The Bradford Factor and work sickness

[Hom3r]

Has anyone here heard of this garbage?

BRADFORD FACTOR

I have fallen foul of it at work, as in the last year I have 3 absences, 1x10 day (signed off through stress, mum in hospital etc), 1x3 day, and 1x4 day.

According to the BF score I got 510, and they say above 450 "Recommend Dismissal"

They took away the 10 days signed off and as a result I got a verbal warning.

So basic I have to drive to work next time I'm ill possible endangering other motorist and possible breaking the law as this system means they could sack me.

I have never been treated like and other have have worst than me.

Plus this it what has been said about this system, which to me says "Only companies that that have zero respect for their staff, and want to drag them down" use this system, which totally sums up my company.

It was originally designed for use as part of the overall investigation and management of absenteeism. In contrast, if used as part of a very limited approach to address absence or by setting unrealistically low trigger scores it was considered short-sighted, unlikely to be successful and could lead to staff disaffection and grievances. The use of the Bradford Factor often provokes heated debate.

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But using a calculator online is say it shouldn't be a issue.

But like I say my company has moved the goal posts to give me a higher score.

[adzii_nufc]

Is this your own personal story? Nevermind seems it is.

An old employer of mine would merely deny holiday requests for days you were entitled too then just sack you when you took a day.

Every year they gave out an appraisal form to be completed by employee. Noting days late, abscences, warnings and so forth and would discipline those that had excessive marks. I never got to have a day off and was never late anyway but they were quite reasonable for those that were and it took some dire self discipline to get yourself dismissed. Just a shame about holiday requests. They also wiped off marks against you fo occasions you covered a last minute shift which happened on a weekly basis.

[Taf]

I have friend in a Fire Service who had this done to her. Unions were no use as it was an "accepted method".

She fought it to no avail, and ended-up downgraded with a reduction pay and conditions.

[adzii_nufc]

Shouldve elaborated but days absent and late were printed on the appraisal with a chance to explain them and whether you thought it was acceptable. Not you having to list days down you thought you were late.

Now I'm home I can delve into other things.

If you were more than an hour late with no reasonable explanation you were likely dismissed. If you were absent without calling in due time then you'd be dismissed again. Unless you had very good reasons for not being able to make a 5 minute call.

I did have something similar to your case. It came under amount of days absent with reason. You had to answer whether the amount was reasonable or not. Luckily I'd never had any.

Because it was a yearly appraisal my company would discipline people excessively late when it occurred though and the same for abscences rather than allow that employee to sit on it for a year. Not me personally but a co-worker got a written warning via post and I believe that's the most serious discipline that ever occurred from the forms. As above though it seems daft to wait to dismiss someone they thought was off too much. It did leave you on 1 of three strikes though, so left you open for instant dismissal further on. Naturally you've been given one of those strikes now leaving you vulnerable further down the line.

I can understand the verbal warning part in the end given their dubious system but the amount of unsigned abscences vs signed ones is low enough for it not to really be an issue. It seems a bit extreme to me. I doubt anyone in my old company wouldve even got a warning for that.

Just sounds like an easy way to cut staff at the end of the period if they need too.

[Hom3r]

3 days earlier in the year where due to Gout and I could walk, let alone press my clutch pedal.

4 days last week cold/flu I was a sleep for most of it.

Our company has used a "Bradford Score" for 10+ years, but they must use a different calculation, since your score would be 153 (Scores over 100 trigger HR to investigate the circumstances).

They use Days Off x Number of Absences squared, so in your case 17 x 3 x 3 = 153.

[Gavin78]

I've heard of it the NHS usually have it down somewhere but not sure if anyone actually uses it.

Our policy is 3.5% but at the moment mine is 6.8% so on watch at the min with a 6 month review

[Horizon]

This must a "northern" thing.....guess the clue is in the name! Never heard of such a scheme in London.

Each case has to be taken on its own, not against some arbitrary points system. You could be off half a year, but have a very good reason for it. Or, off work for a few days and not have a good reason.

I don't know what employment legislation is like now, but I'm sure lawyers would have a field day against "measuring" people like cattle against a points system.

[techguyone]

Yes another fantastic idea, like the 'Liverpool Care Pathway' another Northern named travesty.

[Osem]

What sort of jargon fixated idiots come up with these names?

[Hom3r]

Originally Posted by Paul M

Our company has used a "Bradford Score" for 10+ years, but they must use a different calculation, since your score would be 153 (Scores over 100 trigger HR to investigate the circumstances).

They use Days Off x Number of Absences squared, so in your case 17 x 3 x 3 = 153.

Mine must use this score 17 x 3 x 10 = 510

But ignore 10 days as that was signed off through stress.

So 7 days sick in a year is nothing, when other jobs allow 10 days.

I mean my company is trying to get blood out of a stone.

I worked out that with the 20 extra hours I do a month for less money, plus the 12 days holiday less I get than any job I have ever worked for (and that included an agency that game me 28days holiday), I worked out I'm £5,000 a year worse off.

So CV is being updated and this weekend I'll be joining the 10 job agencies I used in the past.

You score is wrong according to the establised rules, which are what I posted ;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford_Factor

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There is even a calculator on this site : http://www.stafforg.com/bradford-factor.html