Return-to-Work Interviews: A UK Guide

This guide covers England, Scotland and Wales. The Equality Act 2010 duty to make reasonable adjustments extends to those three nations (legislation.gov.uk). Northern Ireland has its own employment law, including the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996.

Why hold one

Acas says that when someone returns after an absence, they should talk with their employer to make sure they are ready to return and have any support they need. The employer should have a process for this, set out in the absence policy if there is one. A return-to-work meeting is often an informal chat between the worker and their manager, and is sometimes called a return-to-work interview (Acas, return to work meetings).

It is not a legal requirement (Acas). For frequent short-term absence, Acas guidance says unexpected absences should be investigated promptly and the employee asked for an explanation at a return-to-work interview (Acas guide to discipline and grievances at work, Appendix 4). The HSE says employers should have policies on managing sick leave, record and monitor it, and train managers to manage sick leave and return to work (HSE, managing sick leave and return to work).

For a worker returning from sickness, Acas says the meeting should be before they return or as soon as possible after (Acas, return to work meeting template).

What to cover

Acas lists what the meeting is for (Acas):

• making sure the worker is ready to return to work;
• talking about work updates from while they were off;
• seeing whether they need any support;
• agreeing a plan for returning, if appropriate, such as a phased return; and
• talking about what they would like other workers to know about their absence, and what they would like kept confidential.

If the worker was off sick, you might also look at any recommendations from their doctor and consider a referral to occupational health. If the worker is disabled, review their reasonable adjustments and discuss whether more are needed (Acas).

Before the meeting

Acas says the employer should (Acas):

• make sure the conversation will be private and confidential, face to face or online;
• gather relevant records, such as notes of earlier conversations about the worker's absence;
• prepare questions, and know what support you can offer, such as flexible working, a phased return or reasonable adjustments; and
• read any recommendations in a fit note or a report about their health.

Underlying causes

Look out for signs of an underlying problem, such as work-related stress or a disability. Be sensitive. Acas says a worker does not have to tell you anything, but talking openly can help you put the right support in place (Acas). Ask only for what you need: the ICO says employers must not collect more health information than they really need for their purpose (ICO, workers' health information).

Acas publishes a free return to work meeting template for structuring and recording the meeting.

Fit notes

If a fit note says the employee "may be fit for work", discuss changes that might help them return, such as different hours or tasks. If you cannot agree on changes, the employee must be treated as "not fit for work" (GOV.UK, taking sick leave). Our fit notes guide covers what a note can say and what you can ask for.

Phased return and adjustments

A phased return is when someone who has been absent builds up to their full role gradually, for example on reduced hours, doing different work or with a lighter workload. It may suit a return after long-term illness, serious injury or bereavement (Acas, phased returns).

• Length. It depends on the worker's circumstances, and you should agree it together. A fit note will usually give advice on it. Review it regularly and be ready to extend it or change it (Acas).
• Pay. On reduced hours in their usual work, the worker gets their usual rate for the hours they work. Pay for the hours not worked depends on what you agree or your policy says, and could be full pay, company sick pay or Statutory Sick Pay if they are eligible. Statutory Sick Pay can only be paid for full days not worked. For a lighter workload, agree the rate of pay and put it in writing (Acas). See our Statutory Sick Pay guide.
• Disabled workers. If the worker is disabled, you must also make reasonable adjustments (Acas). The duty is in section 20 of the Equality Act 2010: where a provision, criterion or practice puts a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage, take reasonable steps to avoid it (s20).

The HSE suggests workplace adjustments such as shorter hours, flexible or part-time working, or adapting work equipment, and reviewing your risk assessment where a worker's health condition makes them or others more vulnerable to workplace risks. It also suggests getting professional advice on fitness to work, for example from occupational health (HSE).

Long-term absence

GOV.UK says an employee off sick for more than 4 weeks may be considered long-term sick. They are still entitled to annual leave (GOV.UK, taking sick leave).

Agree with the employee how often you will be in touch, how, and who with. Acas says this depends on their circumstances, and that contact is a chance to check on their wellbeing (Acas, keeping in touch during absence). The HSE says to keep the conversation focused on their health, safety and wellbeing and their return to work (HSE). For someone off with a mental health problem, agree the purpose, type and level of contact so it is useful and not overwhelming (Acas).

Disability-related absence may need adjustments to the return, such as working more flexibly or a phased return, for both short and long-term absence (Acas, disability-related absence). To ask the employee's doctor for a report you need their written consent under the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988 (Acas guide, Appendix 4). Our absence policy guide covers long-term sickness in the policy.

Recording it the same way for everyone

Acas says to record the number of absences, the length of each and the reason. Differentiating between reasons helps you see patterns: a single long absence with a clear reason should be treated differently from repeated short absences (Acas, recording absence).

• Record protected absence separately. Acas says recording pregnancy-related and disability-related absence separately can help avoid discrimination. It does not mean ignoring it; still talk to the employee about support (Acas).
• Keep health details apart. The ICO distinguishes a sickness record, which gives details of the illness, from an absence record, which may give the reason as "sickness" without a medical condition. It suggests using absence records where practical, keeping sickness records separate from less sensitive information, and keeping them secure (ICO, sickness and injury records).
• Limit who sees it. Managers should usually see only what they need, likely a worker's current or likely future fitness to work (ICO). Do not publish "league tables" of individual workers' sickness absence. You could publish totals by department or section, as long as no one can be identified (ICO).

Use the same questions and the same form after every absence, for every employee. Consistent notes make an absence review fair, and they are the evidence if a case later goes to a formal stage. Our guide to absence warning letters covers that stage.

In Appsentia

• Works from leave types and dates. It does not store diagnoses or medical certificates.
• Calculates the Bradford Factor and alerts you when an employee reaches one of your company's own trigger points.
• Keeps the leave types or single absences you exclude, such as disability-related or pregnancy-related absence, out of scoring.
• Imports leave from a CSV or Excel export of any HR or payroll system.

Sources

1. Acas, Return to work meetings and Phased returns, last updated 1 October 2026.
2. Acas, Return to work meeting template, last updated 11 July 2024.
3. Acas, Keeping in touch during absence, last updated 7 April 2026; Recording absence, last updated 9 January 2025; Disability-related absence.
4. Acas, Discipline and grievances at work: the Acas guide, Appendix 4.
5. HSE, Managing sick leave and return to work.
6. GOV.UK, Taking sick leave.
7. Equality Act 2010, section 20, legislation.gov.uk.
8. ICO, How do we handle sickness and injury records? and Data protection and workers' health information. The ICO notes this guidance is under review after the Data (Use and Access) Act.

Sources checked on 11 November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.