Dave’s a senior accountant at Watkins & Co — Sarah’s 45-person practice across three sites. Six years in. Solid. Never any trouble. Five weeks ago he threw his back out and he’s been at home ever since.
Sarah’s been great about it. Weekly check-ins, full pay, told him there’s no rush. Because that’s the kind of employer she is.
But here’s what nobody’s told her.
A bad back that doesn’t shift can become a disability under the Equality Act 2010. Not always. But often enough that if Sarah dismisses Dave — or handles this wrong — she could be facing a discrimination claim rather than a straightforward capability case.
And right now nobody at Watkins & Co has assessed that risk. Not once.
Being kind is not the same as being compliant.
✅ 3 THINGS TO DO IN THE FIRST 6 WEEKS OF A LONG-TERM ABSENCE
1. Start a formal absence management process now — a welfare meeting isn’t optional, it’s your first line of defence
2. Ask occupational health to assess whether the condition could meet the Equality Act definition of disability — don’t guess
3. Document everything — every call, every message, every decision — because if this escalates, what’s on paper is all that matters
These steps sound straightforward. But most managers avoid them because they feel clinical — and Dave’s been with them six years and they don’t want to make it weird.
That’s exactly how an unbudgeted five-figure bill starts.
This is where People Vision HR comes in.
We help good employers do this properly — the welfare meetings, the occupational health referrals, the letters that need to be exactly right. We’ve supported businesses of every size through long-term absence for 10 years. We know how to be both fair to Dave and protective of Sarah.
Before a kind employer becomes an exposed one.