Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 92: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the action she is taking to deal with the problem of absenteeism in her Department. [40735/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In 2008, the Department had just over one million working days potentially available to it. A total of 68,102 days were lost because of sick leave, equivalent to 6.61% of the total. This was an improvement on 2007, when 7.15% of working days were lost due to sick leave.

Almost one third of total working days lost because of sick leave in 2008 were due to one of four categories of illness, each accounting for between 7% and 9% of all working days lost due to sick leave. The four categories are stress, respiratory illness, pregnancy related illness and surgery/ post operative debility.

Over 91% of working days lost due to sick leave in 2008 were in respect of absences covered by medical certificates. One quarter of the days lost were due to absences of six months or longer, at which point employees would have been placed on reduced rates of pay.

The total number of days lost due to uncertified sick leave in 2008 was less than 6,000 which is less than 0.6% of the total working days potentially available to the Department last year.

The Department has had an Attendance Management Policy in place since 2005. The Policy is intended to raise awareness of the effects of absences on the work of the Department and its impact on colleagues, often called upon to carry the extra work. It is also intended to provide a management structure to manage absences with a view to bringing about improvement where it is possible to do so, and foster an "Attendance Culture". A review of the Policy was completed earlier this year and has just been re-issued to all staff.

Measures taken include return to work interviews, early referral to the Chief Medical Officer, a Health Promotion Policy, including the organisation of health screening on a voluntary basis for staff, and supports for staff who are returning to work after a long term illness. The Department also works closely with the Chief Medical Officer who plays a crucial role in advising the department on employee's fitness for work from a medical perspective. Good attendance is also a requirement for the payment of increments, transfers and promotions.

The Attendance Management policy also confirms the links between attendance, performance, and disciplinary measures. Repeated poor attendance, and or abuse of sick leave procedures will result in warnings, appropriate sanctions, such as disqualification from competitions and transfers, withdrawal of sick leave privilege and ultimately dismissal, if warranted.

The Department's Absence Management Policy provides for the active management of absenteeism by, among other measures, highlighting the importance to the Department and its services of having the best possible rate of attendance by its employees and clearly setting out the duties and responsibilities of all staff and managers in this area.