1 MANAGEMENTOF INCAPACITY DUE TO ILL-HEALTH IN THE INCAPACITY DUE TO ILL-HEALTH IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE

2 OUTLINE  Current Leave Benefits  The Rationale for Change  Management Policy and Procedure on Incapacity Leave and Ill-Health Retirement for Public Service Employees  Perceived Benefits of the Management of Incapacity due to Ill-health  The Pilot Study  The Way Forward

3 Current Leave Benefits  Annual leave  22/26 working days per leave cycle  Family Responsibility Leave  3 days in the event of birth of child and/or illness or death of spouse, life partner, child  5 days in the event of death of a member of the immediate family

4  Normal sick leave  36 working days per 3 year sick leave cycle  Incapacity leave  After normal sick leave is exhausted  Dept may grant max. 30 working days with full pay subject to investigation. These days may be extended based upon the findings of the investigation/medical evidence obtained during the investigation Current Leave Benefits

5 The Rationale for Change  Incapacity leave & ill-health retirements are not managed consistently  A uniform & clear policy on the management of incapacity leave and ill- health retirements lacks  Incapacity is rarely if ever properly investigated & managed

6  Departments generally lacks the expertise and skills to investigate & manage incapacity & ill-health retirement  Departments have difficulty to accommodate permanent incapacitated employees through redeployment, re- skilling, etc.  Medical information The Rationale for Change

7  Time delay between the onset & payment of ill-health benefits results in hardship for genuinely incapacitated employees  Departments incur unnecessary expenses in granting additional sick leave where ill- health retirement is more appropriate  Current provisions are used to address other work related problems, e.g. poor work performance The Rationale for Change

8  Ill-health retirements were exceptionally high- according to an analyses of 1557 applications for the period Nov Feb showed that -  SAPS is 314% higher than expected in private sector  DCS is 253% higher than expected in private sector  48% of all applications: probably or definitely not been granted ill-health benefits  27% of all applications: temporary incapacity  68% of all applicants could have benefited from return to work strategies The Rationale for Change

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10  Objectives: To set up structures & procedures which will ensure that-  intervention and management of incapacity in the workplace accommodate temporary or permanently incapacitated employees, specifically with regard to the labour legislation  Rehabilitation, re-skilling and re-alignment of temporary or permanently incapacitated employees are facilitated where necessary Management Policy and Procedure on Incapacity Leave and Ill-Health Retirements for Public Service Employees

11  Mission  Adopt a holistic approach  Prevent abuse of incapacity leave/ill-health retirement  Provide income  Adopt a scientific approach to health risk management  Involve the various stakeholders  Consistent, fair and objective  Cost effective and sustainable Management Policy and Procedure on Incapacity Leave and Ill-Health Retirements for Public Service Employees

12  A uniform/integrated policy will be available to manage incapacity and ill-health retirements appropriately  The Management Policy and Health Risk Manager will ensure timeous professional and objective assessments and recommendations  It will allow early intervention where appropriate Perceived Benefits of the Management of Incapacity due to Ill- health

13  Data collected could also inform the development of subsequent programmes such as disease management.  It serves also as a change management tool to change employee behaviour with regard to the utilisation of sick leave in general  It will pave the way to introduce a more comprehensive management approach to absenteeism in that the employer will be able to effectively utilise an employee and as for as long as possible. Perceived Benefits of the Management of Incapacity due to Ill- health

14 The Pilot Study  Request for Information & Conference Room Pilot Study  Outcomes of pilot study  Funding of Pilot Study  Pilot study  Pilot sites  South African Police Service  Department of Correctional Services  Free State Province  Duration: 12 months

15  Appointment of Service Providers  Setting up in pilot departments  Challenges  Capacity on the part of the service providers  Capacity on the part of the DPSA and GEPF  Development and negotiation of comprehensive and thorough Service Level Agreements with appointed service providers The Pilot Study

16  Lessons Learnt  Disclosure of medical information  Maintaining confidentiality  Attitude of attending practitioners  Legality of medical certificates  Management of normal sick leave  Valuable information on ill-health/wellness trends  Paradigm shift in usage of incapacity leave and ill- health retirement applications The Pilot Study

17 The Pilot Study

18 The Pilot Study

19  The initiative and processes started in the pilot sites will continue after the the pilot study came to an end  Development of an implementation strategy to inform the roll-out to the rest of the Public Service The Way Forward

20  Challenges/Issues to consider I.r.o. full implementation  Do we have enough knowledge to take an informed decision on further implementation  Changes to improve the policy and procedures  Ability and capacity of provinces and departments to deal with roll-out on their own  Capacity of the Health Risk Management Industry  The capacity of the DPSA/GEPF  The number of employees to make any future contracts viable  Financing the roll-out The Way Forward