Sick-leave skivers who cost companies thousands can be caught red-handed says a surveillance firm.
Security firm Sec-Tech UK Ltd, which offers asset protection, close protection, threat and risk management, chauffeurs, risk assessment and surveillance, has reported a significant increase in the number of companies nationwide wanting to expose staff who are falsely claiming sick leave.
Former police officer and director of Sec-Tech Andy Redhead, said: “Companies often have their suspicions that staff on sick leave are cheating the system, but that’s not enough – they need proof. Without concrete evidence they could be taken to a tribunal and that could cost them a fortune.”
There has been a rise in the number of claims accepted by tribunals – 7,500 in the last year, up from 6,600 in 2008-09 – and, with the average payout for unfair dismissal standing at around £8,700, companies are keen to avoid lengthy and potentially expensive hearings.*
Human resources (HR) departments, suspicious of staff on long term sick leave, are iit’s claimed turning to surveillance to follow employees and provide the sort of evidence which would be acceptable should the case result in a tribunal.
Mr Redhead said: “Companies are quite rightly fed up with being conned and some employees really are quite blatant in their behaviour. For instance, we investigated a fork lift driver who claimed his sore knees prevented him for driving – but clearly did not prevent him driving to a nightclub where he was moonlighting as a bouncer – and a truck driver who called in sick only to be discovered playing pool and drinking beer with his mates in his local pub.
“Because our team is highly experienced, not only at surveillance and at gathering evidence but also at presenting it in a style and format acceptable to court and tribunal hearings, the staff member usually knows when the game’s up.”
Sec-Tech UK Ltd holds SIA approved contractor status to provide close protection services, adds that it’s fully insured to provide specialist security services and is registered with the Home Office. For more information about the services it can offer to HR departments, contact 0845 0020696 or visit its website.
* Statistics supplied by the Employment Tribunal Service via http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2010/09/08/56506/employment-tribunal-statistics-2010-which-discrimination-claims-get-the-largest-awards
