and they carry out a physical job; there should be agreement on any necessary changes to working practices before the employee starts work.
• A RTWI is not about challenging the reason for sickness or disputing that genuine sickness exists. It can be used to provide any information which may assist the employee to improve attendance. Where relevant, it can also be used to highlight the importance of good attendance and to advise the employee that there is a limit to how much non-productive time the Council can sustain.
• The RTWI should be informal, always conducted sympathetically and held in private.
• If you have identified that the employee has reached one or more absence trigger this should be discussed at the RTWI and, where appropriate, Stage 1 monitoring should be implemented. If however, as the manager/ supervisor undertaking the RTWI, you are not responsible for the management of absence, a separate Stage 1 absence review meeting may be appropriate. In either case, the fact that the employee has been placed on Stage 1 monitoring should be confirmed to the employee in writing.
• Where the employee is already on Stage 1 monitoring and they have had further absences, they should be advised at their RTWI that they may be invited to a Stage 2 absence monitoring. HR can provide advice on how to progress if required.
• Where the employee is returning to work within one week of starting a period of absence they should complete a self-certificate before or at this meeting on MyView.
• You must ensure that you complete the RTW form on MyView at or following the meeting. You should also input the absence end date, and upload all documentation, (eg a copy of any letter sent to the employee), to MyView as soon as the RTWI is complete.  

This is useful in conducting return to work interview and includes:

• Welcome the employee back to work. Check that they are fit enough to be back.  If the RTWI follows a period of long term absence then it will need to be more structured, to ensure that the employee is brought up-to-date on their duties, and any changes which have happened during the absence. It also provides an opportunity to agree how best to manage the employee's reintroduction to work.
• Discuss the Absence with the employee. Identify the cause and explore whether there is an underlying health problem. Indicate to the employee that their absence has been noted and discuss their sickness record.
• Establish if the sickness absence was work-related and whether there are any health and safety issues that need to be addressed. If any injury has occurred, (work-related or not), you should consider Occupational Health referral for assessment. If any stress/depression/anxiety issues are raised, work-related or personal, the employee should be directed to mental wellbeing support available online. You should also consider whether Occupational Health referral is appropriate.
• Explain and ensure the employee is aware of their Responsibility regarding notification of sickness absence and their responsibility to come to work unless unfit to do so. This may also be a good time to highlight to the employee the impact their absence has on service delivery and colleagues. This must however, be done in a sensitive and constructive way. Raise any concerns with the employee eg late notification, patterns of absence such as before or after weekends, etc. Explore whether the employee has a disability and whether the provisions of the Equality Act apply such as making reasonable adjustments.
• Finally Move on and focus on getting the employee back to work. If not discussed previously then discuss any help you might provide to ease the employee’s return to work e.g. phased return, restricted duties. Update the employee on any news they missed while they were off.