Communication in writing can be considered but this is not ideal and face to face meetings are preferable. If the absence is likely to be long in the circumstances’, dismissal may ‘unreasonably be considered but all possible alternatives must be investigate short of dismissal. Factors to consider in incapacity process: What is the nature of the job? Is it the kind of job one may substitute the incapacitated employee with another employee? Or is it a specialised skill where there is no-one else in the SABC who can do this job? If the latter is the case then this may be the sort of situation where the only solution is to hire a permanent replacement. How long is the employee likely to be absent? If the absence is likely to be short the managers may be able to delay having the task performed for a few weeks until he/she recovers and is able to come back to work. How serious or severe is the incapacity? If the incapacity is not serious the employee come to work and perform certain aspects of his/her job, if not nearly all. If some of the functions can be delegated, to other employees for a specified period of time while the incapacitated employee is given opportunity to obtain medical assistance and undergo treatment. Check with the doctor that this is possible and specifically what functions he/she can and can’t be expected to perform. Is there a possibility that the employee can be temporarily replaced? This factor is quite closely aligned to the nature of the job. For some jobs, it is easy to employ a temp to do the job for a period of time on a fixed term/temporary contract basis. For others particularly in the case of highly specialised or scarce – and rare skills, it’s not, as people with those skills are generally all in permanent employment. TRAVEL MEDICINE
Communication in writing can be considered but this is not ideal and face to face meetings are preferable. If the absence is likely to be ‘unreasonably long in the circumstances’, dismissal may be considered but all possible alternatives must be investigate short of dismissal. Factors to consider in incapacity process: What is the nature of the job? Is it the kind of job one may substitute the incapacitated employee with another employee? Or is it a specialised skill where there is no-one else in the SABC who can do this job? If the latter is the case then this may be the sort of situation where the only solution is to hire a permanent replacement. How long is the employee likely to be absent? If the absence is likely to be short the managers may be able to delay having the task performed for a few weeks until he/she recovers and is able to come back to work. How serious or severe is the incapacity? If the incapacity is not serious the employee come to work and perform certain aspects of his/her job, if not nearly all. If some of the functions can be delegated, to other employees for a specified period of time while the incapacitated employee is given opportunity to obtain medical assistance and undergo treatment. Check with the doctor that this is possible and specifically what functions he/she can and can’t be expected to perform. Is there a possibility that the employee can be temporarily replaced? This factor is quite closely aligned to the nature of the job. For some jobs, it is easy to employ a temp to do the job for a period of time on a fixed term/temporary contract basis. For others – particularly in the case of highly specialised or scarce and rare skills, it’s not, as people with those skills are generally all in permanent employment. TRAVEL MEDICINE