Attendance Monitoring

The Bradford Factor is a recognised way of monitoring individual sickness absence and attendance on an ongoing basis.   It calculates scores based on the number of times an employee is absent and the number of days they are absent in a 12-month rolling period.

This is done by applying the formula of S x S x D:-

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S = Occasions of absence in a rolling 12-month period

D = Total number of days absent in a rolling 12-month period.

The rolling period will begin on the first day of the most recent episode of sickness absence and will include any instances of sickness absences in the 12 months preceding this date.

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Using the formula will provide the number of points that an employee has accumulated through sickness/absence.

Depending on the Bradford Factor score, different steps will be considered in order to manage the employee’s absence.  Short term absence can be very disruptive and can severely affect the performance of the business and the services we provide.

Each period of sickness will be assessed individually and the potential action set out below is not definitive. Consideration will always be given to individual circumstances.  It is however important to point out that the number of points an employee has accumulated will then determine whether there is a possibility that disciplinary action may be taken. Trigger levels are in place to determine whether or not disciplinary action should be considered.

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The trigger levels are as follows

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0-75         Considered good attendance

75-200     Cause for concern; a meeting will take place with the employee to understand the reasons for poor attendance & create a plan to improve it. Their score may possibly be reduced.       

Factor score may be reduced.  Additional measures may also be put in place if required.

If further absences occur the following trigger points are –

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201-300    Attendance has not improved – a verbal warning will be issued

301-450    Attendance has still not improved – First written warning

451-700    Attendance is critical – Final written warning

701+          Dismissal is likely

​If an employee accumulates a total number of points through sickness/absence that fall into one of the above categories, the employee will be invited to a disciplinary hearing although disciplinary action will not necessarily be taken (see the Disciplinary Procedure for the process that will be followed). Where disciplinary action is not taken, written reasons will be provided by the relevant manager for file purposes.

Absence due to reasonable amounts of Time off for Dependants will not attract points under the Bradford Factor Scheme.

Should an employee’s Bradford Factor score skip a trigger level, the employee will not necessarily skip a disciplinary stage.

At the return to work interview, an employee will be informed of his or her Bradford Factor score.