Authorised absenteeism and redundancies: employees bear the brunt of unforeseen circumstances

Sick leaves, however brief, are covered by the ‘Social Security’ (National Insurance) through temporary disability benefits. But there is a part that taxes the employer. Moreover, not all employee absences, even when authorised, arise from an illness, but may have other causes. In view of this, employment legislation, balancing conflicting interests, allows for redundancy where there is persistent intermittent absenteeism – however authorised – over a certain period of time, a redundancy that is now constitutionally endorsed.