As winter begins, and with updated Covid-19 guidance now in place, we ask all to staff continue to report any sickness absence using the procedure outlined below.  

Why is reporting absence important? 

It is essential that you report any sickness absence because this enables us to make sure you receive the support you may need when returning to work. It also helps us to plan our work and staffing needs effectively throughout the year. Accurate absence records allow us to predict periods of high absence and plan accordingly so that we can continue to deliver the right level of service across the University at all times.

How to report sickness absence 

You must: 

• Report any sickness absence in line with the University’s absence notification and recording procedures.  
• If too unwell to work, inform your immediate line manager (ideally via phone call or voicemail, or by whatever arrangement is agreed with your manager locally) as early as possible on your first day of absence and no later than two hours after your normal starting time.  
• Provide a personal self-certificate If unwell for more than three days. If you remain unwell after seven days, you must provide a medical certificate or fit note from your GP. These documents should be sent to your line manager, who will forward them to the Payroll department. 

Your manager will: 

• Ensure all absences for monthly paid staff, including those of faculty, are noted on a sickness absence form by the Head of School or Division (or nominee), and reported to Payroll at the end of each month. 
• Update their departmental records, or inform the nominee responsible, to ensure that the absence can be returned to Payroll for the end of the same month. 

Further guidance is available on the Payroll website. 

Covid-19 reporting  

Reporting Covid-19 absence helps us keep our community safe. In addition to the procedure above, we remind you to use our Covid-19 reporting form to submit a report if you need to self-isolate due to: 

• contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 - if not fully vaccinated with a vaccine recognised in the UK, or if otherwise advised to isolate by NHS Test and Trace due to close contact with a positive case
• having Covid-19 symptoms
• being positive with Covid-19
• needing to self-isolate due to travel

Absence reporting is going online 

The Payroll department is currently working on improving the absence reporting process and from October 2022, you will be able to record absences online via the MyView system. Further information and guidance about the new process will be available from early 2022. 

What to do following close contact with someone on campus who tests positive for Covid-19

If you are identified as a contact of someone with Covid-19, you are strongly advised to take a Lateral Flow test every day for seven days and continue as normal, unless you have a positive test result.

Public Health will contact individuals who have contracted the Omicron variant and may issue additional information about isolation or testing in these cases.

The University will continue to use its own track and trace system*, but we also recommend staff and students use the NHS Test and Trace app as this will detect clusters of infection and contact those affected. You should stay away from work until you get your negative PCR test result to ensure we minimise Covid infection rates across campus. See NHS self-isolation rules.

*The University’s own track and trace system requires staff and students to fill out the Covid-19 reporting form if you need to self-isolate due to:

• testing positive for Covid-19
• having Covid-19 symptoms
• being identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19, if you are not fully vaccinated
• arriving in the UK from overseas

Updating your vaccination status

Please consider updating your vaccination status on the MyView portal. It's helpful for the University to know the likely levels of protection our staff have against the virus. It's your choice whether you supply this information and you can remove the data at any time.

Local walk-in booster clinics

Walk-in vaccination sessions are taking place in the local area. Currently walk-in services are mainly offering first and second vaccinations. Please check the details of the service if you are looking for your booster. See the Keep Sussex Safe pages for more information.

Your wellbeing

The University’s Employee Assistance Programme partners, Health Assured, offer a comprehensive service for Sussex staff and an evidence-based app providing tools and support to improve mental wellbeing. Their confidential helpline provides urgent support to staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 0800 316 9337.

Please take some time to consider the range of webinars hosted by Health Assured (using access code: worklife and password: worklife). The 'Coping with change' session, offering practical measures we can put in place to help us cope with change in our lives, may be of particular interest at this time.

Working under the current circumstances can throw up challenges as Covid-19 continues to influence our lives, so please remember that University's wellbeing hub offers many tools and resources to look after your mental, physical and financial wellbeing.

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