Teacher absence policy ‘too harsh’

Teachers say they feel “hounded” to return to work early after life events such as cancer treatment, bereavement or hospital operations because of the profession’s attendance monitoring policy.

Delegates at the Educational Institute of Scotland’s 171th annual general meeting in Perth yesterday voted for a monitoring review and also called for the sickness allowance for teachers suffering from cancer to be examined.

Teachers cited various examples where they or colleagues felt penalised by their local authority employers after illness caused by conditions including ME.

One teachers was asked “what can we do to improve your attendance?” after being absent due to bereavement.

Teachers suffering cancer feel pressured to return