Q: Just wondering what your thoughts are with the manager being able to apply for leave on an employee’s behalf.
We are in the process of implementing a new payroll system and we have been asked if we want this option, the process would not go through to the employee after the manager has applied for the leave on their behalf, they might get a notification that it has been done, this would be a question that I would need to ask the payroll provider.
The new payroll system people said that it isn’t an issue and all their companies using the system do it this way.
A: The employee must advise if they want to take SL entitlement. It is not enough that they just state they are sick; the manager should follow up the text with the question do you want to apply for sick leave entitlement to be taken during this period? If the employee asks for this, then the manager decides if it will be provided, if proof will be needed etc.
The other issues here are what if the employee does not have any SL entitlement and whether they want to use annual leave or unpaid sick leave.