Manchester Employee Absenteeism Investigations

Manchester Employee Absenteeism & Misconduct Investigations

Manchester Employee Absenteeism and the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic has increased financial pressure on many businesses this year and many in our experience are suffering absenteeism as a result of it.

Absenteeism is an employee’s intentional or habitual absence from work. While employers expect workers to miss a certain number of workdays each year, excessive absences can equate to decreased productivity and can have a major effect on company finances, morale and other factors.

We have been instructed over the last nine months by corporate bodies to investigate whether COVID-19 absenteeism’s are genuine and in the main COVID-19 self-isolation has been used as an excuse for authorised time off.

Titan Private Investigation Ltd has experienced success working on behalf of SME’s Nationally; in some instances saving thousands in sickness pay or hundreds of thousands in injury compensation. Titan’s offices are located in London, Birmingham, Cambridge, Derby, Leeds, Leicester, Nottingham, Manchester and Sheffield.

Manchester Absenteeism Common Reasons

From our experience some of the most common reasons for absenteeism are;

1. COVID-19 Self Isolating – Self-isolating due to COVID-19 is a feasible and readily available excuse to gain time off work without affecting an employee’s annual leave quota. We have been instructed by many companies who have had suspicions that this is the case and in many cases we have been able to gain irrefutable video evidence to prove that they are not self-isolating.
2. Moonlighting (working elsewhere) – We have experienced cases where employees have self-certified sickness and also where they forward their doctor’s note every 2 weeks whilst working elsewhere so that they can earn 2 salaries.
3. Setting up a business – One investigation uncovered that whilst an employee was claiming sick pay she was working hard both in and out of a studio as a photographer building her newly incorporated business.
4. To have an extended weekend or family holiday whilst being paid. – We recently investigated an employee who stated that he’d suffered an injury whilst at work. As a result he couldn’t work, couldn’t leave the house to attend Occupational Health meetings and was too ill to drive. Our investigation uncovered that the real reason the employee couldn’t attend was because he was abroad enjoying a family holiday whilst both receiving sick pay and pursuing legal litigation for the accident.
5. To be awarded compensation for an injury – This is one of the more serious forms of absenteeism, incorporating the offence of fraud, which we’re finding more and more common. This is where an employee falsely reports an accident with the intention of then claiming compensation, or suffers a genuine injury but then exaggerates the symptoms with the intention of increasing the value of their claim.

Employee Absenteeism – What are the costs?

The annual cost of sickness absence has climbed to almost £29 billion for UK organisations, according to new figures from PWC.

Our clients have usually commenced an unacceptable absenteeism procedure involving action plans and meetings with supervisors and other departments such as HR and Occupational Health. If this hasn’t been initiated, then we are able to offer advice and guide you through this process.
In 100% of our cases the client has had a suspicion of varying degrees that the claim or sickness was false, however the evidence is required to prove misconduct. That’s where Titan comes in! We produce a bespoke investigation plan based around your needs, objectives and budget.

Is it lawful to investigate an employee in Manchester?

Titan only employ lawful evidence gathering techniques which are non-intrusive and don’t infringe on Human Rights, such as the right to a private life and a fair trial. We’ve employed and refined these tactics in accordance with the Law since 1997 and base our investigations around proportionality and necessity.

Manchester Employee Absenteeism – Who do I contact for further information?

One of Titan Investigation’s dedicated Manchester Employee Absenteeism investigations team are awaiting your call which will be treated in the utmost confidence. Titan offers our Corporate and Private Investigation Services throughout Manchester and the Greater Manchester region and we also operate this service Nationally; we can be contacted as below:

Employee Investigations London – Call Titan Investigations 020 39046622
Employee Investigations Birmingham – Call Titan Investigations on 0121 7162442
Employee Investigations Cambridge – Call Titan Investigations 01223662022
Employee Investigations Derby (Head Office) – Call Titan Investigations 01332 504256
Employee Investigations Leeds – Call Titan Investigations 0113 4574066
Employee Investigations Leicester – Call Titan Investigations 0116 2436520
Employee Investigations Nottingham – Call Titan Investigations 0115 9646950
Employee Investigations Manchester – Call Titan Investigations 01613023008
Employee Investigations Sheffield – Call Titan Investigations 0114 3499400

Alternatively, contact us by email at enquiries@titaninvestigations.co.uk or use our fully confidential contact form and one of our team will get right back to you or use our Live Chat facility to chat directly to one of our Manchester Private Investigators.